The Washington Commanders are 3-8 at their much-needed bye week. However, some scarce bright spots have emerged amid the complete free-fall from lofty expectations.
Everything that could have gone wrong has gone wrong. Jayden Daniels is injured. So is Terry McLaurin. So is Dorance Armstrong Jr., who was having a Pro Bowl-caliber season. A plethora of additional key starters and depth pieces have suffered long-term ailments.
Finding bright spots this season has been a challenge. Most of them, such as defensive end Jacob Martin and running back Chris Rodriguez Jr., are players nobody expected anything from. The legitimate long-term building blocks on this team are few and far between.
But there is one young core piece who has come along nicely.
Commanders continue to see steady progress from Josh Conerly Jr. after rocky start
The Commanders' decision to select Oregon offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr. at No. 29 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft was met with mixed reactions. His position was not considered one of need after Washington traded for five-time Pro Bowler Laremy Tunsil. As such, he embarked on a switch from the blindside to the right-hand edge over the summer.
Conerly's life was made even more complicated by a brutal schedule to begin the year against some of the league's top pass-rushing units. In his first three weeks, he had to face Brian Burns, Micah Parsons, and Maxx Crosby. Predictably, he went through some growing pains, and the dreaded bust word was even thrown around.
The first-year pro has now settled in. Conerly is getting better every week. He's not only shedding all of those laughably premature bust declarations, but he's beginning to look like a future Pro Bowler.
Josh Conerly Jr. over the last three weeks:
- 76.4 overall PFF grade (3rd highest among rookie tackles)
- 0 sacks, 6 pressures
- 79.5 PFF run-blocking grade (9th highest among all tackles)
— Nick Akridge (@PFF_NickAkridge) November 17, 2025
In what's become a lost season for the Commanders, Conerly's growth has been a significant positive. Washington's past several drafts have generated far more misses than hits, and even the 2024 class that Daniels emerged from is beginning to age poorly. This team desperately needs some of its homegrown youngsters to start making gains, especially those Adam Peters invested high-value capital in.
Conerly is rewarding the Commanders for their investment. He's given Washington a trustworthy presence opposite Tunsil. The offensive line should be a strength in the immediate future, which will be crucial to keeping Daniels healthy.
The Commanders have encountered no shortage of issues this season, but they can at least take solace in knowing their first-round pick is looking like a successful one.