The Washington Commanders had a strong run in head coach Dan Quinn's first season. Now, it's time to find ways to build and improve upon a roster that went 12-5 in the regular season and advanced to the NFC Championship for the first time in over 30 years.
Over the next few weeks, Quinn and general manager Adam Peters will review their personnel to determine what moves should be made to bolster each position. Though we don't have any say in how the new front office will mold the team going forward, Commanders.com will look back at how each group performed last season, breaking down top performers and looking ahead at where they could go next. The tight ends are up next.
On the roster
Zach Ertz: 91 targets, 66 receptions, 654 yards, 7 TDs
John Bates: 13 targets, 9 receptions, 84 yards
Ben Sinnott: 5 targets, 5 receptions, 28 yards, TD
Top performers (per Pro Football Focus)
OVR: Zach Ertz (67)
RECV: Zach Ertz (72.5)
PBLK: Ben Sinnott (81)
RBLK: Ben Sinnott (62.3)
Stats to know
-- Like Bobby Wagner, Ertz proved that he can still be a central piece on a team in addition to providing veteran leadership for his teammates. His seven touchdowns last season were the second most of his career, while his 654 yards were his most since the 2021 season when he was traded from the Philadelphia Eagles to the Arizona Cardinals.
-- Ertz was Jayden Daniels' second favorite target in 2024, and it led to a level of production that the team has rarely experienced from the position in recent years. Ertz wrapped up the regular season with the fourth most receiving yards by a Washington tight end since 2015.
Questions to answer
-- Who comes back at tight end? Both Ertz and Bates are set to hit free agency in March, leaving Sinnott as the only tight end on the roster guaranteed to come back in 2025. Ertz has already said he would like to return and doesn't intend on retiring, but some steps need to be taken before the team can determine if it's the right move to re-sign him. Bates has been a solid player for the Commanders since he was drafted in 2021. He only has 88 career targets but has been invaluable as a blocker over the last four seasons. Whether to keep either Ertz or Bates will be one of the many decisions Washington must make this offseason, as more than two dozen players from last season will be on the market.
-- What's next for Sinnott? The Commanders drafted Sinnott with one of their second-round picks last season, so clearly, they have high hopes for his future. He only had five targets as a rookie but made every catch and scored a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers in Week 7. Sinnott has the potential to be an all-around tight end at some point in his future, but when that happens will hinge on how big of a jump he can take in Year 2.
Free agency
Click HERE to see all the players the Commanders could pursue in free agency with their available cap space.
Draft
Click HERE to see Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr.'s Big Board of draft prospects.
