The Washington Commanders will have high hopes for a bounce-back campaign in 2026 after their previous season fell woefully short of playoff expectations.
Much of that will fall on the revamped roster Adam Peters has built with young and hungry free agents. But the organization also needs to see growth from its in-house draft picks.
Entering Year 3 as Washington's general manager, Peters has made a mixed bag of selections thus far. The 2024 class has largely been a disappointment outside of quarterback Jayden Daniels. The 2025 group has shown promise, but still has a lot more to prove.
For one player in that group, a major breakout could be on the horizon in 2026.
Josh Conerly Jr. can remind Commanders fans why he was a first-round pick
Josh Conerly Jr.'s rookie season did not get off to the most ideal start. The No. 29 overall pick out of Oregon faced concerns about his build coming out of the draft, and those concerns persisted all summer as he looked out of his element at the start of 2025.
But after allowing six sacks during a brutal early gauntlet in the first eight games of his professional career, Conerly was only responsible for two the rest of the way.
Conerly's growth throughout the 2025 season was visible as he learned from veteran Laremy Tunsil on the opposite side of the line. After playing left tackle in college, he was moved to right tackle due to the presence of the five-time Pro Bowler, who arguably should have made his sixth such game after a sensational first campaign in Washington.
With Tunsil now locked up long-term, Conerly should continue to improve in his role as the two of them bookend the protective unit for quarterback Jayden Daniels. The second-year pro has put on considerable muscle and now has a full year of trial and error in the NFL. That experience will be invaluable.
Commanders fans should expect at least average starter production from Conerly in 2026, with potential Pro Bowl-level upside. He is still only 22 and was drafted as a project, so the growth he has already shown is extremely promising. In the long run, he has the potential to be one of the best right tackles in football.
Given the importance of protecting Daniels, Conerly is one of Washington's most crucial building blocks. As long as he remains on his upward trajectory, all will be well.
The one thing he absolutely cannot do this season is suffer a dreaded sophomore slump. But Conerly has worked hard to minimize this risk considerably.
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