Darnell Washington was selected in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft and came with an intriguing combination of size and speed as a tight end. He referred to himself as the sixth offensive lineman on social media, but a 4.64-second 40-yard dash at 6065, 272 pounds suggested he could develop into a receiving weapon at some point in his career.
Reports surfaced after the draft that concerns about his knee were the reason he fell, and that some teams thought he would never be a receiving threat as a result. But that hasn’t seemed to hinder him so far, and one scout even called those reports “laughable.” Regardless of if the knee concerns have any credence, Washington spent much of his rookie season as an extra blocker.
His blocking abilities have been the primary thing keeping him on the field, so it makes sense that he would continue emphasizing that area of his game for Year 2. Especially in Arthur Smith’s offensive system that likes to run the football out of 12 and 13 personnel. After practice on Sunday, Washington could be seen receiving instruction from fellow second-year former Georgia Bulldog Broderick Jones.
“[Jones] taught me some things like the footwork and getting back, getting depth, kick stepping a little bit, hand placement – stuff like that,” Washington said in a video from Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on YouTube after Tuesday’s practice. “I feel like Brod gave me some helpful tips.”
Here is that moment after Sunday’s practice, via Alex Kozora on X.
Kozora noted in his training camp diary from the first padded practice on Tuesday that Washington was one of the best offensive players in the backs-on-‘backers drill, and he even had a catch during one of the team sessions. Maybe some of Jones’ teachings helped power Washington’s strong day as a blocker.
For a run-first offense like the one the Steelers should be employing this season, a tight end who excels in the blocking game will be a huge asset.
It is also nice to see Jones continue to blossom as a leader of the offense and the offensive line. Mike Tomlin talked about this after the conclusion of his rookie season, comparing him to Maurkice Pouncey being a leader of the offensive line.
