This Washington player named ‘early breakout candidate’ in 2022 by PFF

We’re down to the final four.

Every team in the NFL not named the Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals, Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers has shifted their attention to coaching/GM hirings, free agency, the trade market and 2022 draft.

Luckily for the Washington Football Team, their main focus will center on the latter three categories, with the QB search taking precedence.

While discussing which players to acquire and let go, Washington will have to determine whether certain younger players on the roster are ready to take on a bigger responsibility and produce at a consistent level in 2022.

Though we’re just weeks removed from the end of the 2021 season, Pro Football Focus is wasting no time looking ahead to 2022. In their latest article, PFF listed “early breakout candidates” for all 32 teams next season.

Who got the nod for Washington? None other than Sam Cosmi.

PFF thinks Washington Football Team right tackle Sam Cosmi has breakout potential in 2022.

We honestly thought John Bates was going to be Pro Football Focus’ pick given the strides he made over the second half of the season. While the fourth-rounder has breakout potential, he was far and away Washington’s most productive rookie, so perhaps PFF wanted to go a little off the beaten path here.

That makes Cosmi a solid choice, as Washington’s second-round pick has a lot to prove after injuries limited him to just nine games as rookie. The Texas product entered the league with legitimate concerns about his pass-blocking and he finished the year with a 63.4 grade in that regard.

Over 282 pass-blocking snaps, Cosmi allowed four sacks, one QB hit and 16 total pressures while committing just two penalties. Pretty solid output for a first-year tackle who was in and out of the lineup due to injuries. With more reps under his belt, we have no doubts that Cosmi will become elite in pass protection.

That’s seemingly the only area Cosmi has to improve, because he’s already “well beyond his years” as a run blocker, as PFF put it. He didn’t play nearly as many reps as the guys listed ahead of him, but the former Longhorn finished the year 11th among all tackles (including LTs) with a 81.3 run-blocking grade.

In fact, according to PFF, Cosmi finished the year in the 94th percentile in negatively graded run-block rate at the tackle position.

Again, that’s pretty rare air for a rookie tackle. If Cosmi can show growth as a pass-protector as a sophomore — and stay on the field, obviously — fans might finally start seeing him get the respect he deserves outside of Washington.

Penei Sewell and Rashawn Slater will always be regarded as the crowned jewels at the tackle position from the 2021 class, but Washington didn’t excellently to pounce on Cosmi at No. 51 overall last April given the likes of Teven Jenkins, Liam Eichenburg, Walker Little, and Jackson Carman were all drafted just ahead of him.