Washington Commanders guard Sam Cosmi addressed the media after practice on July 25. Here is a full transcript of his press conference.
On if he feels a sense of urgency to prove himself to the new coaching staff:
"Not necessarily a sense of urgency. I come out each and every day and I just prove to them that I am the player and the caliber player I am. And so doing that, just coming out to practice proving that is a huge thing. I think everybody on the team should do that. It's kind of like a clean slate, but at the same time we still have tape. Everybody has tape. That's how they evaluate us, and they've definitely looked at that tape and see what type of caliber players they have. I got to prove that every day, every single day. Not only to this team, but to 31 other teams too. So, that's just how this all operates."
On how he's meshing with the other offensive lineman:
"Yeah, definitely new terminology. Football comes [down to] x's and o's. It's pretty simple when it comes to once you get to really know it and understand it. It's just getting that terminology and applying it to the plays and all that type of stuff, and obviously there's just different ways of blocking certain things but having a group of guys that are vets like that, bringing [C] Ty [Biadasz] in. He's very, very intelligent, very smart, asks a lot of questions, and he wants to know all the details of the play. And having [T] Andrew [Wylie] next to me, we just have that chemistry and we're building that and we're both learning this playbook together and doing all that. So it's been a good ride so far for sure."
On where the team is at with installing the running game:
"Yeah, we're in install two right now. So, we've been installing the run plays and stuff like that, you won't know that until you really start playing football. So, preseason games, there's a big thing of our identity. I always say it's a pass heavy league, and running the ball just compliments it, it keeps the defense true. And so if we're able to do that, it just helps not only us, but it helps the offense, helps just everything. So yeah, I don't know what our percentages were last year, but I think we're last in the league for attempts in rushing and then one of the highest in passing, and you saw where that got us, so yeah."
On how switching up the rotation among the offensive line can help build chemistry:
"Yeah, training camp just does that. Going through that together. Guys are still trying to work for jobs and grind for jobs. It's competing. I always say you think you're competing against a guy across from you, no. You're competing with the guy in your room. And so that's what we're doing. We're trying to get to the point where anybody can go out there and ball out. And so having those guys in there and competing and doing all that and having the ones out there, you have guys that have been doing this for a very long time too. And we have some young blood in there too. So, we're just building that chemistry. Again, all this time that we spend in training camp does that."
On what he's learned from teammates throughout the offseason:
"Yeah, there's a lot of new faces in this team, and they bring their own little take to the game. Like for example, another guy [linebacker] Frankie [Luvu], that guy's a stud. I could tell when he is going to come down, he is not just a linebacker, he can rush. And that's a whole new thing. Not a lot of linebackers can put a move and do that and also give you a bull. So, something like that is different and I'm happy he's on our team. So, we got a lot of guys that just bring a whole new thing. And again, this is day two so we're still learning. We're still learning a lot of things, a lot of new things."
On what they can do to speed up the process of building chemistry on the offensive line:
"We do online dinners often. That's a huge thing I think you've heard. And we're always doing something if we can when we have a little bit of time off. If that's getting together to watch a UFC fight or typically it has to do around food, but getting around somebody's house or doing something like that. Again, like I said, this training camp we spend so much time together and we go through a grind and we're going through it. Your blood, sweat and tears out there. I have connections with guys that I played with since I've been at this organization that I still call [up] to this day, and we have moments that we went through and that only our relationship knows. We have that brotherhood, and so it doesn't only just carry right now, it carries forever."
On what positives he's taken away from watching QB Jayden Daniels:
"I said this in an interview before, I don't get the me guy thing. I think he wants the betterment of the team. He's learning. Typically, when you're a rookie you go into this, you're kind of like a little bit more quiet just trying to learn the ropes and seeing that I see that. It's not like, "Hey, look at me, look at me" type of thing, which is great. He could be like that. He's not. And I think he's earning respect from a lot of guys around the building."
On what he's noticed from the defense:
"These guys are finishing. They don't only have one guy, one hat on the ball. They have five, six, everybody's running to the ball. Vice versa, we're trying to build this culture where there's things you can control and one of them is effort. A lot of guys are buying into that, and you can see that on the practice, on the tape. Just being able to go the extra mile on a play, and that essentially is just going to help you go in a game when you can make a play not be tired on play six of a drive and you're still fresh. That's just going to add on for the future."
On how he sees himself as a player entering his fourth season:
"Last year was essentially my first year really playing guard, and I felt like I was able to put in my identity. I want to be one of the best in this league. I feel like I am one of the best in this league. I'm going to be dirty, I'm going to be nasty. I'm not going to take, excuse my language, [expletive] from anybody. So, that's what I'm going to do every time I step on that field, and that's the type of player I'm going to be."
