Tag: sam cosmi

Commanders’ Sam Cosmi happy to be a dad and for changes in Ashburn

Sam Cosmi is enjoying all of the changes in Washington, optimistic for the future.

“The overall dynamic of the environment and the vibe is very positive, very uplifting and it feels great.”

That was how right guard Sam Cosmi began to speak of the differences he is already noticing with the new administration and coaching staff. Cosmi spoke with the media as the Commanders have begun their offseason program under Dan Quinn and the new coaching staff.

Cosmi illustrated this by revealing that already the team is integrating offensive and defensive players together more often rather than the previous procedures in Ashburn.

When reminded that at the end of the season, Cosmi had voiced displeasure in Eric Bieniemy’s desire to pass the ball so much of the time, Cosmi replied, “This is a pass-heavy league, which is a what it is type of thing. But I do like to run the ball. I do like to bring the attack on the defense. We’re definitely emphasizing that more (it sounds like), so I am excited about that.”

When asked regarding the Commanders using their No.2 overall pick on a quarterback, Cosmi replied, “We as a line definitely have to help him. It’s a learning process for sure, so we need to be taking things off of his plate. It’s (going to be) a whole new thing for him. So as much as we can help him and not only protect him but also mentally, that is going to be part of our job this year for sure.”

It’s not often you hear a player volunteer they need to help the quarterback mentally. Was Sam Cosmi, in that comment, volunteering that the Commanders didn’t help Sam Howell mentally in 2023?

Was he saying all the extra passing for an inexperienced quarterback was not good for Howell mentally? Certainly, Howell’s play suffered as the season continued through November and December.

Most importantly Cosmi spoke of he and his wife recently becoming parents with the birth of their baby daughter. “Dad life is one of the best things in the world. I always come home with a smile just to see my little baby girl.”

Cosmi also expressed that being a father has given him an additional perspective on what it means to work his job. “You have that little one to take care of when you go home. Having that addition and building my family makes going to work even more special because you have another thing to work for. I’ve enjoyed every second of it, truly.”

After one week of free agency, what is the Commanders biggest need?

The Commanders still need help at different positions, but one stands out.

With the first week of the 2024 NFL free agency cycle winding to a close, what is the Commanders’ biggest area of need?

Washington signed 14 new unrestricted free agents: QB Marcus Mariota, RB Austin Ekeler, TE Zach Ertz, C Tyler Biadasz, G Nick Allegretti, DL Dorance Armstrong, DL Dante Fowler Jr., DL Clelin Ferrell, LB Bobby Wagner, LB Frankie Luvu, LB Anthony Pittman, S Jeremy Chinn, K Brandon McManus and LS Tyler Ott.

The Commanders also signed three of their own unrestricted free agents: DL Efe Obada, S Jeremy Reaves and WR Jamison Crowder.

Adam Peters has done a great job of being able to sign players to meet needs at center, guard, edge rusher and linebacker. With Jacoby Brissett wishing to reunite with offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt in New England, Peters also signed Mariota to be a veteran who has lived under the pressure of being the second overall draft selection (2015).

At this point, there is an area of concern, and that would be at offensive tackle. After all, they will need to protect their quarterback better in 2024. The tackles currently on the roster are Andrew Wylie, Alex Akingbulu, Trent Scott, and Braeden Daniels. Mason Brooks is another possibility right now listed simply as “OL.”

The new administration and coaching staff could choose to re-sign Cornelius Lucas. Lucas has served well as a swing tackle, moving wherever needed.

Interestingly, for those who have not yet noticed, the current Commanders roster lists Sam Cosmi as a tackle. Cosmi was switched inside from tackle to guard for 2023 and was arguably the best offensive lineman on the team last season.

The Commanders really need to find some tackles soon and in the draft as well.

Commanders guard Sam Cosmi enjoyed a breakout season in 2023

There weren’t a lot of bright spots for Washington in 2023. Sam Cosmi was one.

There weren’t a lot of positive things to say about the 2023 Washington Commanders. After beginning the season 2-0, Washington would lose 13 of its final 15 games to finish 4-13.

It was a tale of two seasons for Washington’s offense. Throughout the first half of the season, quarterback Sam Howell was among the NFL’s leaders in passing yards and big-time throws, but he was on pace to shatter David Carr’s 21-year-old record of being sacked the most times in a single season.

In the second half of the year, Howell’s sacks went way down, but his turnovers went up, and he regressed overall. There were issues everywhere. Howell, receivers not getting enough separation, coaches refusing to run the ball and offensive line problems.

On that offensive line, there was one bright spot: Right guard Sam Cosmi.

The 2021 second-round pick moved to guard ahead of last season and became the best player on Washington’s offensive line. While the rest of the group is a question mark heading into the 2024 offseason, Cosmi gives new general manager Adam Peters a building block along the offensive line.

According to Pro Football Focus, Cosmi finished the 2023 season with an overage grade of 80.6. That was No. 5 in the entire NFL.

Even more impressive, Cosmi was good as a run blocker (80.9) and a pass blocker (74.0). PFF credited Cosmi with only one sack allowed in 2023.

The Commanders could look to extend Cosmi heading into the final season of his rookie contract. If that doesn’t happen, his price could keep going up with another impressive season.

Who was the Commanders’ unsung hero in 2023?

Sam Cosmi took a huge step in 2023.

When the Washington Commanders selected Sam Cosmi in the second round of the 2021 NFL draft, he was supposed to be their right tackle of the future. Shortly after selecting Cosmi, Washington cut longtime right tackle Morgan Moses and signed Charles Leno Jr., who the Chicago Bears surprisingly released.

Washington’s plan was to start Leno at left tackle and Cosmi at right tackle. Leno worked out reasonably well for the Commanders over the past three seasons, while Cosmi had his ups and downs at tackle. So, over the offseason, former head coach Ron Rivera told Cosmi his future was at right guard, something Cosmi fully embraced.

How did Cosmi handle his first full season at guard? He was excellent. Per Pro Football Focus, Cosmi was one of the NFL’s highest-graded guards and allowed only one sack in 2023. Cosmi looked like a cornerstone player for new general manager Adam Peters.

Kevin Patra of NFL.com recently named an unsung hero/most surprising player on every NFL team. He chose Cosmi for Washington.

Commanders’ Sam Cosmi: ‘I’m tired of losing’

Sam Cosmi has the right attitude heading into a new regime.

It was a difficult season for the Washington Commanders. Washington went 4-13, and head coach Ron Rivera was fired.

When players cleaned their lockers on Monday, several spoke about their former head coach. While some players appeared frustrated with offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, they expressed gratitude and appreciation for Rivera despite his lack of success.

As for the 2023 season, there weren’t a lot of bright spots on the field. One bright spot, though, was right guard Sam Cosmi. A 2021 second-round pick from the University of Texas, Cosmi began his career as Washington’s right tackle. After two seasons of up-and-down play at tackle, the 6-foot-6, 309-pound Cosmi moved to right guard in the offseason.

The offensive line struggled as a whole in 2023, but Cosmi, particularly in the second half of the season, was a force at right guard. Per Pro Football Focus, Cosmi was one of the NFL’s highest-graded offensive linemen in the second half of the season and led all Washington offensive players with an 80.6 grade for the season.

In speaking to reporters on Monday, Cosmi made it clear he wished the Commanders had run the ball more in 2023. Washington finished first in passing attempts with essentially a rookie quarterback while finishing last in rushing attempts.

Cosmi was appreciative of Rivera but is excited about the upcoming changes for Washington in 2024. The Commanders hired a new general manager on Friday, Adam Peters, formerly of the San Francisco 49ers.

Cosmi expressed why change is good.

“Change can be great, to be honest with you,” Cosmi said. “I’m looking forward to it. I’m tired of losing. I’m tired of being average, now, below average. I want to win. At the end of the day, everybody does. So, whatever that takes, it’s a brutal business. But you’ve got to perform; I got to perform. Every time I go on that field, regardless of the situation, I have to perform. Everybody in this building has to perform. We all play a part.”

Those are refreshing words to hear from a young Washington player. Cosmi is an ascending player and one Peters will presumably want to build around moving forward. A losing attitude has permeated Washington’s locker room for too long, and that’s something Cosmi wants to change.

Commanders guard Sam Cosmi: ‘I wanted to run the ball more’

Sam Cosmi was one of Washington’s best players in 2023 and speaks out about the offense.

The Washington Commanders finished the 2023 NFL season with a 4-13 record, and head coach Ron Rivera lost his job after four seasons. It was the first — and perhaps only year — for Eric Bieniemy as Washington’s offensive coordinator, and the results looked a lot like Scott Turner’s results from one year ago.

According to FTN’s offensive DVOA, the Commanders ranked No. 26 in 2023. In 2022 — Turner’s final season before being fired — Washington ranked No. 30.

So, while the end results were similar, the path to those pathetic results was different.

The Commanders led the NFL with 636 passing attempts in 2023. This occurred with a second-year quarterback, who was a fifth-round pick in 2022. That approach looked solid through the first 10 weeks, as Howell showed great promise outside a few stinkers. Unfortunately, beginning in Week 11, the wheels off for Howell and the offense.

In contrast, Washington ranked dead last in the NFL with 359 rushing attempts. Throughout the season, you could see players’ frustration, although many refused to discuss it publicly. With the season over and Rivera fired, there will be changes for the Commanders. This coaching staff will not be back.

That allowed players to speak more freely on Monday as they were cleaning out their lockers. One of those players was right guard Sam Cosmi.

While many on the offense struggled, Cosmi’s career took off. In his first year at guard, Cosmi became one of the NFL’s most dominant guards in the second half of the season. And not running the ball didn’t sit well with Cosmi.

“I wanted to run the ball more,” Cosmi said. “Me personally, being our O-Line, give us a better chance to be more balanced. I felt like we weren’t balanced. I think we were 30th in the league in attempts and runs. I love running the ball. And I felt like it was nothing but dropback passes. So, I just wanted to be more balanced, to be completely honest with you. Just run the rock, please. That’s all I would have to say with that.”

If you ask any offensive lineman, they’ll agree with Cosmi. And while today’s NFL is more geared toward the passing game, the running game remains critical to success. As Cosmi said, it’s about finding balance. That balance didn’t exist under Bieniemy.

Cosmi then noted that he hopes the next offensive coordinator takes advantage of the team’s talent, specifically mentioning running back Brian Robinson Jr., who Cosmi labeled as “special.”

While not directly a criticism of Bieniemy, Cosmi answered a question honestly and directly. There was no agenda. And it was clear he wasn’t the only one who felt this way.

No one will ever know if a more balanced running game would’ve helped quarterback Sam Howell avoid some of his mistakes, but it certainly wouldn’t have hurt.

Studs and duds from Commanders’ season-ending loss to Cowboys

One last edition of studs and duds for Washington’s 2023 season.

The Washington Commanders completed their 2023 season with a 38-10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. The loss means Washington was swept by Dallas by a combined 83-20 in the two meetings this season.

Much like in their first meeting, the Commanders hung tight with the Cowboys early, but Dallas blew the Thanksgiving Day meeting open in the fourth quarter, outscoring Washington 25-0 en route to the 45-10 win. In Sunday’s game, a blocked field goal and a tipped interception helped the Commanders stay close in the first half when, in reality, it shouldn’t have been.

Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott had his way against a Washington defense without most of its starters, completing 31 of 36 passes for 279 yards with four touchdowns and one interception.

Now that the regular season is over let’s have one last edition of studs and duds before the offseason fun begins.

Commanders PFF grades: Best and worst performers vs. 49ers in Week 17

The grades are in. Who graded the highest on offense? What about defense? Sam Cosmi stands out again.

No one gave the Washington Commanders a chance in Week 17 against the San Francisco 49ers. The Commanders entered the game having lost six games in a row with a struggling young quarterback and a 32nd-ranked defense and without three starters along the offensive line and in the secondary.

However, Washington surprised everyone, going toe-to-toe with the 49ers for close to three quarters. Sure, it appeared that San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan looked more interested in leaving the game healthy than unleashing his full offensive arsenal against Washington, but the Commanders competed hard on both sides of the ball.

Washington’s new-look offensive line held up incredibly well against San Francisco’s terrific defensive line.

How did Pro Football Focus grade the Commanders against the 49ers? Let’s review PFF’s top — and bottom — performers from Week 17.

One play Sunday against the Jets revealed something about Sam Cosmi

Sam Cosmi has been Washington’s best offensive player recently. Last week, one play really stood out.

There was one play Sunday against the Jets and revealed something about Sam Cosmi.

It is much easier to play hard when things are going well, your team is ahead in a game. A much tougher test is when you are trailing badly in a game, you are tempted to just go through the motions, hoping to get the game concluded and get out of there without an injury.

Sunday, the Jets were embarrassing the Commanders in the third quarter, leading 27-7. The Commanders had the ball at their own 29-yard line with under 9 minutes remaining in the quarter, having been given a first down when the Jets’ Brandon Echols was guilty of illegal contact and a five-yard penalty.

What transpired on first down really caught my attention. Quarterback Sam Howell, back from the center, took the snap out of the air, dropped back two steps, looked left, and immediately attempted a pass to Jamison Crowder. Crowder was running a quick slant from the left side to the left hash marks. Howell missed badly, the pass visibly behind Crowder.

Suddenly two players, a Commander and a Jet, went crashing to the turf. Both players also just as quickly hopped up off of the turf, energized. The Jet was defensive tackle Micheal Clemons (#72) out of Texas A&M. The Commander was right guard Sam Cosmi a former Texas Longhorn.

During the play, the two had been matched up against one another. On this particular play, regardless of the score, Cosmi got into Clemons and drove the 270-pounder off of the ball and into the turf on his back. Clemons was upset and hopped up toward Cosmi.

Cosmi, on the other hand, visibly enjoyed the play and had a hop to his step as well when he gleefully headed back to the huddle for the next play.

It was good to see Cosmi not simply settling for protecting Howell on the play. No, Cosmi wanted to accomplish more on the play, and he exerted more effort to bring about his dominance on the play.

Just a single play, down 27-7. Yes, but it also revealed something of the heart in Sam Cosmi to compete hard despite the score, finding another way to win on that play.

Cosmi has been outstanding recently.

Commanders guard Sam Cosmi is playing at an elite level recently

Sam Cosmi has been a rare bright spot for Washington this season.

It’s difficult to find bright spots for the Washington Commanders in another disappointing season where the team plays no meaningful games in December.

There has been the play of quarterback Sam Howell, who has flashed at times but has struggled lately. Running back Brian Robinson Jr. has been Washington’s best offensive player. Outside of those things, the bright spots are few and far between.

The entire defense has been the biggest disappointment for the Commanders. The defense was expected to be the team’s strength and is currently the NFL’s worst unit.

The offensive line is another underwhelming unit. Of course, no one expected the O-Line to be a team strength. However, there has been one bright spot along the offensive line.

Sam Cosmi is in his first season at right guard after beginning his career at right tackle. The 6-foot-6, 314-pound Cosmi is quietly having a breakout season in year three of his career.

Over Washington’s last five games, Cosmi is the NFL’s second-highest-graded guard, according to Pro Football Focus. He’s getting it done as a pass blocker and run blocker.

Cosmi was especially dominant in last week’s loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

Washington hasn’t had dominant guard play since Brandon Scherff left.

There will be plenty of changes for the Commanders this offseason. There will be a new coach and general manager, and the offensive line could feature as many as three new starters in 2024.

You can pencil Cosmi in as Washington’s right guard in 2024. At a time when the Commanders will be looking for young building blocks, they may have found one in Cosmi.