The Washington Commanders need to build their team around rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels — that starts with making sure they keep key pieces of their offensive line in place.
They took a huge step in that direction on Sept. 4 by signing right guard Sam Cosmi to a 4-year, $74 million contract extension that included $45 million in guaranteed money, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
“Cosmi is a good story of persistence, development and finding the right fit,” NFL.com’s Kevin Patra wrote after the signing was announced. “A second-round pick out of Texas in 2021, Cosmi struggled his first two years as a right tackle, getting burned and never looking comfortable. He was moved to right guard in 2023 and his play took off.”
Cosmi’s Play Took Off With Position Switch
Cosmi missed a total of 11 games in 2021 and 2022 with injuries before switching positions.
According to PFF, Cosmi graded out among the best right guards in the NFL while starting all 17 games for the Commanders in 2023.
Cosmi finished the season with an 80.6 percent grade in 1,103 snaps. While former Commanders starting quarterback Sam Howell led the NFL in sacks taken (65), Cosmi only allowed 1 sack.
In June, ESPN’s Aaron Schatz listed signing Cosmi to a long-term contract extension as what should be the franchise’s No. 1 priority before training camp.
“(The Commanders) do need to start looking at their 2025 roster, and it would be a good idea to lock up Cosmi long term,” Schatz wrote. “Cosmi was 14th in pass block win rate among guards last season and also above average in run block win rate. He’s the best player on the Commanders’ offensive line, and his contract is up after this year.”
Cosmi was headed into the final year of the 4-year, $6.2 million contract he signed after the Commanders drafted him in the second round (No. 51 overall) out of Texas in 2021.
Cosmi Ranked as One of NFL’s Top Guards
Cosmi was ranked as the No. 3 guard in the NFL ahead of the 2024 season by PFF’s Thomas Valentine.
“Cosmi was quietly one of the best guards in the NFL in 2023,” Valentine wrote. “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 now finds himself part of an interior offensive line that could be one of the NFL’s most improved units with free-agent additions at center in Tyler Biadasz and at left guard in three-time Super Bowl champion Nick Allegretti from the Kansas City Chiefs.
“I’m excited to build this relationship with (Biadasz and Allegretti),” Cosmi told Commanders.com’s Zach Selby in April 2024. “I can really tell it’s gonna be easy, so that’s just gonna allow the process to go even smoother on the field.”
