If the Washington Commanders want to fulfill their ambitions of bouncing back into playoff contention next season, it must be a collective effort. However, it's an all-hands-on-deck situation that demands nothing but maximum effort and supreme commitment.
This has been recognized by everyone in the building. The Commanders let complacency creep in last summer. There is a different mood around the place now, with the tempo high and the players all putting in the early work to set the right example. And after last season's complete capitulation, nothing else would have sufficed.
It's a small sign, but a positive one nonetheless.
General manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn misread how far along the Commanders were after reaching the NFC Championship game. The players also got a little bit too ahead of themselves, and though injuries didn't help, something felt off from a long way out.
The Commanders are hurting, and that's a good thing.
Purpose and focus have returned. Everyone is singing from the same hymn sheet, and Quinn is emphasizing urgency over organized team activities. Thankfully, it's eliciting a positive reaction from the players, which is raising optimism among the fan base.
With this in mind, here are five Commanders players who are making their mark with a tone-setting presence at OTAs.
Emerging tone-setters making their mark at Washington Commanders OTAs
Sam Cosmi - Commanders OL
It was a difficult 2025 campaign for Sam Cosmi, to put it mildly.
The prolific right guard missed the early stages of the campaign as he recovered from a torn ACL suffered in the Commanders' stunning playoff win over the Detroit Lions. He got back in Week 7, but the wheels were already falling off by then. And with Washington's hopes evaporated late in the campaign, another injury meant the Texas product missed the final two contests.
Cosmi is now fully healthy. He's also leading by example as the Commanders look to prove last season's dismal failure was a small bump on the road to perennial contention.
Everyone is looking to established franchise cornerstones like Cosmi. The Commanders prioritized youth and players coming off their rookie contracts in free agency. That makes the interior lineman among the most experienced and respected performers. And he's taking this responsibility extremely seriously.
Whether it's his physical approach, high motivation, or public support of his teammates, Cosmi is making all the right noises. If this continues over the summer, and there are no more injury setbacks, the 2021 second-round pick could be in line for a Pro Bowl-caliber campaign.
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