BREAKING: PFF names Commanders WR as breakout candidate for 2024
Commanders adding Brandon Sosna, David Blackburn to front office
The Washington Commanders announced today that Brandon Sosna has been appointed as the team’s senior vice president of football operations.
Sosna joins the Commanders after a two-year tenure with the Detroit Lions, where he served as the senior director of football administration. In Detroit, Sosna was responsible for strategic planning and managing the salary cap, and he acted as the club’s chief contract negotiator.
Reporting directly to Washington Commanders General Manager Adam Peters, Sosna will now be the lead contract negotiator for the team and oversee various football operations departments, including analytics, health and performance, and football administration. Additionally, he will serve as a liaison to the business operations and play a significant role in roster construction strategy, salary cap management, and adherence to the CBA.
“We are excited to welcome Brandon Sosna to the Washington Commanders,” Peters said. “Brandon was a key addition to Brad Holmes’ staff in 2022 and played a vital role in assisting the Lions in their roster construction these past two seasons. His expertise on the salary cap and in contract negotiations, along with his well-rounded skillset developed through his unique career across the NFL and collegiate athletics, makes him a great fit for the front office we are building here in Washington. I’d like to thank the Detroit Lions organization and specifically, President Rod Wood, who was first-class in how he handled the process of getting Brandon to Washington. Brandon is a home run hire, and we are thrilled to welcome him to the DMV.”
PFF names #Commanders WR Jahan Dotson as a breakout candidate for 2024 👀
“The 2024 season feels like the make-or-break one for Dotson in Washington, and with the departure of Curtis Samuel and no true TE1, he should be utilized better by new OC Kliff Kingsbury.” pic.twitter.com/oFmiJZ5Lod
— brandon (@JayDanielsMVP) May 19, 2024
Before joining the Lions, Sosna was the executive senior associate athletic director/chief of staff at the University of Southern California from 2019 to 2021. There, he managed the day-to-day operations of the athletics program, oversaw external communications and revenue teams, provided administrative oversight of the football program, and served as the lead contract negotiator. Sosna was instrumental in modernizing USC’s athletics department and was the “architect” of the hiring process for USC Head Coach Lincoln Riley in the 2022 offseason. He also played a key role in USC’s move to the Big Ten Conference.
Sosna’s career also includes two stints at the University of Cincinnati (2013-2017, 2019). In 2016, he was named the athletic department’s chief of staff, playing a crucial role in hiring Head Coach Luke Fickell, who led Cincinnati to national prominence. In 2019, he returned as the senior associate athletic director/chief revenue officer, leading the department to record-breaking attendance and ticket sales.
Sosna began his NFL career with the Cleveland Browns as a football administration intern (2017-2018), later becoming a salary cap and contract analyst in 2018.
A Cincinnati, Ohio native, Sosna holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Pennsylvania. He has been recognized on Forbes’ “30 Under 30” list in 2020 and Sports Business Journal’s “New Voices Under 30” list in 2019. He also received the Front Office Sports Rising 25 Award in 2017.
Latest On Commanders’ Nickname, Logo
Recently, the Washington Commanders posted birthday wishes for longtime linebacker London Fletcher on X, using an image that prominently featured the Redskins’ helmet. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk noted that in previous years, the team’s social media posts for Fletcher’s birthday did not include the Redskins’ logo.
@NFL @Commanders #NFL #Commanders #HelmetProgression pic.twitter.com/P9bLhNobe1
— misterfootball 🏈 (@misterfootba11) May 18, 2024
Florio opines that such instances, including the use of the logo and the appearance of Quinn’s T-shirt with the old name, are deliberate “trial balloons” to gauge public reaction to the old name and logo, although the team has made no official comment on the T-shirt. While it is hard to imagine the team’s new ownership, led by Josh Harris, deciding to revert to the “Redskins” name, it is more conceivable that they might incorporate elements of the prior logo, especially considering the potential merchandising revenue it could generate.
What Washington Commanders Success Looks Like in 2024 | Houston Texans Comp Unfair | 3 Biggest Games
🎙️Part 2 of my conversation with @kevinsheehanDC and @granthpaulsen. Jayden Daniels' progress. Roster concerns. Defensive upside. Johnny Newton. Whether fans are cool if 2024 is about rebuilding. Plus, front office news and buzz.https://t.co/DcySs8k0iz
— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) May 20, 2024
🎙Return of the summit: Talked all things Commanders with @kevinsheehanDC & @granthpaulsen. Part 1:
* 2024 schedule
* Jayden Daniels the player, promise and pick
* New regime's roster retooling
* Most excited about non-JD divisionhttps://t.co/JEmeZC35dx— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) May 16, 2024
Why drafting a first-round QB is worse than a coin flip, unless you’re the Bears
The table provides insights into the frequency of first-round quarterbacks signing multiyear extensions with their original teams over a span of three decades, categorized by their selection order (first, second, third, fourth, or fifth quarterback selected). The re-sign rate is 57 percent for the first quarterback selected (16 out of 28) and 31 percent for the other quarterbacks (15 out of 49).
Raiders legend Jim Otto, who played for the team from its founding in 1960 through 1974, has died. He was 86. https://t.co/kjEpyHgjfu
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) May 20, 2024
The data encompasses 77 quarterbacks selected in the first round from 1993 (starting with Drew Bledsoe and Rick Mirer) through 2022 (ending with Kenny Pickett). This period covers the inception of NFL free agency to the latest class of quarterbacks who are eligible for contract extensions. Notably, it excludes Jordan Love, Tua Tagovailoa, and Trevor Lawrence, who have not yet signed long-term extensions but remain eligible. Love’s recent extension is considered a temporary measure, giving him time to succeed Aaron Rodgers, with a more substantial extension likely forthcoming.
2. Jayden Daniels comps: 35 percent re-sign rate
NFL owners meet in Nashville this week. The biggest issue is whether private equity investments will be allowed. While boring on the surface, it could be the first step toward major changes for team ownership and management. https://t.co/RaWYLJoWhr
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) May 20, 2024
The re-sign rate for the second quarterback selected in the first round each year is 35 percent (8 out of 23), which represents a significant drop from the 57 percent rate for the first quarterback selected. This rate remains consistent even when the second quarterback in a class was chosen second overall, as only two out of seven such quarterbacks re-signed with their original teams, with one of these extensions (Carson Wentz) later being considered regrettable.
ICYMI: David Johnson, All-Pro running back with Cardinals, retires after eight seasons in NFLhttps://t.co/AcxnfUVeW7 pic.twitter.com/hAfNgbb87F
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) May 20, 2024
Here are the quarterbacks chosen as the second quarterback in the first round and their outcomes:
**Re-signed (8):**
1. Daniel Jones
2. Patrick Mahomes
3. Carson Wentz
4. Mark Sanchez
5. Joe Flacco
6. Aaron Rodgers
7. Philip Rivers
8. Donovan McNabb
**Not re-signed (15):**
1. Zach Wilson
2. Sam Darnold
3. Marcus Mariota
4. Johnny Manziel
5. Robert Griffin III
6. Jake Locker
7. Tim Tebow
8. Brady Quinn
9. Matt Leinart
10. Byron Leftwich
11. Joey Harrington
12. Ryan Leaf
13. Kerry Collins
14. Trent Dilfer
15. Rick Mirer
**Second overall picks (italicized):**
1. *Carson Wentz*
2. *Robert Griffin III*
3. *Marcus Mariota*
4. *Mitchell Trubisky*
5. *Zach Wilson*
6. *Ryan Leaf*
7. *Rick Mirer*
the rook 🤝 the vet@NWFCU | #RaiseHail pic.twitter.com/B6M7zEpocg
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) May 19, 2024
This analysis underscores the variability and challenges in predicting the long-term success and retention of highly drafted quarterbacks beyond the first overall pick.
The #Commanders interviewed only a few candidates for this job. Among them was former #Eagles VP of football administration Jake Rosenberg, who recently let his contract lapse in Philly to pursue opportunities inside and outside the NFL. https://t.co/96kTxv2cAB
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) May 19, 2024