Sam Cosmi enters his fourth season in the NFL with a bigger smile now that he has extended his deal with the Washington Commanders. The guard signed a four-year, $74 million deal that will bring him as one of the best-paid players in his position. This includes more than at least $45 million guaranteed in the deal at the very least.

After a flurry of signings and extensions, the Commanders made sure that they did not leave anyone behind in the roster heading into the 2024 season by negotiating with one of their key players on the offensive line. Bringing back Cosmi for four more years in the squad gives them a chance to build on a promising roster that will focus on bringing a huge boon to the Commanders – and finally get back on the winning track.

Cosmi is slated to begin his season with Washington in their season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Now that his contract is finally settled for the future, it is easy to expect that Cosmi will now focus on helping the offensive line improve and take a massive leap towards playoff contention in the coming weeks.

A Valuable Piece on the Offensive Line

At the age of 25, Sam Cosmi enters the season with the hopes of proving his worth on the big stage. He played in a total of 40 games and started 32 of those matches. Selected in the second round in 2021, Cosmi would’ve been eligible for free agency by the end of the 2024 season, and Commanders GM Adam Peters believes that he is a key piece who could help them win big.

"Sam has bought into the vision that Dan Quinn and I have had for this team since day one," Peters said of Cosmi, and why the team made it a priority to sign him into a new extension deal. "He is a pillar of our offensive line and we believe that Sam's best playing days are ahead. Sam is a great leader and teammate and we're excited that he will be a member of our team for years to come. "

Cosmi has been great when it comes to blocking runs and protecting passes. He has a strong potential upside in his game despite struggling in his first two years as a right tackle. The Commanders would go on to move him to right guard in 2023, which allowed him to expand his play further and helped him improve in his games so far.

A Story of Finding the Right Fit for Cosmi

Cosmi was the Commanders’ top blocker last season after coming up with a promising switch in his position. He has displayed an uncanny ability to open up holes in the run game and has become a promising pass protector in the interior at this point, and it cannot be denied that Cosmi has become quite a reliable player in his spot on the offensive line.

So far, multiple NFL analysts believe that he can be a potential first-time Pro-Bowler should he continue his impressive plays in the game. The previous stat lines in the Commanders’ 2023 season showed that he allowed 31 pressures but only gave up one sack and four QB hits in 17 games. That is a promising feat for a player who is considered to be the heart and soul of the team that ties the rest of them together.