The Washington Commanders have a brand-new offensive scheme in 2026 under first-time coordinator David Blough, and it will be intriguing to see which players benefit the most. One name a lot of eyes will be watching is third-year tight end Ben Sinnott.
And after a not-so-subtle dig at previous offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, not for the first time this offseason, Sinnott better be ready to step up.
Through his first two seasons in the NFL, the 2024 second-round pick has caught only 16 passes for 142 receiving yards and two touchdowns. It's not great, but Sinnott isn't the only one to blame for his lack of usage.
Ben Sinnott proclaims Commanders now have a real offense under David Blough, and that has meaning
For whatever reason, Sinnott and Kingsbury just never seemed to mesh.
And the Kansas State product is clearly still not over it.
Speaking with independent Commanders reporter Ben Standig, Sinnott did not hold back with his thoughts on the difference between Blough's system and Kingsbury's.
"This is a real NFL offense now."
Sinnott's lingering frustration is certainly understandable.
In two years, Sinnott went from a core building block to an afterthought fighting to save his NFL career. And when the No. 53 pick was fed the ball, he's delivered, with only two incompletions thrown his way on 18 targets.
Sinnott believes he still has the potential to be the player he was drafted as, and has been held back by coaching. He's far from alone in his criticism of Kingsbury, whose system has been viewed as one-dimensional and easy to expose everywhere he's been.
Ben Sinnott and Kliff Kingsbury didn't mesh, but the signs may be pointing up again
Former Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt wasn't wrong with his "college offense" comments in 2024; he was just early.
However, Sinnott must now put his money where his mouth is.
Kingsbury is out of the picture. With that, so are the excuses for Sinnott.
The tight end is now in his third season and playing in a scheme that's expected to benefit him. The Commanders signed Chig Okonkwo to be the top guy after Zach Ertz wasn't brought back, but all of Washington's other tight ends should have opportunities to carve out key roles.
John Bates is an elite blocker at the position, and Colson Yankoff will once again be a special teams fixture. The door is open for Sinnott to get more involved in the passing game, and it's an opportunity that might be now or never for him.
If Sinnott doesn't emerge as at least a reliable playmaker who can grab a couple of balls per game, it's hard to see his future in Washington lasting into Year 4. And after his (albeit backhanded) praise for Blough, he has set a standard for himself that he can't take back.
Sinnott has made it no secret how he feels about the way his first two seasons went.
Now, it's time to put up or shut up.
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