Steelers Could Trade for Tight End Jonnu Smith - What it Means for Darnell Washington

The Pittsburgh Steelers have emerged as a possible candidate to trade for Jonnu Smith. Here is what it means for tight end Darnell Washington.

The NFL offseason is in full swing as teams begin to trade and sign different players as they iron out their 53-man roster. One piece of news that has occupied headlines of late is the speculation that the Pittsburgh Steelers may trade for Miami Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith.

The trade rumors were sparked by the reports that Smith is reportedly seeking a larger contract from his current team. Although all reports on the subject matter are purely speculative at the moment, the news could have a major effect on a current member of the Steelers roster.

Darnell Washington is entering his third season with the Steelers and has up to this point been a major contributor to Pittsburgh's offense. Despite possessing monstrous size and strong pass-catching abilities, Washington has been utilized mostly as a block in the run game thus far. The majority of targets have gone to the Steelers' other tight end, Pat Freiermuth.

Given that Pittsburgh already has a one-two punch at the tight end position, the addition of Jonnu Smith could make things slightly cramped in the tight end room ahead of the 2025 season. Should this trade occur, it is plausible to assume that Washington's role with the Steelers' offense would diminish.

The Steelers will begin their 2025 regular season on Sunday, September 7th as they travel to New York to face the Jets. Kickoff for this matchup is set for 1 p.m. and will air on CBS.