When Zach Ertz went down with a torn ACL in the Commanders’ Week 14 loss to the Vikings, it was a gut punch-not just for the offense, but for the locker room. Ertz wasn’t just a productive tight end; he was a veteran voice, a steadying presence for young quarterbacks like Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota, and a leader across the board. Losing him meant more than losing a reliable target-it meant losing a tone-setter.
But where one door closes, another opens. And for second-year tight end Ben Sinnott, that door swung wide.
Last Sunday against the Giants, Sinnott saw a noticeable uptick in playing time, logging 35 offensive snaps-good for 57% of Washington’s total. That’s a significant step forward, especially in a tight end room where John Bates still leads the way with 42 snaps (69%).
The Commanders like to use multiple tight end sets, so the opportunity was there. The question was: what would Sinnott do with it?
He didn’t light up the stat sheet-just one target, one catch. But sometimes, it’s not about volume.
It’s about timing. And Sinnott’s lone reception came when Washington needed it most: late in the fourth quarter, trying to ice the game.
The play? A crisp route, a clean break, and a 36-yard gain that showed off his speed and ability to separate from safeties.
It was a flash of what he can be-a playmaker in clutch moments.
And here’s the kicker: Sinnott is now 10-for-10 in his NFL career. Ten targets, ten catches. That’s not just efficiency, that’s trustworthiness.
Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury took notice.
“We only had 10 completions, so there weren’t a ton to go around,” Kingsbury said. “But I was really proud of that play.
We got cover zero. We hadn’t shown him that look in that scenario with that personnel group, and we weren’t anticipating he’d stick his foot in the ground and create space.
It was a big-time play.”
Kingsbury’s right-the Commanders only completed 10 of 19 passes in the win. It wasn’t a game plan built around airing it out.
Bates had just one catch as well. But as the offense evolves and the game scripts shift, there will be moments when Washington needs to throw more.
And when that happens, Sinnott is putting himself in position to be a bigger part of the plan.
It’s not just about the passing game, either. Sinnott continues to do the dirty work-blocking, contributing on special teams, playing with consistency.
He’s the kind of player who shows up in the film room as much as on the stat sheet. And when his number is called, he delivers.
Now comes the real test. Washington closes the season with two games against the Eagles and one against the Cowboys-a brutal NFC East gauntlet.
For Sinnott, this stretch could be career-defining. It’s a chance to prove he’s more than just a fill-in for Ertz.
It’s a chance to show he can be the guy in 2026.
The opportunity is there. The trust is building. And if his first 10 targets are any indication, Ben Sinnott is ready to make the most of it.