CINCINNATI — One of the deepest receiver rooms in the NFL may be getting even deeper this summer. Mitchell Tinsley strengthened his case for a spot on the 53-man Bengals roster across Cincinnati's 31-17 win over Washington in Week 2 of the 2025 NFL Preseason.
Tinsley had a pair of touchdowns just a few seconds apart on the game clock and ended his night with five catches for 73 yards and the two scores. All that after catching his only target for 15 yards against Philadelphia.
He appeared in two games for Washington in 2023 and is trying to stick on an NFL roster this year after playing college ball at Western Kentucky and Penn State. Joe Burrow told ESPN on Monday that he thinks Tinsley should be a part of the equation.
"It means a lot," Tinsley said about Burrow's endorsement. "I have a lot of goals that I want to accomplish, and I think I'm finally getting close to where I want to be."
Tinsley didn't have a different mentality entering the contest against his former team. He's kept the same mindset throughout training camp, and it's getting noticed by Zac Taylor and the Bengals' staff.
“Baller. Yeah, he just works hard. He's become a guy that everybody really respects in the locker room," Taylor said about Tinsley after the game. "I don't know that I've ever heard him speak. Maybe someone can get him tonight. He just goes out there and 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 someone that's reliable for the quarterbacks in August. So just proud of him. This is the last team he was with, if I’m not mistaken, so it's probably a neat situation for him to come back on this field and do what he just did.”
There is still more work to accomplish in his path to the roster, but he appears to hold the lead right now for what would be the final wide receiver spot on the active roster after Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Andrei Iosivas, Charlie Jones, and Jermaine Burton.
Return talent Isaiah Williams is also making a case for the spot during training camp.
“It means a lot I’m finally getting close to where I wanna be.” Mitchell Tinsley on Joe Burrow’s endorsement for a roster spot on the Bengals asked if he thinks Tinsley’s on the roster “I hope so.” pic.twitter.com/rdLe7ikELA
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) August 19, 2025
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