Reggie Wayne believes James Washington will be Steelers number 2 WR

It’s still unknown who will be the Steelers number two wide receiver this season. Here’s why Reggie Wayne believes it will be James Washington.

One of the biggest talks of the offseason for the Pittsburgh Steelers is who will emerge as their number two option opposite of JuJu Smith-Schuster.

After the departure of Antonio Brown, it’s clear that JuJu will assume responsibilities at the number one receiver in Pittsburgh. Outside of him, it’s really up in the air.

There are three potential candidates to become the number two wide out in Pittsburgh this year: Donte Moncrief, James Washington, and rookie Diontae Johnson. Though each have a unique skill set, NFL Network analyst, Reggie Wayne, believes that job will go to Washington:

As of now, it is still widely unknown which receiver will prove to be the teams’ number two option this season, and much of the pecking order may not even be decided until after training camp and preseason.

Still, Reggie Wayne is very high on James Washington, and seems to think he is the man for the job. Here is some of what he had to say about the Steelers 2018 2nd round draft choice:

"“This is another year under this system where [James Washington] can learn to be a professional. Also another year where he can learn that offense and get on the same page with Big Ben, right? We saw little glimpses of what he could do towards the end of the season last year… He has all the potential in the world to be a big-time receiver in this league.”"

The Steelers are no stranger to success when it comes to drafting wide receivers that fit their system, and they haven’t been without a Pro Bowl receiver on their roster since before the days of Hines Ward.

Washington looked raw as a rookie last season, but with a year of NFL experience under his belt, he should be able to make a leap forward in year two. Though Moncrief and Johnson will certainly be nipping at his heals for playing time, the Steelers didn’t draft a wide receiver in the 2nd round a year ago just to have him sit the bench.

Washington will not have it easy, as Donte Moncrief is a veteran who could compete for snaps from day one. If James Washington struggles early, it’s possible he could find himself watching from the sidelines while Moncrief and Diontae Johnson do his job.

It’s too early to tell who will emerge as the number two option for the Steelers this season. However, it’s interesting to note that 6-time Pro Bowl receiver, Reggie Wayne, seems to think Washington has ‘all the potential in the world’ and will win a job opposite of JuJu this season.