On the surface, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ hiring of new offensive coordinator, Arthur Smith, is good news for the team’s tight ends. By the way the team has constructed its roster to date, the offense figures to feature the position heavily. While that might translate to plenty of snaps for second-year tight end Darnell Washington, it may not make for a leap in production. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Steelers’ beat writer Ray Fittipaldo is skeptical Washington will see his numbers spike.
“He is a guy who’s gonna get a lot of jump balls and short passes around the line of scrimmage,” Fittipaldo told Christopher Carter in a Wednesday episode. “And he could be okay in that role. But what did he have seven catches last year? I don’t know that his production is gonna go way up here in 2024 unless he got much better over the offseason in terms of his route running ability.”
Improving route running was one of Washington’s top goals. Physically imposing at nearly 6-7, 265 pounds with tremendous workout numbers, that athleticism didn’t translate last season. While his size was an asset, it made him lumber too often, slow off the ball, and a linear route runner. In a line, he can build up speed and make plays. He looks like an offensive lineman when asked to drop his hips and change direction.
As a rookie, Darnell Washington caught just seven passes for 61 yards. Six of those grabs came in the flat on quarterback boots and rollouts. Fittipaldo is correct that Washington is unlikely to become a high-volume target in the Steelers’ offense, especially with a healthy Pat Freiermuth. However, the team can still be smarter about how they use him.
In training camp last year, Washington looked his best on jump balls in seven shots and down the seam, once towering over FS Minkah Fitzpatrick for a solid pickup. In the regular season, the team didn’t even attempt those concepts with him, taking away his best asset – his size.
Smith not only likes using his tight ends but also getting everyone touches in the red zone. This could lead to Washington having 15-20 catches his sophomore year, with 2-4 of those landing in the end zone. If he can provide that and be the Steelers’ best blocking tight end, it’ll be the progress he and the team need.
