Commanders Roster Ranking No. 15: Josh Conerly Jr. Gives Washington a Young Tackle to Build Around

Josh Conerly Jr. had an uneven rookie season, but the Commanders are counting on his development to turn right tackle into a long-term answer.

Jan 4, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Washington Commanders offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr. (72) prepares to block against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Josh Conerly Jr. at No. 15 certainly feels more like a projection, and maybe it is a look at where he is heading. It is certainly where the Washington Commanders want him heading: ascending. Playing right tackle in the NFL is not for the weak at heart; second-year expectations at the position can make or break a career.

Washington drafted Conerly in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, and did not waste any time putting him in. In his rookie year, he started every game at right tackle, logging over 1,000 snaps.

According to Pro Football Focus, Conerly finished the 2025 season with an overall grade of 59.9, a pass-blocking grade of 57.8, and a run-blocking grade of 63.4. Factor in his 13 penalties and eight sacks given up, and those numbers do not scream franchise tackle, at least not yet. However, a quick look at those same PFF grades by game last year will show an improvement over the second half of the season.

Washington Commanders right tackle Josh Conerly Jr's Pro Football Focus Grades | Pro Football Focus

Washington Commanders right tackle Josh Conerly Jr's Pro Football Focus Grades | Pro Football Focus

Why Josh Conerly Jr Is So Important

Conerly is important because the right tackle position cannot be a revolving door for Washington any longer. The team is committed to protecting quarterback Jayden Daniels, which is why they went out and acquired one of the better left tackles in the business in Laremy Tunsil. Making that trade last year changed the dynamics of the Commanders' offensive line immediately. Now, if Conerly makes that huge step on the right side this season, Washington will officially have bookend tackles.

Tunsil appears to have taken Conerly under his wing a bit during the process. Which can only be viewed positively, as Washington would literally be ecstatic if Tunsil rubbed off on Conerly in any way. "I see myself," Tunsil said in an interview with Commanders.com, "I don't wanna sound cliché. I see a dog. I see somebody who wants it. He wants to be great."

Having bookends would make all the difference in the world for Daniels. It would legitimize the running game and help determine just how aggressive and creative new offensive coordinator David Blough can be.

Josh Conerly Jr. Strengths and Weaknesses

RT Josh Conerly Jr (#72) All-22 vs Bengals #RaiseHail pic.twitter.com/yUSgSkQGfW

— brandon (@JayDanielsMVP) August 19, 2025

Washington is not expecting Conerly to be perfect in year two. But they do need him to continue his improvement to the point where the defenses do not smell blood in the water and start loading up on him. If there is one thing he needs to get under control this season, it's the penalties. No matter what year a player is in, 13 penalties is not a good look.

To be clear, a 57.8 pass-blocking grade is not acceptable for any year of an NFL lineman's career. Three of his eight sacks given up were in Week 2 versus Green Bay, which at least signals some improvement on the stat sheet as the season progressed.

Conerly's biggest weakness may have been his strength, which, according to him, he has spent this offseason looking to improve. "Dieting, eating a lot cleaner, eating a little less," Conerly said. "Once we got back out here, I feel like you just add more and more."

One of the things that stood out for Conerly on his college film was the way he moves in the open field. That should fit well with the zone-blocking scheme loosely associated with Blough's coaching lineage. Hopefully, the added muscle this offseason does not affect that.

Why We Ranked Josh Conerly Jr Here

I thought he'd gained a lot of experience. He's been a better run blocker than I thought. Even coming out of Oregon, I knew he'd have the athleticism to pass protect because he could change direction.

Dan Quinn

Hear from 2025 first round pick, OL Josh Conerly, Jr after his first training camp practice

On learning from O-line teammates:

"You can ask anything... it's not no big dog, little dog thing, we're all one"@JPFinlayNBCS @Gio_Delfa #RaiseHail #Commanders pic.twitter.com/qgV7cMekue

— NBC4 Sports (@NBC4Sports) July 23, 2025

Right tackle is a hard position to fill in the NFL, even harder to hold onto once developed. Most young guys at the position come out of college and get manhandled by the elite pass rushers in the game. It is a tough reality that teams have to deal with in the process, which is why the pay continues to improve.

The idea with ranking him No. 15 is that this is his current ceiling on a team with 22 possible starters on offense and defense. If he hits all the markers the team believes he is capable of, this ranking will look low next offseason.

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