Washington rookie quartet graded out well in ugly loss to Cowboys in Week 16

It was a miserable night for Washington, but four rookies did stand out in a good way.

There wasn’t much good that came out of Washington’s 56-14 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night. The offense was bad; the defense was dreadful. Even the usually reliable special teams allowed a touchdown.

But as with anything else, you can find some good if you dig deeply enough.

On Sunday, the good for Washington came in the form of some of their rookies on offense. Washington selected tackle Sam Cosmi, wide receiver Dyami Brown and tight end John Bates in rounds two through four in the 2021 NFL draft. For the most part, Washington has yet to receive early returns on its investments.

Cosmi has played well this season but has missed about half the games. Brown has failed to make an impact, while Bates has shown promise recently with increased playing time.

On Sunday, all three stood out.

According to Pro Football Focus, four of Washington’s highest-graded players from Sunday’s loss were rookies. Brown led all WFT players with an 86.6 grade. He caught two passes for 53 yards, including a big play where he beat Pro Bowl cornerback Trevon Diggs for a 48-yard reception. The catch set up Washington’s first touchdown.

Brown only played 13 snaps, but he made the most of them. Fellow rookie receiver Dax Milne caught one pass for 14 yards on seven snaps. He finished with an 82.7 grade.

Cosmi played every offensive snap and earned a 76.1 grade. Cosmi was impactful as a run blocker, earning an 85.2 grade.

Bates, who played 45 snaps, caught two passes for 45 yards, including his first career touchdown. He also had a 32-yard catch-and-run that was particularly impressive. He finished the game with a 71.9 grade.

Surprisingly, second-year guard Saahdiq Charles earned a 74.9 grade in place of Brandon Scherff.

So, on what was a miserable night on all fronts, there was some good. About that defense, well, we won’t go there.