Excitement was high following the Pittsburgh Steelers’ selection of former Georgia standout tight end Darnell Washington in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Ultimately, that excitement didn’t translate to the field in his rookie season as Washington was primarily a blocking tight end and didn’t move all that well as a route runner.
That could — and should — all change in 2024 for Washington now that he’s playing under offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, who loves to utilize tight ends in the passing game.
That pairing with Smith is a big reason why CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan highlighted Washington as the Steelers’ “under the radar” player with star potential ahead of the 2024 season.
“Washington is about as big of a target as you could imagine, standing at 6-foot-7 and weighing 265 pounds. He didn’t do much in the passing game last year, but his athleticism suggests he could be a key cog in Arthur Smith’s offense,” Sullivan writes. “That combination of size and athletic ability even resulted in Justin Fields putting him in the same breath as former All-Pro Jimmy Graham.
“If Washington reaches those heights, the Steelers would have quite the weapon.”
The size is what really stands out with Washington. He is a huge human being, one who blew people away with his size and athleticism coming out of college. Though he plays more like an extra offensive lineman and has that mentality of being a sixth offensive lineman, there is untapped potential in Washington as a receiver.
Last season, Washington was largely kept as that in-line tight end, one who served as a blocker, period.
He had just 10 targets in the passing game on the year, finishing with seven receptions for 61 yards, though four of his receptions went for first downs.
Washington played 511 snaps offensively last season, which was just under 48%. That number should increase in 2024 with Smith now calling the plays. That, in turn, could lead to more production from Washington as a receiver. While there are concerns about his knees and his abilities as a receiver in the NFL, Washington should have more opportunities as a pass catcher in 2024 to alleviate some of those concerns.
That could lead to a massive increase in production and could put Washington’s name on the map as one of the unicorn tight ends once again with his size, athleticism and abilities as a pass catcher.
