The Commanders pulled off a stunning upset of the NFC’s top-seeded Lions in the divisional round contest, though the win came with a price. Per Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, Washington fears that starting right guard Sam Cosmi suffered a significant knee injury during the game, and Cosmi is likely to miss the remainder of the club’s postseason run as a result.
Cosmi, who will turn 26 in February, was selected by the Commanders in the second round of the 2021 draft. He would have been eligible for unrestricted free agency this offseason, but after he turned in a stellar 2023 campaign – Pro Football Focus ranked him as the fourth-best guard out of 79 qualifiers – Washington made sure to prevent the converted tackle from hitting the market.
Before the 2024 regular season got underway, the Commanders authorized a four-year, $74M pact for Cosmi, a deal that keeps the Texas alum under club control through 2028. While only $26.6M of the contract value was guaranteed at signing, the team clearly envisions him as a long-term O-line fixture.
PFF was not as high on Cosmi’s 2024 work as it was on his 2023 efforts, but his 67.8 overall grade still positioned him as the site’s 23rd-best guard out of 75 qualified players. His work in pass-blocking remained strong – he yielded just one sack and even fewer pressures than he did in 2023 – though his run-blocking suffered a bit in PFF’s estimation.
Nonetheless, his loss will be acutely felt as the Commanders seek to secure their first Super Bowl appearance since the 1991 season. Cosmi is arguably the best blocker on the club’s offensive front, and as good as rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels is, losing one of Daniels’ top protectors will sting.
Plus, any knee injury of a certain magnitude that a player suffers at this point in the calendar could affect that player’s availability for the following season. An upcoming MRI will reveal more, but for now, it appears certain that the Commanders will rely on Trent Scott to fill the RG void for the rest of the playoffs.
