Commanders G Sam Cosmi returns to practice

While it’s unlikely that Cosmi will play this week against the Chargers, it’s encouraging that the 26-year-old has made such quick progress from a major injury. Cosmi tore the ACL in his right knee in a divisional round win over the Lions in last January’s, leaving him unavailable for an NFC championship game loss to the Eagles and the Commanders’ first four contests this season. Tthe Commanders have used Nick Allegretti and Andrew Wylie at right guard this year. Cosmi will slot back into that spot if he’s able to return in the next three weeks.

A former tackle, Cosmi scored a four-year, $74MM extension with the Commanders just a couple of days before the start of the 2024 campaign. It was the first significant extension general manager Adam Peters doled out. Cosmi, who joined Washington as a second-round pick in 2021, went on to start in all 17 of the team’s regular-season games for the second year in a row. He was an integral part of an O-line that helped quarterback Jayden Daniels to one of the greatest seasons from a rookie signal-caller in league history.

The Daniels-led Commanders burst on the scene as surprise contenders last year. However, thanks in part to injuries, they’re out to a so-so 2-2 start this season. Daniels has missed back-to-back games with a knee injury, though it appears he’ll be back in action this week. He figures to be among the beneficiaries if Cosmi takes the field the field this season. Cosmi’s return could also aid an already formidable ground attack that ranks second in the NFL with 154.5 rushing yards per game.