7 Commanders players who can make themselves major money in 2024

Sam Cosmi - Commanders OL

Sam Cosmi and Jamin Davis were drafted in the same class. Their contracts are up at the same time. However, the former second-round pick is one of the best young guards in the league.

He and Andrew Wylie are the only returning starters on the offensive line. Unless he suffers a major injury in 2024, Cosmi is going to get a major boost in salary next spring. The only questions are how big the boost is and who will be paying it.

With a standout season, Cosmi could be looking at one of the richest contracts ever offered to an NFL offensive guard. That would require an All-Pro caliber season - something the 25-year-old is fully capable of achieving.

Even if he falls a bit short of that and merely duplicates his excellent 2023 season, Cosmi is looking at a multi-year deal with a yearly average of over $15 million. That's still a bumper deal for the Texas product.

General manager Adam Peters signed a couple of young veteran linemen to mid-level deals this off-season and has not yet invested in a high-priced left tackle. Therefore, he will have the flexibility to offer Cosmi a major deal if he wishes.

Jahan Dotson - Commanders WR

The Washington Commanders do not have to make any move with Jahan Dotson next spring. If he has a breakout year, as many were expecting in 2023, the team can pick up the fifth year of his rookie deal and keep him through the 2026 season.

However, just because they don’t have to act, it doesn’t mean they won’t.

Wide receiver contracts in the NFL have exploded over the past several seasons. The recent spate of extensions given to top pass catchers suggests that this trend is not slowing down. It is also becoming increasingly costly to import a star wideout through free agency.

Peters could decide it is a better move to extend Dotson early. If the market continues to soar, an early extension will amount to significant savings.

This only makes sense if the Commanders see truly exceptional growth from the young pass-catcher this season. He was mediocre in 2023. Another season like that leaves him in the same position as Jamin Davis, with the club probably declining his fifth year.

A somewhat better year might result in that fifth option being exercised. A truly exceptional season might result in negotiations for a long-term extension.