Fledgling starter launched onto hot seat after Commanders draft shocker

The Washington Commanders have no room for sentiment when building a Super Bowl-caliber roster. Adam Peters made that abundantly clear by surprisingly going with another offensive tackle at No. 29 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Something that puts one of last season's draft picks firmly under the microscope.

Peters has always stated he will take the best prospects available regardless of need. This is another example. Josh Conerly Jr. wasn't the biggest roster priority after the Commanders traded for five-time Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil, but that didn't stop the front-office leader from raising competition in the trenches.

How things shake out remains to be seen. But it'll be interesting to watch this dynamic unfold throughout the summer.

Tunsil's spot on the blindside is safe. The right-hand side is where things get more complicated.

Brandon Coleman must respond positively after Commanders' draft stunner

Brandon Coleman and Andrew Wylie were expected to fill the spots in some capacity until stud right guard Sam Cosmi returns from injury. Conerly's arrival completely shifts the dynamic, and the fact Washington spent a first-round pick on him suggests they believe he can contribute right away.

Coleman is on the hot seat, make no mistake about that. The former TCU standout performed well enough as the left tackle during his rookie campaign. He also went through some serious growing pains, which were enough for Peters to make his daring splash for Tunsil.

Dan Quinn initially stated that Coleman would start at right tackle over offseason workouts and go from there. Wylie was anticipated to compete, potentially shifting to the interior while Cosmi recovers from his torn ACL. If Conerly transitions smoothly, the No. 67 overall pick in last year's draft could be relegated to backup duties.

This might be a little harsh on Coleman, but the NFL is a cutthroat business. Conerly's arrival must provoke a positive response from the second-year pro (and Wylie) to avoid falling out of favor. The stakes have been raised in no uncertain terms, but Peters believed this was the right call for Washington to make.

Conerly's got the talent to man the right tackle spot long-term. The Commanders also believe it, so the onus is on Coleman to prove himself worthy enough of similar involvement next time around.

All bets are off after Cosmi comes back. But for now, Coleman must rise to the occasion in the wake of another highly-touted draft pick coming into the franchise.