SEPTEMBER 6: Of the guarantee figure, $26.6MM is locked in at signing, per Over the Cap. That includes a $20MM signing bonus. Cosmi can earn six-figure per game roster bonuses every year as well as annual workout bonuses. His 2024 cap number now sits at $5.66MM, and it will jump to $10.5MM next year before roughly doubling after that point.
SEPTEMBER 4, 12:48pm: Cosmi agreed to a four-year, $74MM deal, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter tweets. The contract includes more than $45MM guaranteed. At $18.5MM per year, Cosmi is now the NFL’s fifth-highest-paid guard. Pouring a bit of cold water on this value, Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano indicates the $74MM number reflects the deal’s max payout. This would point to incentives being included. Full terms are not yet available.
11:27am: The Commanders’ offensive line features some questions ahead of Jayden Daniels‘ rookie season. Midlevel veteran free agents are in place at multiple spots, and a rookie third-round pick is set to debut at left tackle. But the team answered one long-term question today.
Sam Cosmi will be signed beyond 2024, with NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reporting the team’s right guard agreed to terms on a four-year extension. This will lock in the converted tackle through the 2028 season.
This will only be Cosmi’s second full season at guard. Washington used the 2021 second-round pick primarily at right tackle during this first two seasons, moving him inside in 2023. Cosmi played well at his second NFL spot, and the team’s new regime took notice. Cosmi will be the only Ron Rivera-era draft choice set to line up for Washington’s starting O-line in Week 1. The rest of the group will consist of free agency additions (Andrew Wylie, Tyler Biadasz, Nick Allegretti) and third-round rookie Brandon Coleman.
Pro Football Focus slotted Cosmi fourth overall among guards in 2023, reminding this positional switch of Teven Jenkins‘. The latter has been a much better guard for the Bears compared to his tackle work. Despite one less season at guard, Cosmi will beat his 2021 second-round classmate to the extension punch.
Cosmi, 25, started all 17 Washington games last season; he entered the 2023 campaign with 15 career starts. PFF deemed Cosmi an effective tackle as well, but the Commanders kicked him inside upon signing Wylie during Eric Bieniemy‘s OC one-off. Cosmi’s run blocking has stood out thus far, and the Commanders will count on the former Texas Longhorn in that department again this season.
PFF graded the Commanders’ O-line 24th as a whole last season, and the team made some changes. Peters’ regime cut left tackle Charles Leno and center Nick Gates, with those funds helping the team as it added both Biadasz and Allegretti. At $10MM per year, Biadasz entered the week as the Commanders’ highest-paid O-lineman. The terms on Cosmi’s deal, however, should be expected to change that.
Washington chose Cosmi 51st overall in 2021, doing so in the first draft in which Rivera collaborated with then-GM Martin Mayhew. The latter remains with Washington as an advisor to new GM Adam Peters. The two worked together in San Francisco. Mayhew remaining in place may have helped Cosmi’s cause, as the Commanders spent most of their offseason funds on free agents as opposed to extensions.
Yikes – One of the Commanders employees caught on video saying blacks are homophobic and the majority of NFL fans are violent alcoholics. Also claimed that Jerry Jones hates blacks, despite admitting he gas never even seen the man let alone had a conversation with him.
Yep, he got Grudened … anyone who thinks they can talk off the cuff at a bar over a beer, can still jeopardize their job. The Think Police are out in full force … haha
Vice president of content Rael Enteen is the person in question. He has been suspended from the team for using language that is “counter to the values” of the organization. The local take is that he was a Jason Write hire and is an example of the Danny Snyder era. Jason Write was probably the individual that issued the suspension and did not fire him.
For me, I thought the most damning part was the admittance to the cover up for the raw sewage leak in the stadium.
HTTC
I just love how locally the sports talk has totally thrown Ron Rivera under the bus for his excuses, inability to build a roster, and taking on too much responsibility with the job. QB Sam Howell had no chance as he was forced to improvise Yet here is one of his picks getting a huge contract extension.
The pure amount and structure of the contract is a clear indication that a new mindset is at the head of the operations.
Giving a big extension to one draft pick from a front office’s tenure doesn’t mean they did a good job of roster building. Can you name even one other above average starter they drafted while Rivera was there?
They did draft Montez Sweat…
The year before Rivera arrived, if I’m not mistaken.
Yeah, you’re right. Rivera’s first draft was 2020. He had a few okay picks in that draft in Antonio Gibson and Kam Curl, but I do agree overall that the picks were less than stellar on the whole. Cosmi has been good, and I know that you don’t like Howell, but it was a decent return for that pick level, albeit on an awful overall team. Brian Robinson could turn out well.
Of course, I didn’t think that he was going to end up ultimately successful in Washington, but yeah. The problem with the Rivera (really Hurney/Mayhew) years is that their best picks were just solid, instead of spectacular-wgen special is what they needed.
For what it’s worth, I always liked the Rivera hire for the simple reason that the organization desperately needed a grownup in the room, and I respect the hell out of him as that. But that front office did not do a good job of roster building, even if they weren’t put in a great position to succeed. I actually really liked the Howell pick and like him, but not to the degree that I think he constituted a plan at quarterback. And while the Cosmi pick was strong, he followed up a first round pick I thought was ridiculous in Jamin Davis.
I actually agree with all of that. I think you nailed it.
Kam Curl was/is pretty good SS, especially for a 7th round pick, but new regime let him walk.