Should the Pittsburgh Steelers kick the tires on James Washington?
Former Pittsburgh Steelers WR James Washington is hoping to make a comeback in the NFL, according to reports. To be completely honest, I didn’t even realize he was in a position that required a comeback. As it turns out, he spent the entirety of the 2023 season out of the league, released by four teams.
I don’t know if you can call it a comeback when you simply didn’t make the team. Washington has battled injuries in recent years, but teams kept signing him. He spent time with both the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts during the offseason, released twice in two weeks in August.
The Steelers drafted Washington 60th overall in the 2018 NFL Draft. He never put up the numbers indicative of his pedigree, but right now they’re throwing receivers against the wall. Could he stick?
Reportedly, some teams have shown interest in him and he plans to hold workouts with them. Considering he is in a workout phase, the Steelers would undoubtedly get him cheap. On a Veteran Salary Benefit deal with no signing bonus, bringing Washington in for a look would be no-risk.
The Steelers currently have George Pickens, Calvin Austin III, Roman Wilson, Van Jefferson, Quez Watkins, and Scotty Miller at receiver. Washington has had more success in the NFL than most of these names, quite frankly.
Steelers fans are averse to running it back with previous underachievers, however. And the reality is that signing Washington isn’t likely to make a difference for the 2024 season. Even if he made the roster, he would likely function primarily as emergency depth.
Then again, he was always a capable and willing blocker, which fits with Arthur Smith’s offense. Ultimately, there’s nothing bad that could happen by signing Washington, at least nothing I could come up with that’s worth worrying about. He is still 28 years old and he always had a reputation for good hands (even if not quite as good in reality).
The Steelers’ 2023 season has been put out of its misery, ending as so many have before in recent years: a disappointing, blowout playoff loss. The only change-up lately is when they miss the playoffs altogether. But with the Buffalo Bills stamping them out in the Wildcard Round, they have another long offseason ahead.
The biggest question hanging over the team is the quarterback question. Does Russell Wilson make them a Super Bowl-caliber team, or are they wasting a year? Will he play just one season in Pittsburgh before moving on, or the Steelers moving on from him? How will the team address the depth chart?
The Steelers are past free agency and the draft and their roster for the 2024 season is coming into focus. They made numerous moves through signings and trade—and release. More than usual, they seemed comfortable creating holes, confident they can fill them. Now that we have so many pieces of the puzzle, however, we merely have a new set of questions to ask.
