Player: TE Darnell Washington
Stock Value: Up
Reasoning: After almost literally bowling through the Cincinnati Bengals, Darnell Washington is the subject of national attention. Even the Steelers are admitting that they may be just beginning to unlock his full potential. Following a career-high day in receiving, he is proving to be perhaps one of the most interesting players around.
Darnell Washington might have a full fight card this offseason if he keeps playing the way he did on Sunday. On just four receptions, he trucked, stiff-armed, or otherwise humiliated about half a dozen defenders. It was enough to earn him the Angry Run scepter in an unprecedented uncontested ballot—if one cares about such things.
On five targets against the Bengals, Darnell Washington caught four passes, producing 67 yards. Among them was a 31-yard absolutely curb-stomper on which he treated three full-grown adults like his kid brothers. It helps that he’s 6-7 and at such a high weight that we can only mention it in hushed tones.
But with each year he’s been in the NFL—now in his third—Washington has better utilized his body. Even while talking about a potential future at tackle, he has worked to polish his routes and improve his acceleration. He wants to be a part of the passing game, and he now is, more than ever in his entire life.
Through 10 games this season, Darnell Washington has 18 catches for 207 yards and 1 touchdown. That might not seem like a lot, but relative to his career and how the Steelers’ passing game functions this year, that’s significant.
And it’s reasonable to believe that his production for the remainder of the season could be on the upswing. I don’t know how many times Aaron Rodgers has said that the Steelers are better with Washington on the field. That’s not just about his blocking, but also the mismatch he presents as an eligible. He might be the only skill player in the NFL who can qualify for a “big man catch”. And those knees are looking just fine.
With regular season underway and the roster in place, it’s once again time to “take stock”. It took a while, but we finally saw some of thatchange the team talked about after the season ended. Certainly, the move to trade for WR DK Metcalf qualifies as a change, not to mention the accompanying contract. Oh, and they also traded some guy named George Pickens, which people found significant.
After a long offseason, we finally know what this Steelers team will look like for the 2025 season. The dust is long settled on both free agency andthe 2025 NFL Draft, and now we’re into the real thing . What final moves might the team make, if any? They’ve certainly made a flurry of moves, though some question whether they make much difference. This is a Steelers team starving for postseason success, but how desperate are they for a playoff win in 2025?
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