How will Joshua Josephs impact Commanders pass rush as a rookie?

Editor's note:Everyone'sexcited about the Commanders' NFL Draft haul. Rightfully so. Thatdoesn'tmean eachselectionwill slot into a prominent role as arookie.We'lldiscuss realistic expectations for each player over the next few days, leading intoCommandersrookie minicamp. In this installment, we evaluatean athletic pass rusher from the SEC:

Selection:Fifth round, No. 147 overall

Height/Weight:6-foot-3, 242 pounds

What assistantGM Lance Newmarksaid:He has excellent length. You really feel his range with his upper body and his ability to affect the passer andimpactthe run game with how long and rangy he is with his upper body.He'sa guy thatwe'reexcitedaboutand we thinkthere'sa lot more to come there in terms of development."

[RELATED:Why Commanders took Joshua Josephs in NFL Draft]

WhatJoshua Josephssaid:I set standards high for myself, soI believe I'llbe able to make a very dominant impact on that field and just contribute to the success of our team.

...I'mvery ballsavvy. I really understand thegameand I understand concepts and I watch a lot offilm.That'sone of my biggest strengths. Iwouldn'tsaythat'smy biggest strength, but it isdefinitely upthere."

Prominent members of the position group*:OdafeOweh,K'LavonChaisson, Dorance Armstrong, Deatrich Wise

*Note: Taken fromMark Tyler's way-too-early 53-man depth chart

Joshua Josephs was drafted in round 5 with pick 147 in the 2026 draft class. He scored a 8.56 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 327 out of 2257 DE from 1987 to 2026.https://t.co/0HEKYUJvwPpic.twitter.com/Z1dqWk2a6o

- RAS.football (@MathBomb) April 25, 2026

Perfect-world expectations:Josephs' athleticism helps him quickly adjust to the NFL, with a quality training camp that earns him snaps in the edge-rusherrotation.It'shard to imagine himtakingthe lion's share of snaps fromOwehor Chaisson, even in this idealistic scenario, but he could be a major contributor in the early going.He could help inrundefense and as a situational pass rusher, getting after the quarterback at important times. The Commanders need someone like that, and Josephs could well earn that role as arookie.

[RELATED:Commanders select Joshua Josephs in fifth round of NFL Draft]

Real-world expectations:Josephs is only 242 pounds.That'spretty light, even for astandup edge rusher. Draft analysts sayhe'llneed to bulk up some and add strength, whichdoesn'toften happen in a compacted offseason between the draft and training camp.

While he has the talent to be a quality NFL player,some technical development is requiredto help him consistently beat pass protectors.I mean, he was a Day 3 pick for a reason.That'swhy Josephs should have a lower barentering his rookie season.His crazy-massive wingspan suggests he should be good at batting passes and keeping blockers off him, buthe'llneed a bigger pass-rush arsenal at this level.

He should see steady action - specialteamsparticipation isa given - that increases as the season goes on, with 3-5 sacks as arealistic first-year bar.

What are your expectations forJoshua Josephsin his rookie year? Add them and a stat line-what the heck? -inthe comments below.