The Pittsburgh Steelers have utilized TE Darnell Washington in a much bigger role over their last two games, and not only has Washington excelled as a blocker, but his work as a receiver has been impressive. Over the last two games, Washington has six receptions for 82 yards, and he had three grabs for 62 yards in the Steelers’ 23-9 win over the Cleveland Browns Sunday. After the Steelers improved to 4-1, QB Aaron Rodgers praised Washington.
“He’s a super-talented guy. For 6-8 and whatever he tips the scales at, I love having Darnell out there. Just his energy, his presence, his body, he’s made a big difference for us,” Rodgers said via the team’s YouTube channel.
Washington has seen his snap count rise pretty significantly over the last two weeks, as he played 47 snaps against Cleveland after playing 48 against the Vikings. He opened the game against the Browns with a 36-yard reception off play-action out of the Steelers’ jumbo set.
The offense has looked a lot better over the last two games than the first three. A big part of that is the Steelers have been able to establish a presence on the ground, and Washington’s blocking is a major part of that. Against a Browns team that entered the game allowing just three yards per carry, the best mark in the league, the Steelers ran 25 times for 100 yards, not including kneel downs.
Washington deserves a lot of credit, as does the offensive line and OC Arthur Smith for sticking with the jumbo front. But Washington’s now proving he can contribute in the passing game as well, and he can be a real weapon for the Steelers going forward. He’s hard to bring down in space, and Washington has done a lot of good things over the past few weeks.
While the increase in his usage has resulted in less snaps for TE Pat Freiermuth, the Steelers’ offense has been humming. There will likely be more of a balance as the season progresses, but it’s clear that Washington has earned Rodgers’ trust and is a player he wants to have on the field as much as possible.
He’s a unique talent with his size and blocking ability, and with him developing as a receiver, Washington can continue to make a big difference for Pittsburgh’s offense.
