The Washington Commanders have a lot of reasons to be frustrated at 1-3, but their tight end room has become its own problem - and Chig Okonkwo sits right in the middle of it.
Okonkwo was supposed to help provide some life at a spot that already felt thin. Instead, through four weeks, he’s produced just 21 yards on four catches and seven targets. A lingering hamstring issue kept him out of Washington’s Week 2 and Week 3 games, marking the first absence of his professional career, but the bigger issue is that he simply hasn’t made enough of the chances he’s had.
That matters because this offense has leaned on a very different kind of tight end in recent seasons. Okonkwo is not Zach Ertz, and he doesn’t play like him either.
Ertz was the reliable outlet, the steady option working 10 yards downfield and turning routine throws into first downs for Jayden Daniels before Daniels shredded his knee last season. That sort of dependable presence is what Commanders fans have grown used to.
Okonkwo brings a different profile. He’s more of a big receiver than a classic possession tight end, the kind of player who’s supposed to win with speed and create mismatches.
So far, though, that speed hasn’t translated into much against the Philadelphia Eagles or Indianapolis Colts. With Washington’s quarterback situation shifting over the past few weeks, the lack of a trustworthy safety valve has stood out even more.
There have already been moments that show how far off the connection still is. On one play, what appeared to be a rub route by Diggs never really sprung Okonkwo free, and the result was only a two-yard gain. That’s the kind of missed opportunity that has defined too much of this tight end production so far.
The encouraging part for Washington is that this doesn’t have to stay this way forever. Okonkwo should benefit if the passing game settles down, Daniels returns, and Terry McLaurin and Diggs get healthy. Right now, he’s not getting much help from the players behind him on the depth chart either.
John Bates has done the dirty work asked of him as a blocker, but he’s not the kind of tight end who can tilt coverage once he slips into space. Ben Sinnott and Colson Yankoff have also come up short of turning their chances into a meaningful role, and despite combining for eight games, neither has topped Okonkwo’s modest 21 receiving yards.
Through four weeks, the numbers paint the full picture of the struggle. Washington’s tight ends have just 10 catches, 17 targets, 65 yards, no receiving touchdowns, and only 42 yards after the catch. It’s the kind of output that leaves almost no room for comfort.
Brock Bowers and Trey McBride aren’t about to walk through the door, and the draft is still 13 games away. So if the Commanders are going to squeeze anything useful out of this group, it’s going to take a cleaner pocket, more help from the rest of the passing game, and a little more imagination in how they free Okonkwo up. David Blough has already passed most of the tests in front of him, and now this tight end situation is just the next schematic problem waiting on his desk.
In Other News...
Jayden Daniels Gives Commanders Hope With One Huge Question Still Lingering
Jayden Daniels was back on the practice field Wednesday and went through a full session after missing the last two games, a welcome sight for a Commanders team that has been waiting for its rookie quarterback to return. He is expected to play against the Giants, and Washington has moved forward without bringing in another quarterback, a clear sign of how much the offense still revolves around Daniels availability.
The bigger issue is what comes after this weekend. Daniels is set to wear a brace on his elbow, and there is still a lingering possibility that the injury could need surgery after the season, leaving the Commanders to balance short-term optimism with a much more uncertain long-term picture. For now, they have their quarterback back, but the health of that elbow remains the storyline worth watching. [Read more 🡒]
Terry McLaurin Setback Puts Two Commanders Questions Back In Focus
Terry McLaurins hamstring is back in the picture at a bad time for Washington. The wideout has missed the first two days of practice as the Commanders manage his recovery cautiously, a reminder that the issue already cost him a game once before and still needs to be handled with care as the season moves forward.
McLaurins situation also brings the bigger questions back into view for Washington, because this is not only about getting him back on the field this week. He has two years left on his contract, and the team has to weigh his health against a deal that carries major salary-cap implications without any guaranteed money remaining, leaving his future with the franchise part of the conversation whenever the injury updates start piling up. [Read more 🡒]
Jayden Daniels Return Wont End This Commanders Problem
Jayden Daniels is expected back after missing two games with an elbow injury, which should give Washington a welcome lift at quarterback and settle at least one major question entering the week. But even with Daniels trending toward a return, the Commanders are still dealing with a receiver room that looks far less certain, especially with Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs both out of practice because of hamstring injuries.
McLaurin already sat out a recent game, and Diggs status adds another layer of uncertainty to an offense that has had to adjust on the fly. Antonio Williams has already benefited from the added opportunity, seeing more snaps and targets, and he could be asked to play another prominent role if Washington is again short-handed on the perimeter. [Read more 🡒]