When the Pittsburgh Steelers pulled off a blockbuster trade with the Miami Dolphins for Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith, most fans were thrilled about adding a pair of Pro Bowl acquisitions—even at the cost of surrendering Minkah Fitzpatrick. But the addition of Smith to the Steelers' tight end room created an instant issue that couldn't be ignored.
Pittsburgh now has remarkable depth at tight end. This is a good problem to have, don't get me wrong, but one uber-talented player is destined to see a decreased role: Darnell Washington.
Smith was a Pro Bowl tight end for the Dolphins last season after catching 88 passes for 884 yards and eight touchdowns. The veteran and Arthur Smith protégé will join Pat Freiermuth as focal points of the Steelers' offense. Unfortunately, this means that Washington is bound to see a reduced role in his third season in 2025.
In a sense, it feels like the Steelers are giving up on Washington.
The Pittsburgh Steelers can't afford to give up on TE Darnell Washington
When general manager Omar Khan turned his card in for Washington in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Georgia tight end was the 32nd-ranked player on the 2023 NFL Draft Expert Consensus Board, yet the Steelers were able to select him with the 93rd overall pick in the third round.
We knew that Washington was going to be raw. He never had more than 28 receptions or 454 yards in a single season, and he scored just three touchdowns in as many years with the Bulldogs. But the traits were undeniable. We saw video proof of this in June.
At the NFL Combine, Washington measured in at nearly 6'7'' and 264 pounds with a massive 88 3/4'' wingspan. Washington went on to post a 4.64 40-yard dash, a 122-inch broad jump, and an incredible 4.08 20-yard shuttle, good for the 97th percentile among all tight ends who tested at the NFL Combine since 1999, per Mockdraftable's database.
Washington saw an uptick in usage and receiving production in his second season in 2024, as he caught 19 of 25 passes for 200 yards and a touchdown. He did this while averaging an impressive 8.0 yards per target. In his first two seasons, he's managed an outstanding 6.8 yards after the catch per reception, proving that he possesses speed and the ability to break tackles.
But instead of being poised for a breakout season in Year 3, Washington has been buried on the depth chart and is now the team's third tight end. Though offensive coordinator Arthur Smith likes to use '13' personnel (three tight ends at a time), his snap count is almost certain to decrease this year with Jonnu Smith in the fold.
Adding Smith to the roster made the Pittsburgh Steelers better, but this team can't give up on the 23-year-old Darnell Washington after the progress he made last year. They need to find a way to get him involved despite a sudden surplus of talent and depth at the tight end position.