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Commanders TE Ben Sinnott’s first touchdown will be the first of many

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In the Washington Commanders’ 40-7 rout of the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, rookie tight end Ben Sinnott caught his first NFL pass — a touchdown.

Sinnott played 30% of the offensive snaps entering Sunday’s game but was featured as more of a blocker in Washington’s top-five running game. Sinnott’s time was coming, but regardless of his impact on the stat sheet, he was making a significant impact on the offense.

Sinnott has served as Washington’s No. 2 or No. 3 tight end behind Zach Ertz and, sometimes, John Bates. The longtime veteran Ertz is the unquestioned starter, while Bates is one of the NFL’s top blocking tight ends.

The Commanders entered the offseason with a plan for rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. Regardless of the outside noise, they didn’t deviate from that plan, and Daniels is already one of the NFL’s top young quarterbacks.

While it wasn’t discussed much, the Commanders also had a plan for Sinnott. The plan was for Ertz to play while also mentoring younger players, such as Daniels and Sinnott. Washington players and coaches have praised Ertz for his leadership. However, the plan for Sinnott was to slowly incorporate him into the offense. While Ertz remains Washington’s starting tight end, Daniels now has another weapon defenses must account for weekly.

“It’s pretty cool to have your first NFL catch be a touchdown,” Sinnott said after the game.

Sinnott will likely score many more touchdowns. Ertz is on a one-year deal that could be extended if he remains healthy. Regardless, Sinnott is a significant part of Washington’s future.

Jim Nagy, executive director of the Reese’s Senior Bowl and a former NFL scout, sees big things in Sinnott’s future.

Everything the Commanders are doing is working for the first time in a long time. It is, indeed, a new day in Washington.