Much has been made of the Washington Commanders' coaching staff overhaul, with new coordinators on both offense and defense whom fans hope will bring ideas from some of the league's top minds to D.C. One of those new wrinkles already seems to be paying immense dividends.
David Blough is a first-time offensive coordinator who rapidly rose from within the Commanders' organization after spending most of last year as an assistant quarterbacks coach. Before that, the 31-year-old was a backup quarterback on the Detroit Lions as recently as 2023.
Blough has taken plenty of notes from Dan Campbell and Ben Johnson, and Washington is optimistic his scheme can be a continuation of those run by the Lions and Chicago Bears. And there's perhaps no more definitive staple of those offenses than the usage of their tight ends.
Commanders have high hopes for their tight ends in David Blough's new system
If training camp has been any indication, the Commanders should expect big things from Chig Okonkwo and Ben Sinnott this year.
Washington moved on from the aging Zach Ertz this offseason and brought in Okonkwo as the presumptive TE1. Everyone and their mother has pegged the fifth-year pro as a top breakout candidate, as he'll be playing in a much better offense than the one in which he put up moderate production with the Tennessee Titans.
Quarterback Jayden Daniels has already developed a strong connection with Okonkwo, who has a chance to be a top-two pass-catcher by volume this year even with Stefon Diggs around. He's younger, faster, and more athletic than Ertz, and he can rack up yards after the catch like the best of them.
While it may sound like a broken record, don't sleep on Sinnott either. The 2024 second-round pick might finally have his opportunity to shine if Blough uses his tight ends in a similar fashion to how the Bears used Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet last year. He's been getting involved this summer, perhaps finally a sign of real progress in the fall.
Ben Sinnott with a BIG 4th down catch for about 15 yards in the middle of the field.
— Josh Taylor (@JoshTaylorFB) August 18, 2026
Washington also boasts John Bates, one of the league's elite blocking tight ends, and special teamer Colson Yankoff has had another impressive offseason. All four of them should make the team and should have critical roles to play when the season begins.
In a successful modern NFL offense, everybody has to be involved. Blough is already making strides in ensuring his tight ends are the engine that drives Washington to a much-improved season in 2026.
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