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3 players to watch during Pittsburgh Steelers training camp in Latrobe

By Chris Halicke

LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 12: Mark Barron #26 of the Los Angeles Rams enters the field prior to a game against the Houston Texans at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on November 12, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 12: Mark Barron #26 of the Los Angeles Rams enters the field prior to a game against the Houston Texans at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on November 12, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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PITTSBURGH, PA – SEPTEMBER 16: James Washington #13 of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrates after a 14 yard touchdown reception in the first half during the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Heinz Field on September 16, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA – SEPTEMBER 16: James Washington #13 of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrates after a 14 yard touchdown reception in the first half during the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Heinz Field on September 16, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) /

James Washington

Antonio Brown is gone. The receiving corps is going through a change the Steelers have not had to go through in a very long time. JuJu Smith-Schuster has all the makings of a number one receiver, but is unproven as THE number one guy who will get the first look of the defense every time.

In turn, the Steelers need someone to step up behind JuJu and become a reliable threat. The Steelers brought in Donte Moncrief in free agency and could very well fill the number two role very well.

Or it could be James Washington, who the Steelers drafted in the second round of the 2018 draft. The Steelers have a very good history of drafting receivers and James Washington could be another guy who fits that bill.

Washington failed to make a big impression in his rookie season though. He only caught 16 balls for 217 yards and one touchdown, in a season where Ben Roethlisberger led the NFL in passing yards.

Washington struggled to become a consistent target, even given some great opportunities. His game in Denver was the low-point, where he dove for a ball he didn’t have to that essentially took a touchdown off the board.

Despite even Big Ben’s public frustration with that play, Ben went to Washington in practice saying he believed in him and would continue to go to him.

After that, Washington showed some flashes of his potential, including a very impressive catch in the home win against the Patriots.

Washington is still a work in progress, but a solid camp and preseason could give him a more prominent role in the offense and make the receiving corps very deep.

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