This was supposed to be the week that Washington Commanders tight end Ben Sinnott emerged. The second-year tight end from Kansas State was drafted in the second round of the 2024 NFL draft to be the Commanders‘ tight end of the future.
It didn’t happen as a rookie. Sinnott played in 12 games, making three starts. He caught five passes for 28 yards and a touchdown. Unfortunately, Sinnott was behind veteran Zach Ertz and the NFL’s top blocking tight end, John Bates, on the depth chart. Ertz remained healthy last season, catching 66 passes for 654 yards and seven touchdowns, serving as a safety valve for rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Washington GM Adam Peters, determined to run it back one more year, brought the 35-year-old Ertz back in 2025. Ertz remained healthy, catching 50 passes for 504 yards and four touchdowns through the Commanders’ first 13 games until he tore his ACL last week. Suddenly, Sinnott would have his chance.
Right?
In Sunday’s 29-21 win over the New York Giants, Sinnott received one target from quarterback Marcus Mariota. The good news is that play was Washington’s second-longest from scrimmage, a 36-yard completion late in the fourth quarter, where Sinnott beat one of the league’s top-paid safeties for a huge play.
BIG first down for @ben_sinnott
📺 #WASvsNYG FOX pic.twitter.com/Xi52EY3wLn
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) December 14, 2025
Talk about taking advantage of your opportunity. Our only question is, why didn’t he get more opportunities?
Fans and certain media members like to jump on the bandwagon of calling someone a bust. Because Sinnott was buried behind a productive veteran like Ertz, he must have been doing something wrong. Perhaps offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury was hiding him because he knew he’d be exposed. Maybe the quarterbacks didn’t trust him. It had to be something, right?
The truth isn’t as profound as some would have it. Kliff Kingsbury loves Zach Ertz. Rightfully so. Remember, Ertz was Peters’ very first signing when he took over as general manager in 2024. With a young quarterback, Ertz was a critical presence in 2024. The Commanders brought him back because Daniels trusted him. Kingsbury trusted him. And the Washington coaching staff and all of his teammates love him.
With Sinnott’s catch on Sunday, he now has five receptions for 77 yards and a touchdown. Consider that he has caught all five of his targets. As a rookie last season, Sinnott caught only four passes — on four targets. So, in his young NFL career, Sinnott has 10 receptions on 10 targets. So why can’t Kingsbury find more ways to get the football to Sinnott?
Kingsbury is an excellent offensive coordinator. The best offensive coordinators find ways to play to their players’ strengths. Sinnott is 6-foot-4, 250 pounds, and he can run. He’s hard to tackle. He’s also much more of a threat than Ertz after the catch. So, what’s the problem?
With so much talk that Washington will need a tight end in 2026, why not find out what you have in Sinnott? If I am Adam Peters, I’m telling Kingsbury that I want to see more from Sinnott. Sinnott hasn’t had many opportunities, but when he gets them, he takes advantage.
The Commanders’ NFC East gauntlet continues next week against the Eagles. Washington should find ways to incorporate Sinnott more in the passing game. There’s nothing to lose and everything to gain.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: Ben Sinnott has earned more opportunities
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