Pittsburgh Steelers tight finish Darnell Washington is a fan favourite. Drafted in 2023 as a primarily blocking tight finish, this 12 months Washington is turning into a much bigger a part of the passing assault. Whereas he’s no Pat Freiermuth, Washington has been profitable when focused, catching 10 of his 11 targets for 91 yards and a landing this 12 months.
Washington noticed the largest sport of his profession final weekend in opposition to the New York Jets, catching 4 passes on 4 targets. That is each probably the most targets and receptions in a sport for his profession. On The Mike Tomlin Present on the Steelers YouTube channel, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was requested if Washington can be a major a part of the sport plan for the remainder of the 12 months.
“The misdirection cross element is,” Tomlin instructed host Bob Pompeani. “It simply enhances the run so properly. He’s such a major factor of our run sport, that it makes solely good sense to infuse him within the misdirection passing sport as a praise. And I believed he did a very nice job.”
Pittsburgh has tried use play-action usually this season, but it surely was at its most profitable below QB Russell Wilson. Wilson is nice at promoting the faux, and in flip allowed the Steelers play-action sport to flourish final week. Steelers Depot’s personal Alex Kozora did a break down of Wilson and the Steelers play motion sport in opposition to the Jets.
This will increase success of the play-action sport ought to spell extra Washington catches, as all 4 of his grabs in opposition to the Jets got here off it. As Tomlin mentioned, a giant motive for that’s Washington’s blocking capability. At 6-foot-7, 264 kilos, Washington is constructed like an offensive lineman. He was drafted to be a run blocking tight finish and he’s good at it. He has helped open holes for RB Najee Harris and on the season has a PFF run blocking grade of 52.2.
The Steelers have been profitable concentrating on Washington, and if the play-action sport and speeding assault proceed to enhance, Washington can have extra possibilities to run in open grass.
