Commanders enigma draws mixed reactions after preseason letdown

Dan Quinn opted to give his Washington Commanders starters the night off in their preseason opener against the New England Patriots. This was the right call after a fiery joint practice, which also allowed others to showcase what they could bring from increased roles.

There were several players who had the spotlight glaring on them. They included promising tight end Ben Sinnott.

Considering he was a second-round pick just a year ago, Sinnott remains under the radar. The Commanders had the luxury of bringing him along gradually last season, thanks to the presence of Pro Bowler Zach Ertz and blocking specialist John Bates. But there will come a time when flashing moments of promise won't be enough.

Ben Sinnott's growing pains were evident again in Commanders' preseason opener

With Ertz, who's been among the major standouts this summer, not suiting up at Gillette Stadium, most fans were expecting a significant workload for Sinnott as part of his ongoing development. This was also a chance to see how the former Kansas State standout was progressing after some glowing reports earlier this offseason.

Of course, no Commanders pass-catcher had the benefit of Jayden Daniels or Marcus Mariota to depend upon. Sam Hartman and Josh Johnson were the men under center, which made things more difficult. At the same time, there were no excuses for Sinnott or anyone else when their number was called.

It was a relatively pedestrian effort from Sinnott at Gillette Stadium. He brought in two receptions from three targets for 10 receiving yards, but fans were expecting a little more. He also found life difficult as a blocker on occasion. However, not many covered themselves in glory.

This was a slight step back from Sinnott, who remains an enigma. It was a chance to prove himself as a potentially dominant figure, but it wasn't to be. But unlike some on the team, he'll keep getting opportunities to flourish.

Taking advantage of them is something else entirely. Sinnott remains rooted behind Ertz and Bates until further notice. Just how long it'll take to surge up the depth chart is debatable, but there is a lot of hard work ahead based on this showing.

All hope is not lost with Sinnott, not by any stretch of the imagination. But if the Commanders were hoping for more returns on their second-round investment last year, they might have to wait a little longer.

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