The Commanders have agreed to terms with No. 29 pick Josh Conerly Jr. on a four-year, $15.68M rookie deal, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
As is customary for first-round picks, Conerly’s first NFL contract will be fully guaranteed with a fifth-year option for the 2029 season. It also includes an $8.044M signing bonus, according to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson.
It’s unclear what Conerly’s role will be in Washington this season. He almost exclusively played left tackle at Oregon, but the Commanders are set on the blind side after trading for Laremy Tunsil this offseason. A switch to right tackle would require Conerly to beat out incumbent starter Andrew Wylie, who started 29 games over the last two years but accepted a pay cut this offseason, entering the last year of his contract. Further complicating the picture is 2024 third-rounder Brandon Coleman, who started 12 games at LT as a rookie and could also look to compete at RT after the Tunsil trade, though he also lacks experience on the right side
The Commanders are returning two of last year’s interior O-line starters in left guard Nick Allegretti and center Tyler Biadasz, but Samuel Cosmi‘s ACL tear will sideline him for most, if not all, of the 2025 season. That opens up the starting RG job, but Conerly’s lack of experience at guard (or even on the right side of the line) is a clear obstacle to winning the gig.
Barring a positional switch as a rookie, Conerly will likely serve as a backup in 2025 as the Commanders figure out their long-term plan at tackle. Washington will likely move on from Wylie in 2026, at which point Conerly may be ready to start at RT. He could also be a long-term replacement for Tunsil, who only has two years remaining on his contract. A move to guard feels less likely, but could offer Conerly a starting job right away with the proper coaching and development.
