Commanders are betting the house on this rookie (and it might just pay off)

Adam Peters didn't have many draft picks at his disposal in 2025 after some frantic trade activity in recent months. That decreased the margin for error, but the general manager seemed suitably impressed by the acquisitions and what they could potentially bring to the Washington Commanders moving forward.

Instead of trading down from No. 29 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft for additional capital, and there was a chance for Peters to do so, he pushed all his chips into the middle with Oregon offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr.

It's a big risk, but the payoff could be substantial if the rookie meets expectations.

The Commanders were extremely high on Conerly's outlook. Peters and others in the war room thought he'd probably be gone by the time they went on the clock. Their patience was rewarded, and there was no hesitation when the edge protector's name remained on the board.

Commanders are expecting big things from Josh Conerly Jr. in 2025 and beyond

This was done despite the Commanders' shelling out substantial resources to acquire five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil via trade from the Houston Texans. Protecting quarterback phenom Jayden Daniels was the primary goal, and Conerly gets them a lot closer to achieving this objective.

Conerly is switching positions this summer. Tunsil is the blindside enforcer and one of the league's best at what he does. The Commanders are moving the incoming rookie to the right tackle spot. And in an ideal world, he'll adapt effectively en route to being the starter in Week 1 against the New York Giants.

The early signs were encouraging for Conerly at Washington's offseason program. His footwork and technique were as advertised. There are some concerns about his play strength, especially on running plays, but everything is proceeding as anticipated so far.

Peters placed a huge wager on Conerly. They are making him earn everything, but it would be a big disappointment if he didn't start immediately. After that, it's a case of limiting the growing pains as teams target him as a potential weak link over the opening stages of the campaign.

If Conerly achieves these objectives, the Commanders will have a bookend tackle tandem for Daniels to depend upon. And when Tunsil decides to walk away from the club or retire from the game entirely, Washington already has a ready-made replacement on the squad.

That's the kind of forward-thinking typically associated with Peters, who's always thinking two steps ahead. And if his big bet on Conerly reaps the required rewards, the Commanders are going to be in sensational shape long term.

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