The Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2026 offseason practices concluded in the middle of June. Next up is the team’s annual training camp, which will get underway in late July at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe.
Ahead of that, we will preview the team’s offseason roster three players at a time as part of a multi-post series. This Steelers 90-in-30 roster preview, which includes outlooks for every player, is organized alphabetically by last name for an easy follow-along.
This series figures to exceed 90 players this year as the team can carry 91 players during the offseason due to the allowance of one international player designation.
The next three players we will preview ahead of the Steelers 2026 training camp are TE Robert Tonyan, RB Jaylen Warren and TE Darnell Washington.
TE Robert Tonyan: The Steelers signed Tonyan to a one-year veteran benefit contract in June. Tonyan has previously spent the 2025 season on the roster of the Kansas City Chiefs. For the 2025 regular season, Tonyan played in all 17 games on his way to registering one reception for 1 yard as part of him playing 133 offensive snaps. He also logged 108 more snaps on special teams in 2025 with the Chiefs and he registered one tackle in that phase of the game for the season.
Tonyan originally entered the NFL in 2017 with the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent out of Indiana State. Tonyan has since played for the Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings and Chiefs. For his NFL career to date, Tonyan has registered 149 total regular season receptions for 1550 yards and 17 touchdowns. Tonyan’s best NFL season to date came in 2020 with the Packers as he caught 52 passes that season for 586 yards and 11 touchdowns. He was teammates with current Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers during his career in Green Bay.
While Tonyan has logged a fair share of special teams snaps over the course of his NFL career, he has just four total tackles in that phase of the game. All told, Tonyan has logged 777 total regular season snaps in the NFL as a special teams player to go along with the nearly 2,400 that he’s played on offense.
Outlook: Tonyan’s addition to the Steelers’ offseason 91-man roster was a bit surprising overall. Even so, his history playing with Rodgers and for new Steelers HC Mike McCarthy for most of his NFL career made his addition a little more understandable.
Tonyan’s path to a 53-man roster spot to start the 2026 regular season is an interesting one, especially with the fact that he’ll likely need to hope the Steelers keep four tight ends in total. Showing he can be more of a special teams asset and a more reliable run blocker during training camp and the preseason feels like a must. Overall, Tonyan’s never been considered a top-notch player in either of those phases of his game.
The fact that Tonyan has played in McCarthy’s offenses for a good chunk of his career should allow for him to help teach it to the other tight ends in his position group room. Overall, Tonyan probably has around a 50 percent chance of making the 53-man roster at the conclusion of the preseason. His chances would likely improve if any of the tight ends on the team’s depth chart were to get injured during the summer.
Should Tonyan ultimately fail to garner a 53-man roster spot to open the 2026 regular season, there is a chance he could be asked to become a member of the practice squad should another team not want to sign him to their squad.
RB Jaylen Warren: Originally signed by the Steelers in 2022 as an undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma State, Warren had his best NFL season to date in 2025. It came on the heels of him signing a two-year, $11.904 million contract extension in early September.
For the 2025 regular season, Warren rushed for 958 yards and six touchdowns on 211 carries and he chipped in another 333 yards and two touchdowns on 40 receptions. Warren led the Steelers in rushing in 2025 and total yards from scrimmage with 1,291. Warren also had eight kickoff returns in 2025 for another 205 yards.
Warren logged 489 offensive snaps during the 2025 regular season and 29 more on special teams as part of him playing in 16 games. He did miss one game during the 2025 regular season due to a knee injury.
For his NFL career to date, Warren has registered 2,632 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns on 557 total carries and 1,227 yards and two touchdowns on 167 total receptions. He’s also returned 17 kickoffs for another 432 yards as an NFL player.
Altogether, Warren has played 1,797 total offensive snaps during the regular season and 291 more on special teams.
Outlook: Warren should obviously be on the 53-man roster this season and as part of a running back duo that will include RB Rico Dowdle, who was signed this offseason as a free agent. The usage of Warren and Dowdle in the Steelers’ backfield throughout the 2026 regular season figures to be by committee and thus we could see a hot hand situation occurring with those two running backs.
Warren is a better overall pass protector than Dowdle so he could wind up playing a little more on third downs. Warren is also a more accomplished pass catcher out of the backfield than Dowdle is so that’s something else that needs to be considered for the 2026 season. Both running backs have a history of short yardage and goal line usage so we could see a splitting of those kinds of carries throughout the season.
While Warren isn’t likely to log a lot of special teams playing time throughout the 2026 season, he might be used on kickoffs once again as a deep player that has the ability to return in those situations.
Unless Dowdle ultimately misses a chunk of playing time in 2026 due to his health, it’s hard to see Warren rushing for 1,000 yards this season. It’s also hard to see him topping 475 offensive snaps as well with Dowdle expected to see extensive playing time. Realistically, Warren could hit the 1,000 yards from scrimmage mark in 2026 and especially if he winds up getting the lion’s share of third down reps along the way.
TE Darnell Washington: Originally selected by the Steelers in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft out of Georgia, Washington had a career season in 2025 as the huge tight end caught 31 passes for 364 yards and a touchdown on 43 total targets. As part of his 2025 season, Washington played 546 total offensive snaps and 116 more on special teams.
Washington played in 16 regular season games in 2025. He missed the regular season finale and the team’s lone playoff contest due to a fractured forearm that he sustained during the Week 17 game. That injury resulted in Washington officially ending the 2025 season on the Steelers’ Reserve/Injured list.
For his NFL career to date, Washington has registered 57 regular season receptions for 625 yards and two touchdowns on 78 total targets. He has played 1,641 total offensive snaps during the regular season to date and 342 more on special teams.
Washington has become one of the NFL’s best blocking tight ends over the course of his three NFL seasons and the Steelers rewarded him with a four-year, $42 million contract extension this summer and that deal included $11.25 million in fully guaranteed money.
Outlook: On the heels of the Steelers parting ways with OC Arthur Smith and TE Jonnu Smith this offseason, Washington is now expected to have somewhat of a bigger role in the offense in 2026 with new HC Mike McCarthy now calling the shots on that side of the football. Washington will also likely enter the 2026 season a bit trimmer when it comes to his weight and that’s something else to look forward to, based on offseason comments and reports.
While the Steelers are expected to use more 11 personnel groupings with McCarthy now running the offense, Washington still figures to see a decent share of playing time throughout the 2026 season when there’s only one tight end on the field. Obviously, Washington should be one of the two or three tight ends on the field in 2026 whenever the offense uses 12 or 13 personnel groupings.
While Washington’s utilization as a pass target did increase some in 2025, he’s still expected to play a big role in the run blocking department once again in 2026. We might see him get a few more red zone targets in 2026 as he has been underutilized in that area of the field dating back to his college career.
Barring fellow TE Pat Freiermuth missing time in 2026 because of an injury, it’s hard to imagine Washington registering more than 40 receptions this season. He could, however, total at least three touchdown receptions in 2026 if he gets a few more red zone targets.
While Washington will still likely see some playing time on special teams in 2026, he might not see the same type of total snaps in that phase of the game as he did in 2025. Losing Washington for any amount of time during the 2026 season would be detrimental to the offense, mainly because of what he offers in the way of run blocking.
Previous Posts In This Series:
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Drew Allar, Spencer Anderson, Kyler Baugh
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Jaheim Bell, Keeanu Benton, Germie Bernard
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Yahya Black, Chris Boswell, Devan Boykin
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Jaquan Brisker, Carson Bruener, Cole Burgess
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Sebastian Castro, Dylan Cook, Greg Crippen
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Jamin Davis, Joaquin Davis, Jamel Dean
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Rico Dowdle, Jack Driscoll, Gennings Dunker
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Brandin Echols, DeShon Elliott, Daylen Everette
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Troy Fautanu, Zach Frazier, Pat Freiermuth
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — JJ Galbreath, Anthony Goodlow, Derrick Harmon
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Malik Harrison, Ahmari Harvey, Eli Heidenreich
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Jack Henderson, Nick Herbig, Cameron Heyward
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Alex Highsmith, Brock Hoffman, Cole Holcomb
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Travis Homer, Will Howard, Max Hurleman
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Max Iheanachor, D’Shawn Jamison, Kevin Jobity Jr.
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Kaleb Johnson, Cameron Johnston, Broderick Jones
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Steven Jones, Sebastian Joseph-Day, Donte Kent
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Christian Kuntz, Logan Lee, Dean Lowry
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Tamon Lynum, Laith Marjan, Ryan McCollum
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Mason McCormick, Lake McRee, DK Metcalf
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Doug Nester, Lew Nichols, Riley Nowakowski
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Esezi Otomewo, A.T. Perry, Michael Pittman Jr.
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Joey Porter Jr., Daryl Porter, Patrick Queen
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Jalen Ramsey, Aaron Rodgers, Gabriel Rubio
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Mason Rudolph, Asante Samuel Jr., Darnell Savage
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Jack Sawyer, Ben Skowronek, Doneiko Slaughter
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Brandon Smith, Robert Spears-Jennings, Lorenzo Thompson
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