The Pittsburgh Steelers had a crowded tight end room last year, despite the unit not always producing in the passing game. Pat Freiermuth was surprisingly quiet as Jonnu Smith and Darnell Washington each took on bigger roles throughout the year. Even Connor Heyward managed to make an impact at times.
While there were some struggles at the position, Washington was one big bright spot. Arthur Smith was clearly fond of him last year, and Washington had the best season of his young career. But in a new offense under Mike McCarthy, Steelers beat writer Ray Fittipaldo isn’t sure that Washington will have as big an impact this year.
“I think Washington is their best blocking tight end, so he’ll definitely have a role. Just not sure if it will be as expansive as it was under Arthur Smith,” Fittipaldo wrote Tuesday in his chat with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
As Fittipaldo mentions, Washington’s blocking ability will get him on the field regardless. The Steelers won’t run as many jumbo sets under McCarthy as they did with Smith, but having Washington on the field is always valuable when running the ball.
It’s also worth noting how much Rodgers seemed to trust Washington. We don’t know if Rodgers will come back yet, but the signs seem to be pointing that way. If he does, that could have a major impact on Washington. He had 43 targets last year and was pretty efficient with them at nearly 12 yards per reception.
It’s hard to imagine Washington not carving out a role. Although he had only one touchdown last year, Washington is always a big red-zone target due to his size. But he found a way to make plays down the field at times last year, too, and was dangerous after the catch. Especially with a familiar face at quarterback, he’ll have his chances to earn targets.
Disregarding Darnell Washington, Fittipaldo sees more change looming in the tight end room, particularly Jonnu Smith.
“They can move on and save a lot of money, so I think they will. It’s not like they’re [thin] at the position. You have Freiermuth and Washington under contract. It was a situation where they had too many mouths to feed at TE last year. Just eliminate one option, and it probably solves your problem,” Fittipaldo wrote.
With a new staff, it’ll be interesting to see how this position shakes out. One would figure the Steelers either try to move Pat Freiermuth or give him a much larger role. With the extension the Steelers gave him not too long ago, it doesn’t make sense to keep him in the same reserved role he had for much of 2025.
One way to give him a bigger role would be to move Jonnu Smith. Given his disappointing 2025 season, he might not have many takers. But he had a ton of opportunities thanks to Arthur Smith, which he wasn’t able to take advantage of. It makes more sense to roll with two younger, more dynamic players at the position in Freiermuth and Washington.
Ultimately, this position group could change significantly. Between Freiermuth and Darnell Washington, McCarthy and the staff will have to figure out how to balance both, as Smith remains a candidate to leave.
Recommended for you