Darnell Washington Proving Why Steelers Have Four TEs

Darnell Washington is forcing the Pittsburgh Steelers to consider keeping a deep tight end room together.

LATROBE -- Darnell Washington's first training camp as a Pittsburgh Steeler got off to a rough start. The 2023 third round pick's full array of skills was confined to what he could do as a route-runner and pass-catcher, which is decidedly not his strong suit. Against non-padded defenders, he struggled to standout and even when he did, it was more often because he had dropped a pass. 

At 6'7 and 264 pounds, Washington's college career at Georgia was defined by his abilities as a blocker and, unable to show that in OTAs or rookie minicamp, appeared headed for the bottom of the Steelers' tight end depth chart. 

"I wouldn't be surprised at all if he's a helathy scratch early in the season," Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said. "If he's not above Zach Gentry on the depth chart, I don't see how he gets a hat on Sundays."

But once the pads came on, Washington came alive. Not only did he catch at touchdown in team drills - high-pointing a helpless defensive back in the endzone after his quarterback scrambled - but also stonewalled superstar pass-rusher T.J. Watt both times they were matched up in one-on-one competition. Washington also lost a close rep against Alex Highsmith in the same drill.

Head coach Mike Tomlin singled out Washington for the battles with Watt, saying “Every time I see him, I want to see you, 80.” The rookie was undeterred. 

"I kind of like being singled out," Washington said. "You can't play this game with nerves or scared. If you play like that, you're going to get beat a lot and you're going to have lots of bad days. So for me, when I step on the field, in everything I do I'm confident and do it full speed."

Tomlin walked away impressed, but not surprised. He's looked good "for now," he said, but Washington will have to stack days before a definitive evaluation of his worth to the 2023 team can be made. 

"He’s got a certain skillset," Tomlin said. "His reputation precedes him and we’re going to make him confirm it every day.”

Pat Freiermuth will dress and play the majority of the snaps as long as he's healthy, that much is obvious. And Connor Heyward continued to take snaps with the first team as a half back, receiver and tight end, hinting that he's a big part of the offense's near future. Neither of those things will change as training camp presses on. 

Zach Gentry is reliable and balanced - about as solid as backup tight ends come in the NFL - and he's confident that there's a spot for him on the roster and in the lineup. He views it less as a competition and more as partnership between he and Washington, even as they jockey for position on the depth chart. 

"I've felt [confident in my spot] every year I've been here," Gentry said. "There's been a new guy a couple of years that I've been here. He looked great today and he looks good for a rookie, so hopefully I can help him progress and continue the same for myself as well."

Washington appeared to be a wild card entering training camp but has started to play his way into a spot on the active roster. Freiermuth is the star, Heyward appears ready for a breakout season as a Swiss Army knife, Gentry is insurance against the worst-case scenario and Washington could be something completely different - a mauler capable of clearing space for the Steelers' deep stable of rushers and a potent redzone threat. 

Starting quarterback Kenny Pickett said prior to practice that he was eager to see what Washington could do when pads were on and contact initiated. And Washington, after experiencing the same slow start that many rookies do, demonstrated all that Pickett was hoping for. 

"He's a guy that I haven't really gotten a lot of reps with so continuing to build that [chemistry] with him. We'll get down in the redzone and I think he'll be huge there, building off of what we did in the spring."

Even in college, Washington was not the best at his position on the roster. Sitting behind superstar Brock Bowers, he saw first hand how multiple players can share limited snaps while making an impact and believes the Steelers can do the same. 

"Why not?" Washington said. "At Georgia, I was in a great tight ends room there and we all contributed. Same position now. I'm in another great tight end room and why can't we all contribute now?"

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