4 Commanders rookies who can help themselves most at 2023 minicamp

Mitchell Tinsley - Commanders WR

There aren't many free spots within the Washington Commanders' wide receiver room. Certainly not from a starting standpoint thanks to the presence of Terry McLaurin, Curtis Samuel, Jahan Dotson, and Dyami Brown, who all stand to benefit greatly from Eric Bieniemy's arrival.

This means others are likely to seek practice squad positions or deep rotational roles if they prove their worth on special teams. Just what the Commanders can expect from Mitchell Tinsley is unclear, but he's got a big chance to shine going up against Washington's first two picks in the 2023 NFL Draft throughout his rookie minicamp experience.

Tinsley looked like a prospect of immense promise at Western Kentucky in 2021 en route to 87 receptions for 1,402 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns. He was unable to replicate this after transferring to Penn State, which was a steep step up in competition compared to what he'd been used to previously.

There were some nice moments, but teams were obviously wary about how Tinsley would cope with another significant leap in opposition quality at the next level. The Commanders will find out much more about the player this week when he clashes with Quan Martin and especially Emmanuel Forbes during drills.

If Tinsley can catch the eye against a potential shutdown presence in Forbes, it might just get his foot in the door. But should the one-time Mississippi State star have his way, then Washington has their answer.