Steelers Have a New TE1

For as much as Pat Freiermuth and Jonnu Smith were the unquestioned top tight ends entering the season for the Pittsburgh Steelers, another player at the position has seemingly surpassed them.

Darnell Washington's blocking prowess coupled with his enhanced role in the passing game over the last few weeks has certainly been a notable development for the Steelers, and it's been enough for insider Mark Kaboly to declare that he's now the team's No. 1 option at tight end.

"He's TE1 now, baby," Kaboly said during an appearance on 93.7 The Fan's Morning Show, according to Steeler Depot's Josh Carney.

Washington's Jump in Playing Time

Washington has been a mainstay on offense for Pittsburgh since it selected him in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, but he took a bit of a backseat over the first three weeks of the year.

During that span, Washington received a total of 69 offensive snaps while Smith and Freiermuth played 117 and 97, respectively.

The Steelers began implementing their jumbo package at an increased rate during their Week 4 bout with the Minnesota Vikings, however, which led to Washington seeing the field more often as an extra blocker who could also be used as a receiving threat.

Since that point in time, he has recorded 201 reps on offense while Smith and Freiermuth's totals have been lowered to 157 and 129, respectively.

The resurgence of Pittsburgh's run game, despite a rough performance with 38 yards on 23 attempts, lines up with the jump in Washington's involvement, and he'll likely continue to get more snaps than both Smith and Freiermuth on a weekly basis as a result.