Over the last four years, 22 tight ends have been chosen in the first three rounds of the NFL draft. When the books closed on the 2025 season, 19 of those players had gained more yards in their first two seasons than Ben Sinnott in his two years with the Washington Commanders.
If not for Cameron Latu and Tip Reiman, Sinnott would be dead last.
This stat includes all six of the tight ends chosen in the first three rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft. Despite playing just one year, all six have more receiving yards than Sinnott has in two years.
Some of them, like Colston Loveland, Tyler Warren, and Harold Fannin Jr., have already established themselves among the league’s best. But even lesser-known names like Elijah Arroyo and Terrance Ferguson have been more productive.
Ben Sinnott faces a pivotal offseason that will shape his Commanders' future
When they chose him with the No. 53 pick in the 2024 draft, general manager Adam Peters compared the Kansas State product to George Kittle and Kyle Juszczyk, perennial Pro Bowlers from the San Francisco 49ers. Needless to say, Sinnott has yet to reach these lofty expectations.
Is Sinnott better than his 16 catches and 142 receiving yards over two full seasons suggest? Has he been done a disservice by management decisions that invested heavily in veterans?
When the Commanders signed Zach Ertz to a one-year free agent deal ahead of the 2024 season, it was seen as a sensible, modest move. He was on the downside of his career, but had a good history with offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury and could serve as a reliable option for quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Like the rest of the team, Ertz surpassed expectations in 2024, prompting Peters to re-sign him. The front-office leader also brought in a raft of other older players in an attempt to win big in 2025. The strategy failed spectacularly.
Not only did Washington fail to reach the playoffs, but the major roles given to Ertz, Bobby Wagner, and Laremy Tunsil also hindered the development of youngsters like Jordan Magee, Brandon Coleman, and Sinnott.
While it made sense in 2024 for Ertz to dominate the snaps, as 2025 went on, that became increasingly harder to justify. Sinnott did indeed play a little more, but he was never an integral part of the offense. Even after the Pro Bowler went down with an injury, the fledgling second-year pro never appeared to be more than an afterthought.
There was a time when tight ends generally had to play for a few years before making a significant mark in the league. Because it combines the responsibilities of both receiver and lineman, it is usually the second-hardest offensive position to master, after quarterback.
But that has changed in recent years.
In addition to the three rookie sensations mentioned above, Trey McBride, Sam LaPorta, Tucker Kraft, and Dalton Kincaid all hit the ground running, gaining more than 1,000 receiving yards in their first two seasons. Brock Bowers — the only tight end chosen ahead of Sinnott in 2024 — blew away all rookie receiving records with over 100 catches and 1,000 yards in his first season. He is already an All-Pro-caliber performer, meeting generational pre-draft projections.
Most of this season's top tight ends played on losing teams. But of the 14 playoff teams, their primary option at the position averaged 50 catches and 557 receiving yards. That is what Washington thought it was getting with Sinnott.
The 2026 campaign will provide another chance — perhaps Sinnott's last with the Commanders if it goes horribly wrong.
Ertz will be gone. Kingsbury, who may have favored the veteran, is also out. David Blough, who arrived in Washington at the same time as Sinnott, will be calling the shots. At present, the Commanders are not exactly loaded with lots of pass catchers. He should get an opportunity to step up.
Sinnott has been an average blocker during his first two seasons. He was not drafted high to be an average blocker. The Commanders already had a blocking specialist in John Bates when they chose him. And he's around for two more years at least.
He was chosen as a playmaker. But so far, Sinnott has not made many plays.
That needs to change in 2026.