The Pittsburgh Steelers need to improve their offensive play moving forward if the organization has any plans to be taken seriously. Other offenses around the league blow the Steelers out of the water, and changes need to be made in the coming months. Pittsburgh needs schematic changes and personnel upgrades, but the coaching staff also needs to do a better job of putting the current players on the roster in better situations. Players need to be used to their strengths, and if the offensive staff can keep that in mind, the group should see more production in 2025.
One player that saw a significant boost in involvement with the offense during the 2024 season was second-year tight end Darnell Washington. The tight end is mostly seen as an extension of the offensive line, but he was able to take some steps forward in the receiving game in 2024. During the 2024 season, the tight end caught 19 passes for 200 yards and a touchdown.
During his rookie year, he caught just seven passes for 61 yards. Despite the increase in production from Washington, team insider Brooke Pryor believes the team is still scared to get him more involved in the passing game, which she mentioned on the Locked On Steelers podcast.
"The Steelers play with Darnell Washington like they're afraid he's gonna break." Pryor said. "Or they're afraid that he's gonna be exposed as not as good as they think he is. They're like, 'Well, we can't give him too much exposure. What if this is the time that he drops the pass?' It feels like there was just hesitancy to let him do what he does. That's why they're not throwing to him more. It's like he's delicate. Maybe he is, but it's like when you get a nice candle, and you're afraid to burn it."
Pryor suspects that the organization is scared to use Washington because it believes he may be fragile. This was something that was known when the tight end was coming out of college in 2023. He had existing knee issues, but the Steelers drafted him anyway. He is on the team, and he needs to be used in the best way possible. He excels in the blocking game; however, he can be a real force in the passing game as he is a tough ball carrier to take down.
Washington can complement Freiermuth's abilities perfectly. Freiermuth can be a threat over the middle of the field and further down the field along the sidelines; meanwhile, Washington is a great check down. The tight end can turn a two-yard catch into an eight-yard gain, which is something Pittsburgh needs to be taking advantage of in 2025.
Steelers Need To Use Darnell Washington As A Serious Threat Around The Goal Line
Washington scored the first touchdown of his career in Week 2 of the 2024 season when he caught a goal line fade against the Denver Broncos. The tight end lined up out wide, and his 6'7, 265 pound frame was too much for the defender. This should be used more often by Pittsburgh, and it doesn't just have to be fade routes. The tight end can set up shop over the middle of the field, or be a threat in the flats in short yardage situations.
Pittsburgh must use their current personnel to the team's advantage. The best teams in the league maximize the talent on their rosters, and the Steelers have just not been able to do that.
