The Pittsburgh Steelers may have lost their first preseason game of the year, but the point isn’t to win. The point is to see how players look in action. The real fun part is seeing which young players look like they’re beginning to develop, and according to Pro Football Focus, Darnell Washington seemed much improved compared to his level of play last year.
PFF recently revealed the Steelers players who received the highest grades in their system last night. Washington came in first with a grade of 91.7, followed by linebacker Jacoby Windmon with a grade of 90.0, and finally receiver Dez Fitzpatrick rounding out the top three with a grade of 85.2.
Windmon and Fitzpatrick are fighting for roster spots, so it’s encouraging to see them have productive nights. However, Washington’s grade is really eye-catching. That’s an elite grade in PFF’s system, and while it may not be everyone’s favorite outlet, PFF analysts actually do research, so getting such a favorable score means something.
Looking more in-depth at Washington’s numbers, he scored a grade of 85.2 in run blocking and a grade of 76.4 in pass blocking. In total, Washington played 18 snaps, run blocking in 12 of those opportunities and pass blocking in five. It’s a small sample size, but it gives a good indication about how Washington will be used and where he is in his development, especially because he was playing against the Houston Texans’ starters.
If this small sample size becomes the norm for Washington, it seems like he will mostly be used as a blocker in Arthur Smith’s offense, helping to create lanes in the running game. That lines up with his skill set when the Steelers drafted him. He’s intriguing as a receiver due to his size and speed, but his main strength has always been his ability to block. It may not be exciting, but it’s important.
Last year, Washington seemed to struggle at times, not really looking like he had properly adjusted to the league yet. He said as much earlier in training camp, but now it seems he feels more confident in his abilities. He’s used to the speed and power of NFL players now. This grade from PFF could be a sign that he will be much improved in 2024.
Smith has indicated that he intends to heavily use tight ends in his offense. With the core of his philosophy being rooted in the run game, Washington should be a perfect player for this offense. If he can continue to be a mauler in the run game and serviceable in pass protection, he’ll see his usage drastically increase this year. In a game where there weren’t a lot of positive takeaways, Washington’s performance stands out.
