It’s hard to get too excited by anything during voluntary OTAs when players are in shorts, but TE Darnell Washington has been turning the heads of both Steelers beat reporters and his teammates. According to 93.7 The Fan, Washington dropped weight this offseason and Mason Rudolph already sees a huge difference in his game.
“Darnell Washington said he dropped 10-15 pounds. Mason Rudolph said he looks like a different player,” 93.7 The Fan wrote on X with a clip of Washington running routes.
TE coach Alfredo Roberts let it slip last season that Washington’s weight exceeded 300 pounds. Weighing in at 6065 and 264 pounds at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, that means he gained roughly 40 pounds during his first two seasons in the league. He resembled an offensive tackle more than he did a tight end.
While we don’t have an exact number, it’s unlikely Washington topped 315 pounds. If he’s dropped 10–15 pounds as he says, that likely puts him back somewhere in the high 290s. That’s still massive, but noticeably lighter and Washington seemingly more agile.
Mark Kaboly reported that he was one of the standouts of the first week of OTAs with the way he asserted himself in the passing game with adjectives like “quicker, faster and more nimble” used to describe him. He ran a 4.64-second 40-yard dash at the Combine, which was very impressive for his size. Maybe he has slowed down a bit from there with an extra 30 pounds, but he still has plenty of athleticism to be a receiving threat.
Washington showed off some of that athleticism with his stiff-arm and hurdle last season that briefly lit the NFL world on fire. And that was 10-15 pounds ago.
The last time Mason Rudolph worked with Darnell Washington was during Washington’s rookie season in 2023, when he saw just 10 targets and made seven receptions. One of those catches came during the final three games, with Rudolph under center. If anyone can offer an informed perspective on Washington’s growth, it’s Rudolph—he’s essentially had a “gap year” from him and can now compare the 2023 version to what he sees today.
Many have been wanting to get Washington more involved in the passing game. Based on early reports, it sounds like there is a strong chance of that finally happening this year.
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