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Steelers TE Darnell Washington Evolving Quickly

The Pittsburgh Steelers rookie tight end is making plays at training camp.

Noah Strackbein

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PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers believe they have something unique in rookie tight end Darnell Washington, but it's expected it'll take some time before he's reached his full former as an NFL player. 

If you ask George Pickens, Washington could be the best tight end in the NFL if he reaches his full potential, which would mean he needs to evolve as a pass-catcher. 

That seems to be happening much quicker than imagined. While Washington still has work to do in route-running and being more fluid out of his cuts, his hands are developing at a noticeable speed. 

The one brick-handed rookie has started making plays as a receiver, and his most recent showing could indicate he's on the rise as the team closes out training camp. 

It started with a one-handed grab during individual drills. 

Afterward, Kenny Pickett found Washington over the middle for a 20-yard gain where Washington went up and secured the football. 

It doesn't seem like much, but when Washington arrived, there were concerns about whether or not he could catch the football. People talked about his drops much more than his receptions and focused on his blocking because of his lack of talent as a receiver. 

Today, it feels like he's growing into an option for Pickett and the quarterbacks. It might still be a work in progress, but if he's developed this quickly, it's tough to imagine he slows down. 

What this means for the Steelers' offense, we don't know yet. The team will still utilize all four tight ends this season, and Pat Freiermuth and Connor Heyward are the best pass-catchers in the group. 

If Pittsburgh could find a way to get their 6'7 tight end involved as well, though, Pickett's weapons only get significantly better. 

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Noah Strackbein
NOAH STRACKBEIN

Noah is the Publisher for All Steelers, Inside the Panthers (InsideThePanthers.com) and Inside the Penguins (InsidethePenguins.com), and is the host of All Steelers Talk (YouTube.com/AllSteelersTalk). A Scranton native, Noah made his way to the Pittsburgh sports scene in 2017. Now, he's pretty much full-yinzer.

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