By the time the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted TE Darnell Washington in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, they had established a clear identity. The first round saw them add an offensive tackle, the second round a defensive tackle. In between, they added an outside cornerback with size. Washington very much fits the profile of a more physical and aggressive team.
Indeed, Washington himself bolstered his description as a sixth offensive lineman. At 6-7 and 264 pounds, you could easily mistake him for one. Reporters even asked team officials this offseason if they’ve considered bulking him up and moving him to the line.
That is, of course, a deeply silly suggestion, for not the least of which reason being his knees. Reportedly, Washington fell well into the third round of the draft because teams flagged his medicals. Specifically, they had concerns about the long-term durability of his knees. Adding another 30-40 pounds to his knees would shorten his career.
No, the Steelers are happy to have him as just a tight end who is capable of being a very good blocker. He’s not yet, to be clear, at least on the whole. Washington has delivered some punishing, highlight-worthy blocks, but he’s still striving for consistency.
That’s going to be a struggle for him because of his height, too tall for his own good in the leverage game. We’ve seen other tall tight ends struggle with that exact problem, but Washington understands how to compensate.
And hopefully he’ll only continue to grow in that area. Most tight ends take a couple years in the big leagues to adjust to the blocking component of the NFL. Even a tight end like Washington who so readily embraces that aspect has things to learn. Just getting that in-game experience going up against All-Pros is a crash course in blocking on its own.
As for the rest of his game, don’t expect him to develop into a deadly receiving threat. He caught seven passes as a rookie on 10 targets, picking up 61 yards. Recently, reporters expressed an internal view from the Steelers that they don’t see him as a receiving option. That’s partly, if not largely, because of limitations placed on him due to the condition of his knees—or so reporters claim.
Washington expressed no concerns about his knees after the Steelers drafted him. Of course, I’ve never heard of a player acknowledging any medical concerns of that nature as legitimate. We as outsiders, as fans, have no possible way of knowing these things. Granted, he doesn’t move like a gazelle through the linebackers. I’m sure there’s more they can get out of him as a pass catcher. They’ve even talked about it early on. Maybe Arthur Smith can bring it out of him, but Russell Wilson’s history of exploiting his tight ends isn’t great.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are weeks away from the 2024 NFL Draft, which means it’s time to review last year’s class. The first under new general manager Omar Khan and assistant Andy Weidl, their class generally garnered favorable reviews. Of the seven players they drafted, notably, all of them remain with the team. Additionally, three of them are starters (arguably four) and five in total are significant contributors.
