PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers completed one of the most noteworthy minicamps in the organization’s history. The first glimpses of an overhauled roster, led by the additions of Aaron Rodgers and DK Metcalf, generated massive buzz and attention around the NFL. Some key issues must be resolved before Week 1 of the 2025 regular season, but there’s an optimism surrounding the Steelers that didn’t exist a few weeks prior.
It’s easy to see the newest faces as the big winners at Steelers’ minicamp, but the real winner of the week was tight end Darnell Washington. The third-year TE is set for an increase in importance and usage within the offense, if minicamp was any indication.
Washington has the TE2 position locked in for the upcoming season, but it’s not a role he’s being given lightly. Across the locker room and coaching staff, there’s a well-earned trust and confidence in him. His performance across three days of minicamp only reinforced that notion.
On day 3 of minicamp, he stood out in every way. During a blocking drill, he made it all look too easy going against a slew of fellow tight ends and linemen. He looked smooth and quick running routes and sure-handed during the few passes thrown to him by the team’s quarterbacks. At one point during the session in between drills, he was working with one of the offensive coaches on securing the ball at a variety of points around his body and angles of passes coming in.
It all paints a picture of a player on the verge of a breakout season. The staff and organization laid out higher expectations, he’s hit the ground running, and his teammates are already seeing the results. New starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers compared Washington to veteran TE Marcedes Lewis, former teammates with the Green Bay Packers.
The Steelers also hope Washington meets that comparison in 2025. If he can establish new career highs once again in the upcoming season, he will give the offense a legitimate secondary option from the TE position. There’s still time for that to come to fruition, but right now, the Steelers’ biggest winner of minicamp was Darnell Washington.
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