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Led by Pro Bowl quarterback Joe Burrow, the Cincinnati Bengals had the top ranked passing attack in the NFL last year. And the Bengals committed to keeping their high-flying offense intact after committing $276 million to top wideouts Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins this offseason. Even Cincinnati’s WR3 Andrei Iosivas has fans buzzing during the preseason.
The Bengals have a stacked wide receiver corps and they’ve all played together for multiple seasons. So it’s not easy for an unheralded newcomer to step in and make a name for himself. But that’s exactly what Mitchell Tinsley did in the Bengals’ Monday Night preseason clash with the Washington Commanders.
After a forgettable one-catch, 15-yard showing in Cincinnati’s preseason opener against the Philadelphia Eagles, Tinsley put himself on the map Monday. He had five receptions for 73 yards and two touchdowns.
Following the game, Burrow was asked if he thought Tinsley earned a spot on the team with the performance. “I sure hope so,” the veteran passer said, per Bengals reporter James Rapien.
Not only did Tinsley improve his standing with Cincinnati, he also got a little revenge against the Commanders. Washington signed Tinsley as an undrafted free agent in 2023 but cut him last season, per WDTN Dayton’s Joey DeBerardino.
After landing on the Commanders practice squad for the 2024 campaign, Tinsley signed a futures contract with the Bengals this offseason. Now he faced off against his former squad in the preseason and torched them for two touchdowns.
Burrow played into the second quarter on Monday, needlessly risking his health in a preseason matchup. But he had already checked out when Tinsley got to work. Backup Jake Browning delivered the touchdown passes to the roster hopeful. And, incredibly, Tinsley scored on consecutive plays.
Browning found the wideout for a 13-yard touchdown with 34 seconds remaining in the first half. After a kickoff, Commanders QB Sam Hartman threw an interception that was returned to the Washington 21. On the very next Bengals’ offensive snap after the touchdown, Browning once again looked Tinsley’s way.
This time the 6’1”, 200-pound receiver made a spectacular play. Despite tight coverage, Tinsley timed his leap and went over the defensive back to make a contested catch at the back of the end zone and get both feet in.
While it’s not a position of need, it will be hard for the Bengals to ignore Tinsley’s performance. And if the team doesn’t have a spot for him, he seems to have done enough to draw interest from receiver-needy teams around the league.
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