There’s suddenly a surge of optimism surrounding the Washington Commanders.
An overhauled front office, headlined by rising general manager Adam Peters and new head coach Dan Quinn have ushered in a belief that this new era of Washington football could position the Commanders to be immediate contributors, with No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels behind center beginning this fall.
While Peters and Co. have done a nice job investing abundant cap space and premium draft capital in significantly bolstering the talent across the roster, one of the Commanders’ returning players is already emerging as one of the premier at his position across the NFL.
The Case for Sam Cosmi as Washington Commanders Breakout Star
Offensive guard Sam Cosmi will play a vital role in helping keep Daniels upright during the former LSU Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback’s rookie season. And, Washington is fortunate to have him.
Pro Football Focus’ Thomas Valentine put together a list of the highest-ranked offensive guards in the league, with Cosmi checking in at No. 3 overall.
“Cosmi was quietly one of the best guards in the NFL in 2023,” Valentine points out for PFF. “His 80.6 PFF overall grade ranked fifth at the position, and he had seven games with an overall grade of 80.0 or higher. Despite that, Cosmi didn’t garner the attention he deserved in his first full season as a starter.
“He spent most of his first two NFL seasons at right tackle for the Commanders before making the switch inside to guard in 2023. His 4.3% pressure rate allowed last year was the 19th lowest at the position.”
Cosmi has been a steadying force along what has been an inconsistent offensive line, but, could truly breakout in 2024. After all, last season, allowed just one sack and four quarterback hits last season. If Cosmi can repeat that level of dominance in pass-protection, it will go a long way towards unlocking Daniels’ NFL potential.
