Steelers Nation wasn’t too happy with Bleacher Report’s recent article predicting rookie tight end Darnell Washington to be the team’s biggest disappointment of the season. Though that was just one random, outside opinion, one Pittsburgh beat writer is singing a similar tune.
On the 93.7 The Fan Morning Show Wednesday, the PPG’s Ray Fittipaldo said Washington could be inactive when the Steelers host the San Francisco 49ers in Week One.
“I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he’s a healthy scratch early in the season,” he told the show. “I don’t know where he is gonna play on special teams. And if he’s not above Zach Gentry on the depth chart, I don’t see how he gets a hat on Sundays.”
Washington fell to the Steelers late in the third round, reportedly due to knee concerns, but was considered excellent value. Viewed before the draft as a borderline first-round pick, Pittsburgh got him at #93. He fits well with the team’s bully-ball mentality as a hulking tight end with nearly the same arm length as first-round pick offensive tackle Broderick Jones.
Fittipaldo is correct in saying that Washington will offer little on special teams. Of course, Zach Gentry doesn’t contribute much there either, a wing on the field goal team and that’s about it, so it’ll come down to who the better blocker is. Gentry did well there in 2021 but regressed in 2022. Given that Washington is a third-round pick, odds are he’ll open the year as the No. 2 tight end.
But Fittipaldo sees a raw player in Washington. who will need to smooth out the edges first.
“I thought he was very raw athletically and as a pass catcher,” Fittipaldo said. “People talked about his Combine numbers and all that stuff, but it really didn’t show up to me when he was running pass patterns…it’s gonna take time for him to become a polished receiver because he wasn’t that guy at Georgia.”
Washington is a bit of an awkward mover whose tape didn’t quite match up to his freaky Combine numbers, turning in a 4.64 40 and 4.08 short shuttle at nearly 6’7 and 272 pounds. There is some rawness to his game, even as a run blocker, and Washington’s spoke about the need to refine his technique in all aspects.
While the level of his play is an uncertain, he should hit the field sooner or later. Even unpolished, he offers more in the passing game than Gentry and his blocking should be comparable, even if it needs a little work. The bottom line is third-round picks don’t sit on the sidelines anymore and Washington should be given the chance to become an instant contributor.
