Washington

The 5 O’Clock Club: Washington’s tight ends

Published

2 years ago

May 9, 2024

The 5 O’Clock Club: Washington’s tight ends

The 5 o’clock club is published from time to time during the season, and aims to provide a forum for reader-driven discussion at a time of day when there isn’t much NFL news being published. Feel free to introduce topics that interest you in the comments below.

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Zach Ertz

Washington’s tight end room is led by 11-year veteran Zach Ertz, who spent most of his previous pro career with the Philadelphia Eagles. He appears to have ended up in Washington, however, due to his connection to offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, who was Ertz’s head coach in Arizona in 2021-22. Three of Ertz’s last four seasons (2020, ‘22, ‘23) were marred by injury. Rather than attempting to recount the career of a player most Commanders fans are quite familiar with, I’ll just post his career stats.

Receiving & Rushing Table
					Games		Receiving												Rushing									Total Yds
Year	Age	Tm	Pos	No.	G	GS	Tgt	Rec	Yds	Y/R	TD	1D	Succ%	Lng	R/G	Y/G	Ctch%	Y/Tgt	Att	Yds	TD	1D	Succ%	Lng	Y/A	Y/G	A/G	Touch	Y/Tch	YScm	RRTD	Fmb	AV	Awards
2013	23	PHI	TE	86	16	3	57	36	469	13.0	4	25	50.9	38	2.3	29.3	63.2%	8.2			0							36	13.0	469	4	0	4
2014	24	PHI	TE	86	16	5	89	58	702	12.1	3	42	58.4	35	3.6	43.9	65.2%	7.9			0							58	12.1	702	3	1	5
2015	25	PHI	TE	86	15	7	112	75	853	11.4	2	40	51.8	60	5.0	56.9	67.0%	7.6			0							75	11.4	853	2	1	6
2016	26	PHI	TE	86	14	12	106	78	816	10.5	4	42	57.5	30	5.6	58.3	73.6%	7.7			0							78	10.5	816	4	0	7
2017*	27	PHI	TE	86	14	13	110	74	824	11.1	8	46	56.4	53	5.3	58.9	67.3%	7.5			0							74	11.1	824	8	1	8	PB
2018*	28	PHI	TE	86	16	16	156	116	1163	10.0	8	66	57.1	34	7.3	72.7	74.4%	7.5			0							116	10.0	1163	8	1	9	PB
2019*	29	PHI	TE	86	15	15	135	88	916	10.4	6	50	56.3	30	5.9	61.1	65.2%	6.8			0							88	10.4	916	6	1	7	PB
2020	30	PHI	TE	86	11	11	72	36	335	9.3	1	16	38.9	42	3.3	30.5	50.0%	4.7			0							36	9.3	335	1	0	3
2021	31	2TM	TE		17	14	112	74	763	10.3	5	40	50.0	47	4.4	44.9	66.1%	6.8	1	4	0	0	100.0	4	4.0	0.2	0.1	75	10.2	767	5	0	8
		ARI	TE	86	11	11	81	56	574	10.3	3	30	51.9	47	5.1	52.2	69.1%	7.1	1	4	0	0	100.0	4	4.0	0.4	0.1	57	10.1	578	3	0	6
		PHI	TE	86	6	3	31	18	189	10.5	2	10	45.2	28	3.0	31.5	58.1%	6.1			0							18	10.5	189	2	0	2
2022	32	ARI	TE	86	10	10	69	47	406	8.6	4	24	55.1	32	4.7	40.6	68.1%	5.9			0							47	8.6	406	4	0	3
2023	33	ARI	TE	86	7	7	43	27	187	6.9	1	8	41.9	17	3.9	26.7	62.8%	4.3			0							27	6.9	187	1	0	2
Career					151	113	1061	709	7434	10.5	46	399	53.4	60	4.7	49.2	66.8%	7.0	1	4	0	0	100.0	4	4.0	0.0	0.0	710	10.5	7438	46	5	62
9 yrs		PHI			123	85	868	579	6267	10.8	38	337	54.0	60	4.7	51.0	66.7%	7.2			0							579	10.8	6267	38	5	51
3 yrs		ARI			28	28	193	130	1167	9.0	8	62	50.8	47	4.6	41.7	67.4%	6.0	1	4	0	0	100.0	4	4.0	0.1	0.0	131	8.9	1171	8		11

Ben Sinnott

I’ll defer to Ben Sinnott’s biggest fan to explain who he is and his expected role with the Commanders.

In his four years at Kansas State, Sinnott never put up gaudy numbers, though his 2023 stats were very solid, catching 49 balls for 676 yards and 6 TDs (better numbers than Sanders and All, it should be said). It was enough to earn him Honorable Mention All-American recognition as well as First Team All Big 12 honors.
With measurables that comp pretty closely to former first round pick TJ Hockenson and LaPorta, it was (and still is) baffling to me that people weren’t drawing the parallels.
When most fans think about tight ends, they usually want to envision the splashy plays: Oversized slot receivers grabbing a ball over the middle and taking it to the house, ideally having smashed some diminutive defensive back into oblivion on the way there. And, don’t get me wrong, I love that too. But that’s generally not how young tight ends get their break in the pros.
Coaches have a decision with their inexperienced TEs:
Do we risk our pass protection, and our quarterback, by testing a tight end who’s not quite ready? Or do we ease that tight end into the lineup, and hope that slowing down the process produces results down the road?
Generally speaking, coaches choose option two. So when you see a college player who is a talented pass catcher, and can do this, you pay attention:
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Sinnott offers a bit of positional flexibility, being reminiscent of the Joe Gibbs “H” back. Here’s what Chris Cooley had to say about Sinnott this past week:

“I will tell you right now, Joe Gibbs would love Ben Sinnott. This would be his guy. He would draft this guy. This is his H-back who can play receiver and tight end. He is a versatile tight end.”

That kind of versatility could end up allowing the Commanders to keep 4 players at the tight end position, with Sinnott moving around the formation in a variety of roles.

Armani Rogers

On May 18, 2022, I was so excited about Armani Rogers that I devoted an entire 5 O’Clock Club post to him.

Here’s how I summarized that article:

In 2022, Armani Rogers was targeted 6 times. Five of those passes were completed for 64 yards (12.8 average) and 4 first downs.
Washington was 3-0 in games in which Rogers was targeted.
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Like Logan Thomas, 25-year-old Armani Rogers is a converted college quarterback (UNLV). He was undrafted last year, and played well in training camp and the preseason. He was one of 5 tight ends on the initial 53-man roster.
What I see in these 6 plays is a guy with good hands, an understanding for how to get open, an ability to get north and south in a hurry, awareness of where the first down marker is, and an ability to break tackles.
As you can see from his film clips above, Rogers was having a pretty good rookie season, but missed several games due to injury — he was on IR from Week 11 to Week 17. I’m thinking that Eric Bieniemy might be excited when he sees these plays by the young 2nd-year tight end.

At that time, I expected Armani Rogers to develop into a good NFL tight end during the ‘23 season, and then take over as the team’s No. 1 option this season. Of course, all of that came to a crashing halt when Rogers tore his Achilles tendon in the team’s first OTA session of the ‘23 offseason in late May.

He isn’t quite a year removed from his injury, though Aaron Rodgers and Kirk Cousins each suffered Achilles tears in the regular season and are expected to play this season, so I am cautiously optimistic that Armani will be able to participate in OTAs, attend training camp, and earn a spot as one of the team’s tight ends this season.

Right now, there’s little to base that hope on other than a handful of regular season snaps from 2022 and good reports from coaches and beat reporters about what he showed in practice, but if he is able to come back healthy and get back on his earlier track, Rogers could provide a strong element to the TE group.

John Bates

I may be the biggest John Bates fan among the Washington faithful. I like what he did in college and I like what he adds to the Commanders roster. He was drafted in the 4th round of the 2021 draft by the Washington Football team.

Here’s what Hogs Haven said about Bates in July last year, ahead of the ‘23 season:

While Bates’ 2022 performance fell below that threshold, his rookie performance, in 2021, exceeded it. His 2021 numbers, 20 receptions for 249 yards and 1 TD were among the best in his draft class, and they would have placed him 12th in receptions and 8th in yardage among TE2s in 2022.
As a tight end primarily drafted for his blocking proficiency, I’m not sure anyone ever expected Bates to be among the most productive tight ends in the league. However, during his initial – admittedly short – two season sample, he certainly appears capable of performing as a decent TE2 in the league, in terms of offensive performance.

The only thing that can really be said for John Bates’ receiving stats in 2023 is that they were slightly better than his 2022 stats.

Receiving & Rushing Table
					Games		Receiving												Rushing									Total Yds
Year	Age	Tm	Pos	No.	G	GS	Tgt	Rec	Yds	Y/R	TD	1D	Succ%	Lng	R/G	Y/G	Ctch%	Y/Tgt	Att	Yds	TD	1D	Succ%	Lng	Y/A	Y/G	A/G	Touch	Y/Tch	YScm	RRTD	Fmb	AV
2021	24	WAS	TE	87	17	8	25	20	249	12.5	1	11	68.0	32	1.2	14.6	80.0%	10.0			0							20	12.5	249	1	1	2
2022	25	WAS	TE	87	16	7	22	14	108	7.7	1	4	50.0	20	0.9	6.8	63.6%	4.9			0							14	7.7	108	1	1	1
2023	26	WAS	TE	87	17	4	28	19	151	7.9	0	6	50.0	35	1.1	8.9	67.9%	5.4			0							19	7.9	151	0	0	1
Career					50	19	75	53	508	9.6	2	21	56.0	35	1.1	10.2	70.7%	6.8			0							53	9.6	508	2	2	4

Personally, I think Bates has a role on an NFL team, and I’d like it to be in Washington. Looking beyond this season to 2025, when Zach Ertz may well be retired from the NFL, it would be good to have Bates returning as a home-grown free agent.

But if we assume that Ertz and Sinnott are roster locks, then Bates could find himself fighting for a spot on the 53-man roster in the final year of his rookie contract.

Cole Turner

Cole Turner was a big receiver (listed by the Commanders at 6’6”, 240 pounds) who converted to tight end as a college sophomore in 2020.

Much was expected from Turner in his rookie season after being drafted in the 5th round of the 2022 draft by the Washington Commanders. That season, however, turned out to be rather disappointing, as he was often inactive or unused due to a chronic hamstring injury. He ended up being targeted only 9 times, and ended up with 2 receptions for 23 yards.

Last year, Turner showed up to training camp sporting a new look that was both stronger and leaner.

Cole Turner says he’s feeling strong physically this camp. Dropped his body fat from 14% to 9%. Did a lot of work on his hamstring – revealed he tore it last year.
— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) June 6, 2023

Expectations were again high going into the ‘23 season with new offensive coordinator Eric BIeniemy. Again, Turner’s actual production was disappointing, seeing just 142 offensive snaps (17%). He had 11 receptions on 15 targets for 120 yards, but he was all but invisible in the team’s offense. It seemed like he was ‘in the doghouse’ with coaches because there was no clear reason for how scarcely he was used.

Snap Counts Table
					Games		Off.		Def.		ST
Year	Age	Tm	Pos	No.	G	GS	Num	Pct	Num	Pct	Num	Pct
2022	22	WAS	TE	85	10	2	245	36%	0	0%	61	23%
2023	23	WAS	TE	85	12	1	142	17%	0	0%	86	25%
Career							387		0		147

If the Commanders keep only 3 tight ends (and even if they keep 4), Turner could find himself as the odd man out, being a less capable blocker than John Bates. His role as a little-used receiving target who also plays only about 25% of special teams snaps is unlikely to endear him to coaches unless he impresses mightily in minicamps, OTAs and training camp.

Colson Yankoff

Like Cole Turner, Yankoff is a big(ish) former receiver (6’3”, 233 pounds) who changed positions — first to running back for his final two seasons at UCLA, and now to an aspiring tight end, a position he never played in college.

As an undrafted college free agent, Yankoff’s best-case scenario for his rookie season is to end up on the practice squad.

Based on this profile from Lance Zierlein, Yankoff’s chances of sticking around while he develops his skills as a tight end seem to rely almost solely on his special teams skills.

Yankoff’s talent rests in his ability to get down the field to find and tackle punt and kick returners. He has adequate top-end speed as an F tight end, but he has very little practical experience as a route runner. He will need to prove his ball skills and show he can wall off defenders as a run blocker in space. His experience as a running back should help him after the catch. Unless a team decides to use him exclusively as a special-teams ace, he will need to prove to be at least functional at an offensive position to secure a roster spot.

This is mirrored in a slightly more enthusiastic summary of his play published in mid-April:

The former four-star recruit at quarterback (and Elite 11 participant) committed to Washington before transferring to Westwood after redshirting his first year. Yankoff moved to wide receiver in 2020, then to running back in 2022. He’s clearly a projection at tight end, but he showcased the necessary skills and tested well at the Bruins’ pro day. If given an opportunity, he could become a special teams ace — Yankoff produced 10 tackles in 2023. Projected: PFA

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Which of these three players is LEAST likely to make the Commanders 53-man roster in 2024?

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Which of these three players is MOST likely to make the Commanders 53-man roster in 2024?

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Will Colson Yankoff manage to get a spot on the Commanders practice squad in 2024?

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Game Preview: 04.12.26 at Washington Capitals | Pittsburgh Penguins

Published

5 hours ago

April 12, 2026

Press Room

Game Preview: 04.12.26 at Washington Capitals | Pittsburgh Penguins

Game Notes

Quick Hits

1) Evgeni Malkin has 82 points (27G-55A) in 67 career games against the Capitals. It’s the third-most points he’s scored against any one team.

2) Defenseman Sam Girard has five points (5A) and is plus-7 in his last seven games. Only three players have a better plus/minus than him (+7) since Mar. 30.

3) Since March 22, no player in the league has more goals than Rickard Rakell (10).

4) Elmer Soderblom has seven points (3G-4A) over his last eight games. He has nine points (4G-5A) in 18 games with Pittsburgh after recording three points (2G-1A) over 39 games with Detroit this year.

5) Egor Chinakhov has 21 points (8G-14A) over his last 19 games and has picked up 36 points (18G-18A) in 42 games since joining the Penguins. Since his Penguins debut on Jan. 1, only Rickard Rakell (20) has more goals than him on the team.

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Washington

DOJ asks judge to allow search of Washington Post reporter’s phone, laptops

Published

2 days ago

April 10, 2026

Press Room

DOJ asks judge to allow search of Washington Post reporter’s phone, laptops

The Justice Department (DOJ) is asking a federal judge in Virginia to allow it to conduct its own search of a Washington Post reporter’s seized electronic devices, rather than have the court do the review.

Federal prosecutors urged U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga in a March 31 court filing to overturn a lower court ruling that prohibited the DOJ from using a “filter team” to search reporter Hannah Natanson’s phone and laptop as part of an FBI investigation into a government contractor accused of leaking classified material.

Magistrate Judge William Porter ordered in February that the government could not “open, access, review, or otherwise examine” any of Natanson’s “seized data,” instead authorizing an independent judicial review.

“Given the documented reporting on government leak investigations and the government’s well-chronicled efforts to stop them, allowing the government’s filter team to search a reporter’s work product—most of which consists of unrelated information from confidential sources—is the equivalent of leaving the government’s fox in charge of the Washington Post’s henhouse,” Porter wrote.

Federal prosecutors have pushed back, arguing that Porter’s order infringes on the separation of powers by shifting an executive branch function into a judicial one.

They also asserted that it could compromise the neutrality courts are meant to maintain in overseeing search warrants and related proceedings.

“That principle is even more important here because the search authorized by this warrant involves the identification and seizure of classified national defense information, a responsibility the law entrusts to the Executive’s expertise,” federal prosecutors wrote.

The case stems from an FBI search of Natanson’s home in January, in which agents took two laptops, a cellphone and a Garmin watch belonging to the journalist, who had been reporting on the Trump administration’s effort to trim government spending and cuts to the federal workforce.

The search was conducted in connection with a government system administrator in Maryland, who is now behind bars, according to the DOJ.

Attorneys for the Post have contended that the warrant and subsequent search were an example of federal overreach and violated First Amendment press protections.

“The government should not receive permission to rummage through a reporter’s professional universe,” Simon Latcovich said during a Thursday hearing, according to The Post.

The newspaper reported that Trenga, appointed by former President George W. Bush, said he would “get a decision shortly” but seemed skeptical that Porter’s ruling would hamper the DOJ’s ability to build its case against the contractor.

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Obama musical tickets; when to go, what to know about ‘44’ in DC

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2 days ago

April 10, 2026

Press Room

Obama musical tickets; when to go, what to know about ‘44’ in DC

A critically acclaimed musical about Barack Obama is coming to Washington DC for the first time, with tickets still available for its limited run.

After making its world premiere in Los Angeles in 2024, “44: The Musical” had stops in Chicago, Philadelphia and New York City.

Now it’s coming to DC for a 25-show run at the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Klein Theatre just a few blocks away from Obama’s former home at the White House.

Here’s what to know about the musical and how you can get tickets.

What is ’44: The Musical’ about?

Told through the “hazy recollection” of Obama’s vice president, Joe Biden, the musical features original songs that capture key moments of Barack Obama’s presidency with satire, humor and a dose of political nostalgia.

“’44: The Musical’ is the story of Obama you won’t read about in history books… because history books are now banned in most states,” Shakespeare Theatre says on its website. “But also because ’44’ is the story of Obama as Joe Biden kinda sorta remembers it.”

The musical features 24 songs through a wide range of genres, including R&B, gospel and pop, along with “a live-band driven score (that captures) the music, momentum and communal spirit that defined a generation.”

Characters in “44: The Musical” include Obama and Biden, Sarah Palin, Michelle Obama, Mitch McConnell and Ted Cruz.

Runtime for the musical, written and directed by former Obama campaign staffer Eli Bauman, is two hours and 15 minutes.

When is ’44: The Musical’ coming to Washington DC?

“44: The Musical” begins its limited run at The Shakespeare Theatre on April 18.

There will be 25 shows, with the last two coming on May 10.

How can you get tickets to the Obama musical in DC?

You can purchase tickets for “44: The Musical” at ShakespeareTheatre.org.

As of April 10, all 25 shows had seating availability.

“The people of D.C. deserve an infusion of joy right now,” Bauman said in a press release. “With all the heaviness going on in our country, ’44’ is here to provide a fun night out — where a room full of strangers can laugh and reminisce about a time when the country felt full of hope, and when the biggest presidential scandal was wearing a tan suit.”

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