Most of the focus about the new offense the Washington Commanders will run under first-year coordinator David Blough has been on what the changes mean for franchise quarterback Jayden Daniels, but things are set to look totally different for John Bates and the team’s tight ends, who are predicted to follow the most “potent” trend in the NFL.
Bates spoke with JP Finlay of NBC4 Sports at OTAs, and the veteran blocker “explained tight ends will have a bigger role and expect to see multiple sets with multiple tight ends on the field. Maybe even 13 personnel like the Rams ran to great success last season. That’s exciting.”
Finlay’s right to call this shift in how the Commanders use their tight ends “exciting.” It fits the league-wide trend that got “hot” last season, mostly thanks to the Los Angeles Rams and a branch of the offense Blough is implementing in Washington.
John Bates Sees Rams-Style Roles for Tight Ends
Bates’ reference to the Rams is significant because the NFC West outfit is at the forefront of a “sensation sweeping the league,” according to NFL.com Analyst Bucky Brooks.
It’s all about putting more tight ends on the field at once, more often. Brooks noted how in 2025, “the Rams’ clever utilization of multiple tight end formations, particularly with three tight ends on the field, seemed to blow the minds of defensive coordinators.”
Deploying three tight ends, one running back and a single wide receiver is known as 13 personnel, and Brooks outlined how “It can force opponents to keep their base defensive personnel on the field against a diverse collection of blockers and playmakers. Additionally, head coach Sean McVay can deploy a few traditional and overload formations that create extra gaps at the line of scrimmage, opening up the running game when defenders do not properly align or fill their assigned gaps at the point of attack. With personnel and formation diversity creating mismatches against lumbering linebackers or undersized defensive backs who struggle to handle the unit’s size, strength or speed, the Rams were able to dictate the terms of the game with their three-TE package.”
GettyThe Commanders’ use of tight ends could look a lot like the trend-setting 2025 Rams.
Numbers support the widespread adoption of two- and three-tight end sets. Brooks revealed “Last season, the Browns, Falcons, Ravens, Raiders, Packers, Bears and Giants used 12 personnel on at least 32.5% of their offensive snaps. Meanwhile, 13 tight ends finished 2025 with at least 600 receiving yards, and 11 tight ends posted 60-plus catches (Arizona’s Trey McBride led both categories with a 126-catch, 1,239-yard season).”
When explaining the benefits of loading the formation with at least one extra tight end, Brooks put it best when he wrote, “The draw is obvious: elevating the passing game with more basketball-type athletes who can also enhance the ground attack with their size and blocking skills.”
Making the passing game more efficient, while at the same time heightening the threat of the run, is the foundation of the under-center attack Blough is planning for Daniels and Co.
Blough learned schematic wrinkles of this offense, including the use of multi-tight ends, playing for Ben Johnson and the Detroit Lions in 2023. A year earlier, Blough got exposure to the nuances of the system from former McVay assistant Kevin O’Connell with the Minnesota Vikings.
Fortunately, the Commanders have the personnel for Blough to make the tight end-heavy aspect of those schemes work.
Commanders Have the Personnel to Follow ‘Hot’ Trend
Bates is better known for his awesome blocking skills, but the perceived one-dimensional nature of his game needn’t be a problem in 12 or 13 personnel.
Not when Blough can use Bates to overload the line of scrimmage, while a fellow tight end like newcomer Chig Okonkwo splits out wide. Okonkwo’s arrival in free agency represented a smart bargain signing because but he’s versatile enough for the Commanders to use new plans to unleash his more dynamic skill-set.
Those plans are already taking shape at OTAs, where “Daniels and tight end Chig Okonkwo are forming a nice bond on the field. Daniels connected with Okonkwo multiple times during the practice, including two passes during two-minute drills to close out the day,” according to Commanders.com Senior Writer Zach Selby.
Having a tight end who can play like a wide receiver is crucial for any multiple-TE package. So is adding a tight end to the backfield to act as a fullback, a role Blough is already planning for a Commanders draft flop.
GettyThe Washington Commanders have enough tight ends of different types to successfully copy the NFL’s “hot” trend.
Being able to put tight ends onto the field together, but in different spots, will only increase the options for the Commanders pre- and post-snap. Daniels will be the biggest beneficiary, particularly when it comes to the using play action from run-heavy looks.
It’s a good thing then Washington’s QB1 is already borrowing a trick from a Hall of Famer to help improve his game.
John Bates Hints Commanders Will Follow NFL’s ‘Hot’ Trend