Subscribe
Follow Us
Led by Pro Bowl quarterback Joe Burrow, the Cincinnati Bengals had the top-ranked passing attack in the NFL last year. And the Bengals are committed to keeping their high-flying offense intact after allocating $276 million to top wideouts Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins over the next four years. Even Cincinnati’s WR3 Andrei Iosivas has fans buzzing during the preseason.
The Bengals have a stacked wide receiver corps with years of experience in the offense. 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 team’s Monday Night preseason clash with the Washington Commanders.
Tinsley put himself on the map Monday, leading all receivers with five grabs for 73 yards and two touchdowns.
Following the game, Burrow praised the wideout. “That guy's been making plays all camp… Hopefully he secured a [roster] spot,” Burrow said, per Warren Sharp. “He's a guy that you can count on. He's a smart guy and knows all the positions. A guy you can trust like that is very valuable.”
Bengals WR shows out in two-TD preseason game
Not only did Tinsley improve his standing with Cincinnati, he also got a little revenge on the Commanders. Washington signed Tinsley as an undrafted free agent in 2023 but cut him last season, per WDTN Dayton’s Joey DeBerardino.
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.
MITCHELL TINSLEY IS PUTTING ON A SHOW 🔥
TD grabs on back-to-back drives for the @Bengals❗️ pic.twitter.com/GV3BsnHXYZ
— ESPN (@espn) August 19, 2025
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.
The 6’1”, 200-pound receiver made a spectacular play, fighting through tight coverage. Tinsley timed his leap and went over the DB to make a contested catch at the back of the end zone, getting 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 Cincy doesn’t have a spot for him, he probably did enough to draw interest from receiver-needy teams around the league.
