Jan. 24, 2026, 5:09 a.m. ET

When the Washington Commanders permanently moved Sam Cosmi from right tackle to right guard ahead of the 2023 season, it changed the trajectory of his career. The Commanders spent a second-round pick on Cosmi in the 2021 NFL Draft, and, while he was solid at tackle, it was clear his future was on the inside.

In 2023, Cosmi started all 17 games at right guard. Washington fired head coach/GM Ron Rivera after a disastrous season and hired Adam Peters as the new general manager and Dan Quinn as head coach. The Commanders didn’t even need to play a game before the new regime realized Cosmi was a big part of the franchise’s future, signing him to a four-year, $74 million extension before Week 1 of the 2024 season.

Cosmi again started every game for Washington in 2024. Unfortunately, in the Commanders’ NFC Divisional Round win over the Detroit Lions, Cosmi tore his ACL. It was a tough blow for Cosmi and Washington. It was even more disappointing because it would knock Cosmi out for the entire offseason, and keep him out for the early part of 2025.

Cosmi did return and picked right up where he left off. His first game came against Dallas in Week 7. In the Week 16 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Cosmi suffered a concussion. Washington ended his season instead of bringing him back for either of the final two weeks.

In total, Cosmi played nine games for the Commanders in 2025. How did he perform? Pro Football Focus gave Cosmi a 76.3 overall grade for the 2025 season. He was the NFL’s 10th-ranked guard, and he was equally impressive as a run blocker as he was in pass protection.

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PFF recently named a “secret superstar” for all 32 NFL teams. Essentially, the “secret superstar” was each team’s most underrated impact player. Cosmi was the guy for Washington.

Coming off a torn ACL late last season, Cosmi returned to form as one of Washington’s most consistent players in 2025. He finished as the team’s third-highest-graded offensive player (76.4), posting 72.0-plus grades in both pass blocking and run blocking. Cosmi allowed just 11 pressures and two sacks on the season and closed the year with six consecutive games without allowing a pressure.

A lot went wrong for the Commanders in 2025. They were besieged by injuries. However, moving forward, Washington’s offensive line isn’t just a team strength; it has the potential to be one of the NFL’s top units in 2026 and beyond.