The Washington Commanders announced that they claimed tight end Kendall Blanton after he was waived by the Los Angeles Rams.
The Rams’ decision to waive Blanton came as a bit of a surprise after he played a key part in the team’s Super Bowl run last year in place of the injured Tyler Higbee.
Blanton originally signed with the Rams as an undrafted free agent out of Missouri in 2019. He did not record a catch until the 2021 season when he had four receptions for 37 yards in 11 games.
That production was eclipsed in the postseason alone when the 26-year-old had two catches for 18 yards and a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Divisional Round and then followed it up with five catches for 57 yards against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game.
Despite the strong postseason though, it appears Blanton did not show enough in training camp to keep his roster spot. He would’ve been behind Higbee and Brycen Hopkins at tight end as well as receivers like Jacob Harris and Ben Skowronek.
Despite Blanton being waived though, it was not surprising to see other teams interested with the Commanders ultimately claiming him. He will likely see a clearer path to playing time in Washington, so this could be a move that works out for both sides.
