Pittsburgh Steelers rookie TE Darnell Washington might not see a high volume of targets, but one place he’s going to be dangerous is in the red zone. Standing at 6’7, Washington already got looks in the red zone against the Buffalo Bills and was able to draw multiple pass interference penalties. Speaking to media after practice today, Washington talked about how he loves the way the Steelers are using him.
“I love it, how the Steelers use me,” Washington said via Post-Gazette Sports on YouTube. “Definitely in a goal line situation, at the end of the day they see a body, a big receiving-type body, he added. “They look at it as a red zone threat, red zone killer, and that’s what I want to be.”
Washington thinks he can carve a career out of being a red zone threat.
“Hopefully have a great career with that.”
Obviously, Washington has value as a blocker in addition to being a big target in the red zone. He was one of, if not, the best blocking tight ends in the 2023 NFL Draft, and he gives the Steelers a lot of options to play 12 personnel and run the ball effectively.
With the team already having an established starting tight end in Pat Freiermuth, Washington isn’t going to be “the guy” in Pittsburgh’s tight end room. But he offers a ton of upside and value as a blocker and, as we saw against Buffalo, he’s incredibly difficult to cover in the red zone.
He could be a steal for Pittsburgh, given that they got him in the 3rd round of the draft when many thought he could have snuck into the back end of the first round. He still has a ton of room for improvement, and while the pick could pan out immediately, it might look even better a few years down the line.
Washington’s going to get looks in the red zone, and he could be one of the keys to turning around the team’s red zone offense. The Steelers have struggled turning red zone opportunities into six points instead of three, but having a 6’7 target in Washington is going to help. If he can capitalize, he’ll be a weapon in Pittsburgh, even in a reduced role, with his blocking and red zone capabilities.
You can watch the full interview below.
