Washington Commanders sign Sam Hartman from practice squad, place Marcus Mariota on IR
The Washington Commanders have placed quarterback Marcus Mariota on the injured reserve list and have signed rookie Sam Hartman to the practice squad, the team announced.
Mariota has been dealing with an upper body injury, and missed his second-straight practice on Friday, giving Hartman a chance to suit up for Washington on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Elsewhere on the roster, the Commanders also elevated linebacker Nick Bellor and defensive tackle Sheldon Day alongside Hartman from the practice squad.
Kickoff between the Commanders and Buccaneers is set for 4:25 p.m. ET live on FOX.
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Commanders sign offensive lineman Sam Cosmi to four-year extension
The former second-round pick is the only player drafted by the previous regime to get a new deal.
Days before their season opener, the Washington Commanders announced Wednesday they re-signed one of their offensive stalwarts and biggest impending free agents, guard Sam Cosmi, to a four-year extension that keeps him under contract through the 2028 season.
The extension is worth $74 million and includes more than $45 million in guarantees, a person with knowledge of the terms said. His $18.5 million average annual value over those four years ranks as the fifth-highest among NFL guards.
“For Adam and his staff to get that done prior to the season, that’s a big deal,” Coach Dan Quinn said. “This guy is a Commander through and through. He’s tough, he plays square, he’s strong. We’re really fortunate that he’ll be an anchor inside for years to come.”
Cosmi’s extension is the first awarded to a player drafted by the previous management regime (2020-23) and ensures he stays in Washington without hitting the open market; he was set to become a free agent in March after his rookie deal expired. He is also the only veteran to receive a deal longer than three years from new general manager Adam Peters, who overhauled much of the roster this offseason with veterans on shorter-term deals.
Cosmi said Peters talked to his agents in February but the sides “didn’t get the ball rolling” until three weeks ago.
“I’m happy it’s done,” Cosmi said. “I just want to focus on beating Tampa Bay and get this out of the back of my head and play free.”
A 2021 second-round pick out of Texas, Cosmi arrived in Washington as a right tackle but shifted inside to guard full-time in 2023, where he quickly become a staple of the front five. Because of injuries, performance and contract issues, Washington’s offensive line has featured a rotating cast in recent years. This season, Cosmi is one of only a few holdovers from the previous staff, and he has learned to play with multiple newcomers.
“Sam has bought into the vision that DQ and I have had for this team since day one,” Peters said in a statement from the team. “He is a pillar of our offensive line and we believe that Sam’s best playing days are ahead. Sam is a great leader and teammate and we’re excited that he will be a member of our team for years to come.”
Cosmi started at right tackle his rookie season but took some snaps at right guard the following year and started all 17 games at the position in 2023, when Ron Rivera was coach. Before last season, Cosmi met with Rivera to try to get a sense of where the former coach wanted him.
“He said, ‘Right there, right guard,’” Cosmi recounted. “I said, ‘Let’s go for it.’”
The team signed tackle Andrew Wylie shortly after and Cosmi used the offseason and training camp to essentially learn a new position. The practices, he said, were paramount.
“I had the mentality of being one of the best guards in the league every time I stepped on the field — in practice, walk-through and during the game,” he said. “That mentality will not change. That mentality will be even more motivation to be one of the best guards in the league. I think, and I’m grateful, they were able to see that.”
Staffer suspended for recorded comments
The Commanders suspended a staff member who was recorded during what he seemingly believed was a date. In the video posted by O’Keefe Media Group, Rael Enteen, the Commanders’ vice president of content, described NFL fans as “high school-educated alcoholics” and said of Commanders players, “a big chunk is very low-income African Americans that comes from a community that is inherently very homophobic.”
Enteen also described NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell as a “50-million dollar puppet,” among other comments to the undercover journalist.
“The language used in the video runs counter to our values at the Commanders organization,” a team spokesperson said in statement. “We have suspended the employee pending an internal investigation and will reserve further comment at this time.”
Enteen did not respond when contacted for comment.
O’Keefe Media Group is run by James O’Keefe, who founded then split with Project Veritas, the right-wing organization known for its undercover sting operations. His website encourages people to “join the ranks of the OMG Citizen Journalist army” and become an “American Swiper,” or undercover journalist. The site sells recording equipment and offers classes on how to discreetly record subjects.
A representative from O’Keefe Media Group said the video of Enteen was recorded in June in D.C.
In the District it is legal to record a conversation if the person recording it is party to the conversation or at least one of the parties involved gives consent.
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