Pittsburgh Steelers TE Darnell Washington is a very big human being, and while he’s listed at 6-7 and 264 pounds by the team, tight ends coach Alfredo Roberts may have accidentally revealed that Washington is a lot bigger. Speaking to the media today, he called Washington “300-plus” when mentioning his height and weight and talking about his ability as a receiver.
“It’s hard to turn down his physicality as a big, blocking man. You can’t turn your eye from that. And then he gives you that added dimension because he is athletic. You can’t, expect a guy to 6-7 and 300-plus…uh oh, I said that out loud,” Roberts said via audio provided by the team.
It’s the second time in two days someone who would know has said Darnell Washington is bigger than the 264 pounds at which he is listed. Yesterday Steelers TE Pat Freiermuth said on The Pat McAfee Show that Washington is bigger than his official weight.
Washington is incredibly athletic for his size, as he’s shown in recent weeks, becoming more involved in the offense as a receiver. Washington had the longest catch of his career Monday night against the New York Giants, hauling in a 29-yard reception on a pass from QB Russell Wilson, and this season he has 11 grabs for 120 yards. Roberts said that Washington showed in training camp that he could be a consistent part of the passing game, and the team has turned to him more this season.
While he was primarily drafted for his blocking prowess, there was always hope that Darnell Washington could turn into a receiving threat. He’s a big body who could be useful in the red zone, and after not giving him red zone looks last season, Washington scored his first touchdown of the season in Week 2 on a jump ball. That’s one area he can help the Steelers in the passing game, and he’s also just difficult to bring down.
He’s big and athletic, and he showed just how athletic he is when he hurdled Colts safety Nick Cross in Week 4. That allows him to operate well in space, and that’s where the Steelers have looked to get him the ball in recent weeks. Not many 300-plus pounders can do what Washington is capable of as a receiver, and it’s been impressive to watch him operate this season.
The Steelers have spread the ball around more with Russell Wilson under center, and Darnell Washington’s been one of the biggest beneficiaries of that, as he has five receptions for 65 yards in just the last two weeks. His size has already led to speculation that he could transition to offensive tackle, but he’s showing that he’s more than capable of sticking at tight end and being an impact player under Roberts.
