Steelers Fans Must Slow Massive Expectations For Darnell Washington; Might Be Week 1 Inactive

It is no secret at this point that the Pittsburgh Steelers had one of the highest-rated draft classes in the entire NFL this offseason. With significant needs on both the offensive and defensive line of scrimmage, along with the secondary, the Steelers hit a home run when it came to capitalizing on all their needs. One pick that could pay tremendous dividends for the Steelers early on is the 93rd pick in the third round when they selected tight end Darnell Washington out of the University of Georgia. 

Prior to the 2023 NFL Draft, Washington had a stellar NFL Combine which propelled him to be one of the highest-rated tight ends in the entire draft class. But after there were red flags regarding his knees, he fell all the way to the end of Day 2. When Washington was asked about the possible issues pertaining to his knees, he claimed that those statements were "laughable."

When looking at the Steelers offense as a whole, it would appear Washington will be the perfect fit for the style of play they're trying to execute in 2023. It is clear Offensive Coordinator Matt Canada wants a run-first style of offense behind the revamped offensive line. Washington's biggest upside is his run-blocking ability due to his 6-foot-7, 265lb stature. Also due to his size, he could provide a daunting task to opposing defenses when in the red zone. 

When looking at the tight end room as a whole for the Steelers heading into 2023, it is clear that the team is not lacking any talent. Pat Freiermuth will be second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett's primary target in the passing game and Zach Gentry solidified himself as a number two option at tight end in 2022. Connor Heyward also had a respectable rookie season in 2022 where he was most remembered for his touchdown in the Steelers' Week 13 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons.

Steelers beat wrtier Ray Fittipaldo joined the 93.7 The Fan Morning Show on Wednesday, and revealed that its possible that Washington might not even dress when the Steelers host the San Francisco 49ers in Week One. 

“I wouldn't be surprised at all if he's a healthy scratch early in the season,” he said.

All the talent in the tight end room is going to help Washington ease into his role as a rookie and won't place any urgency for him to start Week 1 against the San Francisco 49ers. When Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review spoke with Steelers tight ends coach Alfredo Roberts, he had a similar opinion on Washington and the role he will play early on. 

“It takes a little bit of pressure off Darnell because of what you’ve got in that room. As he comes in, he can come in slowly and be allowed to grow. As he does that, I think he can be a real problem for people to handle.”

Due to a foot injury suffered by Freiermuth during minicamp and offseason team activities, Washington got a solid amount of reps with the offense. When he was asked about his performance during those workouts, he claimed he could have corrected himself in some areas, but overall he felt it went above average. 

“Overall, it was a little bit above average. It’s getting comfortable with the plays. The more comfortable you get, the faster you can play.”

When Canada was asked about the role Washington could play on offense in 2023, he emphasized Washington's size and ability to be physical, which could create matchup issues for opposing defenses. 

“How fast that comes, it goes back to he’s now Year 1 learning, and we’re soaking him with a lot of different things here through this process to see what he’s good at, what he’s comfortable with. And, in his defense, we haven’t put any pads on yet. His strength is when the pads are on, so we’re excited about what he could bring.”

The Steelers Got A Bargain Selecting Washington With The 93rd Pick

If this were the mid-2000s, there is no question that Washington would've been a Day 1 or possibly a Top 10 selection in the NFL Draft. But with today's NFL being full of pass-heavy offenses, it left Washington with a disadvantage due to his lack of production in the passing game at Georgia. Thankfully the Steelers' offensive scheme is unlike most around the NFL and can use Washington's size and physical abilities to their advantage. 

I don't expect Washington to play a huge role on offense come 2023, but he will serve his purpose when it comes to the crucial moments in the red zone or when the Steelers need to chew up some clock at the end of a game. His presence alone on the offensive line will likely force opposing defenses to game plan around it and that will only help Pickett more and more in his second season in the NFL.