Josh Conerly Jr. Michael Miller/ISI Photos/GettyImages

Commanders rookie Josh Conerly Jr. hit with most brutal NFL welcome imaginable

Originally posted on Riggo's Rag | By Ryan McCafferty | Last updated May 15, 2025 8:00 AM ET

The full details of the NFL regular season schedule in 2025 were released on Wednesday. For the Washington Commanders, it includes several noteworthy matchups.

The Commanders will play in five (potentially six) prime-time games and two additional contests in standalone windows. They'll be playing on Christmas Day. They'll be playing in Spain. They'll close out their campaign with four consecutive divisional matchups, including twice against the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in the last three weeks.

Josh Conerly Jr. must hit the ground running versus early Commanders gauntlet

At the start of the season, there's a different narrative that feels intriguing. As Washington's rookies, particularly No. 29 overall pick Josh Conerly Jr., look to acclimate themselves to professional football, a gauntlet of vaunted pass-rushing defenses will be awaiting.

The type of schedule you’ve been waiting for#WallpaperWednesday | @SeatGeek | @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/loYcUS3aTR
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) May 15, 2025

The Commanders open their campaign at home against the New York Giants, which should be an easily winnable game against an opponent that won three contests in 2024. However, the G-Men selected highly touted edge rusher Abdul Carter with the No. 3 pick in this year's draft, and he figures to make an immediate impact.

Carter joins a defensive front seven that already consists of quality contributors such as Kayvon Thibodeaux, Dexter Lawrence II, and Brian Burns. If the Penn State product lives up to the hype, the Giants might have one of the scariest pressure-generating units in the NFL.

Conerly will have to be up to the challenge from the moment he steps on the field for the first time during regular-season action. This is provided he does enough to secure the starting right tackle job opposite five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil.

It doesn't get any easier after that.

In Week 2, the Commanders go on the road to face the Green Bay Packers, a team that tied the Giants with the eighth-most sacks in 2024. The week after that, they face the Las Vegas Raiders. This is another team Washington should have the upper hand against, but also a team that features two-time second-team All-Pro Maxx Crosby, one of the best edge rushers in the NFL.

That's a brutal opening stretch for a young offensive lineman looking to make a smooth adjustment to the professional ranks. It's a genuine baptism of fire that the former Oregon star must handle effectively.

Conerly's selection was met with mixed reviews on draft night. Adam Peters decided to go with the best prospect available rather than addressing Washington's biggest need, that being the pass-rush. If the edge protector struggles out of the gates, narratives will surely waste no time emerging to question the choice.

However, Conerly and the Commanders should instead look at this slate as an opportunity. If the rookie can hold his own, then Washington will know it has hit on a good one to help protect its franchise quarterback, Jayden Daniels.