Commanders deep dive: Should Sam Cosmi switch back to offensive tackle?

Should the Washington Commanders switch former second-round pick Sam Cosmi back to offensive tackle for their remaining games in 2023?

There are plenty of websites out there that evaluate college football prospects. One of my favorites is nfldraftbuzz.com. I don’t always agree with their analysis, and their reliance on boilerplate phrases can be funny at times when multiple players receive identical descriptions. But for the most part, they cover a lot of ground and get a lot of it right.

Therefore, I am going to offer a sampling of their pre-draft analysis of one particular offensive line prospect. Please don’t assume that it is the Washington Commanders player referenced in the title of the piece.

Draft Buzz reported that among this player’s strengths was his “quickness and growth potential". He has “long arms and a powerful base", and is a “tall, athletic pass protector".

On the negative side, he is not “physically imposing and has average overall strength". He was described as “more of a mauler than a mover in the running game” and he “needs to prove his worth in the straight-ahead running game".

Now, if you read all that, what position do you think the player is best suited for? If I go on to tell you that he is 6-foot-6, 309 pounds, and played offensive tackle in college, does that help?

Okay - it is Sam Cosmi. And he should be playing right tackle for the Commanders.

Because Cosmi - by body type, physical skills, and experience - is a tackle.

I wrote last year that apart from quarterback Sam Howell, Cosmi was the most important young player on the Commanders roster. And I am watching them stunt his growth with a very short-sighted position change.