When a team uses a second-round pick to draft a player, it becomes difficult to give up on potential, a problem that’s motivating the Washington Commanders to introduce new plans to get under-performing tight end Ben Sinnott more involved.
Third-year pro Sinnott has tallied a mere 16 receptions from just 18 targets through two seasons, but there are good reasons to believe he’ll see more passes coming his way in 2026. Many of those reasons have to do with the Commanders promoting David Blough to offensive coordinator.
Sinnott is in line for a bigger role because “the coaching staff likes his abilities as a blocker, particularly in space, and wants to get him more involved in their game plans,” according to Commanders.com Senior Writer Zach Selby.
Exactly what “more involved” means in this context is unclear, but what is clear is how Blough’s system will be friendly to tight ends. As Selby pointed out, “Sinnott is one of the players who could benefit the most from Blough’s offense, as tight ends in his system are often put in motion to get them in space. Head coach Dan Quinn said earlier in the offseason that the staff likes to do that with Sinnott.”
This is a blueprint for getting Sinnott more action as a receiver, a change he’s responded well to this offseason. Yet, there are reasons to think Blough will still be starved of targets, including the presence of a more dynamic pass-catcher at his position.
New Ideas Might Not Be Enough to Save Ben Sinnott
Sending eligible receivers in motion is hardly a revolutionary concept in the modern NFL, but it’s not something the Commanders did often when Blough’s predecessor Kliff Kingsbury called the offense.
Kingsbury’s 2025 unit had a motion rate of just 49.3 percent, according to Sharp. It was the eighth-lowest mark in the league, but the Ben Johnson-style offense Blough is widely expected to emulate helped the Chicago Bears post a 60.6 percent motion rate last season.
Blough briefly played for Bears head coach Johnson with the Detroit Lions from 2019-’21. Like Johnson, Blough is tipped to put the quarterback under center more often and lean on play-action passing.
GettyBlough’s time with the Lions and renowned play designer Ben Johnson is good news for the Commanders’ tight ends.
Both changes can boost Commanders’ QB1 Jayden Daniels and his receivers, although not necessarily including Sinnott. He’s still in a backup role on the depth chart after the Commanders signed Chig Okonkwo for big money during 2026 NFL free agency.
Okonkwo is already expected to be a core part of how Blough builds his passing game. It means the roving tight end with wide receiver-type skills will get plenty of opportunities to earn Daniels’ trust as a featured target.
At least some of those opportunities will come at Sinnott’s expense, but another wrinkle in the Blough plan can still get No. 82 more involved.
Commanders Will Still Value Niche Skill-Players
Maybe Sinnott won’t mature into a more prolific receiver, but there has been speculation his niche skill as a blocker will be used from a different position. This strategy might make more sense as inspiration for salvaging Sinnott’s pro career.
The 53rd player drafted in 2024 can have greater value as a key cog in a more powerful running game. Making consistent gains on the ground will be essential to creating the play-action pass opportunities Blough wants for Daniels.
Play action only works if the run is a credible threat, and that credibility depends on the Commanders knocking open enough inviting running lanes up front. Sinnott and his fellow tight end John Bates, whose demon blocking skills have gone under the radar for too long, are likely to be more important in Blough’s system.
Even if Okonkwo ultimately dominates receiving chores at the position.
Commanders Have New Plan to Get Ben Sinnott ‘More Involved’