With Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, Joe Burrow has a pair of standout receivers to target in the passing game. But the quarterback is backing another player that is fighting for a roster spot, one who put on a show Monday night against the Washington Commanders.
Third-year wide receiver Mitchell Tinsley.
Tinsley, who started his career with Washington as an undrafted free agent before spending last year on Cincinnati’s practice squad, caught five passes for 73 yards and a pair of touchdowns in Monday night’s preseason game against the Commanders. But beyond the production itself is how Tinsley created those opportunities, both near the line of scrimmage and at the catch point.
Take his second reception of the night, a 23-yard catch on an out route from Jake Browning:
Tinsley aligns in the slot against Bobby Price, who uses outside leverage against the receiver presnap. With Tinsley running an out route, he needs to find a way to beat Price’s leverage off the line of scrimmage. He does that with a smooth release off the line, getting Price to jump to the inside as the defensive back anticipates an in-breaking route.
That gives Tinsley the leverage he needs to work outside on his out route, and Browning connects with him on a well-timed throw to move the chains.
Tinsley’s third reception was also his first touchdown of the night, and you can tell he’s been studying Chase:
The wide receiver runs a vertical route up the left sideline and uses his right arm to create just enough space at the catch point for the throw from Browning. Tinsley completes the play with an acrobatic, twisting adjustment to the throw for the touchdown, displaying pristine body control and ball-tracking skills.
Sometimes as a receiver, you just need to win at the catch point. Tinsley did that on his first touchdown Monday night, and he certainly did it on his second:
When you think of “high-pointing” a throw as a wide receiver, this is exactly what should come to mind.
Tinsley was named a captain for Monday night’s game against his former team, and Cincinnati head coach Zac Taylor spoke about that following the game, highlighting what the receiver has done so far in camp.
”You know, him and [LB] Joe Giles-Harris are just two guys – there are a lot of guys that have had really good camps, but those are just two guys that have just quietly done what we’ve asked them to do and continue to work every single day to get better,” said Taylor. “And again, there could have been a bunch of guys we put out there, but just felt appropriate for today.”
The Bengals coach also had praise for what Tinsley did against Washington.
”Baller. Yeah, he just works hard. He’s become a guy that everybody really respects in the locker room. I don’t know that I’ve ever heard him speak. Maybe someone can get him tonight,” began Taylor.
“He just goes out there and just works, and we respect that. And again, he created the opportunities for himself. He’s done enough in practice to where we wanted to put him in positions to be at the point of attack when he was in the game there, and he rewarded himself with touchdowns and catches and extending drives, and he’s someone that’s reliable for the quarterbacks in August,” continued the Cincinnati coach. “So just proud of him. This is the last team he was with, if I’m not mistaken, so probably a neat situation for him to come back on this field and do what he just did.”
As for Cincinnati’s quarterback, Burrow was asked if he hopes Tinsley makes the 53-man roster.
”Sure hope so,” was the direct response.
With plays like these, Tinsley absolutely has a shot.
