TE · PIT
transaction
FA: Darnell Washington dropped
sleeper-tx-free_agentSource unavailable
Drops: Darnell Washington
Darnell Washington
TE · PIT · 24 yrs · exp 3 · Georgia
Status
- Game status
- Active
Keep Trade Cut (SF TEP)
From latest snapshot · trend vs ~7d prior when data allows.
Value
2,355
Rank
#240
Pos rank
#42
7d trend
+3.0% (7d vs prior)
Value history (90d)
One snapshot point per calendar day (shown in your timezone).
Latest: Jul 24, 2026 · 2,355
News
Stories linked to this player — newest first.
general
Four forgotten Steelers ahead of training camp
Yahoo Sports NFLSource ↗
With Steelers training camp approaching, several players are vying for roster spots. Wide receiver A.T. Perry, despite a quiet NFL career since his rookie year, possesses the measurables and athleticism to compete for a WR6 role if he can contribute on special teams. Other players like Ben Skowronek, Roman Wilson, and Kaden Wetjen also face competition at wide receiver
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Steelers offense named one of worst in NFL
The Pittsburgh Steelers made several notable upgrades to their offense. At the beginning of the offseason, they traded for wide receiver Michael Pittman and signed running back Rico Dowdle . In the 2026 NFL Draft, they added wide receiver Germie Bernard after trading up for him. Despite the additions, there are those who remain skeptical about Pittsburgh. One of those skeptics is Bill Barnwell of ESPN, who ranks Pittsburgh’s group of skill position players as the No. 21 unit in the NFL. “Another offseason brought another trade for an expensive wide receiver by an organization that had developed a reputation for finding its own in the middle rounds of the draft,” Barnwell writes . “Michael Pittman Jr. is a good fit for what Aaron Rodgers wants to do (get the ball out quickly for short completions) but a bad fit for what the Steelers need (a wide receiver who can stretch teams downfield). Second-round pick Germie Bernard should be an upgrade on Calvin Austin III , and it’s fair to pin the problems creating big plays on the quarterback and his desire to stay clean, but the Steelers need to find a way to create explosive plays in 2026.” Barnwell adds that the inconsistency of DK Metcalf is a large reason why the Steelers are so low on the list. “[Metcalf] had games when that seemed possible in 2025, but it was a boom-or-bust season,” Barnwell writes. “He had four games with 85 receiving yards or more, and he didn’t top 55 yards in any of his other 12 contests.” Barnwell acknowledges that there are good players in the offense, but the Steelers need Metcalf to become the Pro Bowl talent he was early on in his career. “There are fun players around the receivers,” Barnwell writes. “ Jaylen Warren has been able to handle almost exactly half of a running back rotation reasonably well. Rico Dowdle was prime Marshawn Lynch for a couple of weeks last season. Darnell Washington is one of the least fun players to tackle on the planet. Pat Freiermuth can go missing for stretches, but he’s also still capable enough to produce big games, like the 111-yard, two-score performance he put together in the shootout against the Bengals last season. There are no bad players here, but they could really use a vintage season from Metcalf.” The aforementioned additions should open things up for Metcalf, rather than allow defenses to make him their sole focus. Should Pittman, Bernard, and the run game all prove to be the high-quality additions many believe them to be, Pittsburgh’s offense very well could surprise many in 2026. Let us know what you think in the comments . Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more! NFL analyst tabs Steelers’ Mike McCarthy as NFL Coach of the Year candidate C.J. Stroud emerges as Steelers 2027 QB option Steelers sign versatile defensive back to one-year deal Steelers named landing spot for All-Pro WR Stefon Diggs Steelers unable to draft QB Brendan Sorsby, per NFL ruling
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Steelers Read & React: Summer Mailbag
We put out a call for questions for a summer mailbag, and the BTSC readers answered. Now it’s time for us to return the favor. We’ve gone with three questions — one submission we’ve split into two questions — for this edition. Fear not if the question you sent in wasn’t included in this edition; we’ll be holding on to all of the unanswered submissions and attempt to do one or two more mailbags before Week 1 of the NFL season. Some of the questions we received we deemed more timely for another mailbag after the beginning of training camp and the preseason. Plus, truthfully, Ryland has a busy summer ahead with a newspaper internship and BTSC duties to balance, so we plan to make these mailbags smaller and easier to manage. But that’s enough introduction, let’s dive into the mailbag! From SteelerSince73! : What will the actual numbers look like for the Porter Jr. extension? RB : This is admittedly a bit of a tough deal to predict, as the cornerback market keeps going up, and it’s unclear how much the Steelers value Porter. To be clear, I’m confident Pittsburgh wants him back long term, and Porter certainly played like one of the best cornerbacks in the entire NFL last season. He’s not even 26 yet and comes from Steelers bloodlines. What’s not love? But the Porter deal is in a weird place as the young corner doesn’t have any big-time accolades yet (no All-Pro or even Pro Bowl nods) even though there’s plenty of chatter about him getting a deal in the range of decorated names such as Patrick Surtain II, Sauce Gardner , and Trent McDuffie (the NFL’s highest paid cornerback at the moment at $31 million per year). Then, there’s timing. Porter is part of an extremely talented crop of corners drafted in 2023, with names such as Christian Gonzalez and Devon Witherspoon also up for new deals that will certainly affect the market of the others. And the Steelers have already signed two players from Porter’s draft class — Nick Herbig and Darnell Washington — to big-money deals this offseason. Without an expensive quarterback on the books, the Steelers undoubtedly have room to pay, and even overpay, Porter, but longtime Steelers writer Gerry Dulac noted earlier this month that the team didn’t think it would be able to sign all its top names eligible for extensions this offseason. And with Herbig, Washington, and kicker Chris Boswell all recently locked up long term, the odds of Porter and Keeanu Benton re-signing definitely look a bit lower. I still think we’re in “when” territory more than “if” when it comes to Porter signing an extension with the Steelers, but I do think there’s a bigger chance than some realize that he might price himself out of what the team is comfortable paying. Earlier this offseason, I predicted a four-year, $23 million average per year contract for Porter, sliding in at $1 million under what former Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II was making per season. But since then, the Rams reset the market with McDuffie, and the Broncos responded by giving Surtain a $5 million raise in 2026. And as Porter remains without an extension heading into training camp, it’s easy to assume that a deal would’ve been completed already if all he was asking for was that $23 million mark — just above DaRon Bland and AJ Terrell. I still think it’s unlikely for Porter to challenge for the highest cornerback contract in the NFL as he simply can’t match the accolades of the top talents at his position. But now, the low-end of his potential extension feels like it’s that $23 million mark, with the more accurate range being around $27 million per year — enough to leapfrog teammate Jalen Ramsey and the Panthers’ Jaycee Horn , who reset the cornerback market back in 2025. Something around $30 million is still certainly viable, though. Porter can certainly argue he’s been outplaying Gardner ($30.1 million per year) as of late, and if Gonzalez and Witherspoon hit that mark with their extensions before Porter gets his, that’ll [... truncated ...]
TE · PIT
transaction
FA: Darnell Washington dropped
sleeper-tx-free_agent+1 story · 30dSource unavailable
Drops: Darnell Washington
general
Mike McCarthy is exactly who Pat Freiermuth needed
Pat Freiermuth struggled in 2025 after a career-best 2024. His offensive snap percentage dropped significantly, and his catch total was his lowest in a full season. With the hiring of Mike McCarthy as offensive coordinator, Freiermuth may see a bounce-back season. McCarthy's previous work with the Dallas Cowboys demonstrates a history of heavily and efficiently involving tight ends in the passing game, with players like Dalton Schultz and Jake Ferguson consistently ranking high in targets per route run. Freiermuth has a proven track record of efficiency when given targets, and despite a down year in 2025, his metrics in catch rate over expected and EPA per target remain strong
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Darnell Washington reveals he’s looking to slim down for 2026 season
Steelers tight end Darnell Washington was rewarded with a four-year $42 million dollar contract extension this offseason after setting career highs in both catches and yards in 2025. Washington has also emerged as a pivotal piece as a blocker for the Pittsburgh offense. With his raise comes higher expectations, and perhaps a bigger role in the offense. Washington appeared on Cam Heyward’s “Not Just Football” podcast and talked about his extension, and even opened up about having to cut weight for the season under a new rule put in place by new head coach Mike McCarthy’s staff. “Definitely with the new staff and these new weight fines this year, for sure gotta work on that and for sure gonna have to get down.” Weight fines are not unheard of in the NFL, but are certainly new to Pittsburgh. Washington is one of the game’s largest tight ends, standing six feet seven inches tall, and is on record as saying he was playing at over 300 pounds last season, despite being listed as weighing 264 pounds on the team’s official website. “I just think my body filled out more. I could be for sure wrong, but I love food. Everybody got an addiction.” Washington said. “Mine is video games and food, so that’s something I for sure gotta work on.” It’s unclear how much the Steelers want Washington to weigh for the start of the season. Ideally, the team obviously does not want to compromise his supreme blocking abilities. You can also safely suggest that the team wants him to slim down a bit in order to be quicker after the catch with an expanded role in the passing game. One things is clear, the Steelers have made it abundantly clear that Washington is a big part of what the team is trying to accomplish over the next several years, and the tight end is willing to adapt in order to be apart of it. Let us know what you think in the comments . Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more! Former Steelers wide receiver signs with Cowboys Ranking every quarterback on the Steelers’ 2026 schedule Steelers hoping for massive stadium upgrade Steelers considering drafting QB Brendan Sorsby Ben Roethlisberger proclaims Ravens Super Bowl window is close
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Wednesday links: Can the Steelers be a top 10 defense?
The Steelers are looking to extend contracts for key players like Joey Porter Jr. and Keeanu Benton, while already securing deals for Pat Freiermuth, Chris Boswell, and Darnell Washington. The offensive line is being reshuffled with Troy Fautanu and Mason McCormick moving to left tackle and guard, respectively, to leverage their established chemistry. Meanwhile, players like Alex Highsmith are focused on individual improvement while awaiting their opportunities
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Mike McCarthy very impressed with Darnell Washington
Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy expressed high praise for tight end Darnell Washington, highlighting his dual-threat ability as a blocker and pass catcher. Washington recently signed a four-year contract extension, tying him to the team through 2030, and is expected to be a significant part of the offense under McCarthy
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Let’s talk Steelers: How would you grade the Darnell Washington extension?
Steelers general manager Omar Khan has been focusing on extending his successful 2023 draft class recently, giving us plenty of new contracts to grade. Recently, we talked about the risk and reward of outside linebacker Nick Herbig’s recent four-year, $100 million contract . Now, let’s do the same for Darnell Washington’s four-year, $42 million deal. You can read the full financial details here . Ultimately, Washington carries a small, $3.47 million cap hit in 2026. Then, from 2027-2030, it stays in the $10 million range. With less than half the deal’s total worth guaranteed, Washington’s yearly dead cap hit sits at $8 million in 2027, dropping $2 million in each following season. It’s not financially crippling for the team in the least. With the new deal, Washington is now the 13th highest-paid in the league at his position with a $10.5 million yearly average, still well below the 49ers ’ George Kittle ’s NFL-leading $19.5 million. Even Washington’s fellow Pittsburgh tight end Pat Freiermuth makes more, with the 10th-highest yearly average at $12.1 million, per Spotrac . Washington hasn’t been the most productive receiver over his time in the pros, but he is coming off a career-best 31-catch, 364-yard season in 2025, including one touchdown. He was the team’s most-played tight end on offense, narrowly out-snapping both Pat Freiermuth and Jonnu Smith . Of course, where Washington’s true value lies is as a blocker, where he is the rare talent who can hold up against defensive ends one-on-one thanks to his sheer size and strength at 6’7 and a weight that likely sits at or near the 300-pound range. A lumbering mover as a route runner who dropped four passes in 2025, Washington’s upside as a receiving weapon may be limited, even if he still is a freakish mover for his size. But even as a pure blocking tight end, his contract value is fair — the Vikings signed Josh Oliver , one of the best blocking tight ends in the league, to a $7.75 million per year contract in 2025, and the value of such players has just continued to rise. Look at the 2026 draft class ! Plus, the tight ends still making more than Washington include good-not-great names such as Evan Engram , Cole Kmet , and Isaiah Likely . Their roles in their respective offenses may not be the most comparable, but names such as Likely and Kmet have similarly not always been the primary tight end on their teams. All that to say, the Steelers got a reasonable value for Washington. My only concerns lie with potential for injury, and how Washington will be used in the Steelers’ new offense under Mike McCarthy. Washington had knee concerns coming out of the draft in 2023, which was the likely reason why he fell to Pittsburgh in the third round. However, in the NFL he’s been incredibly durable, playing in all but one regular season game through his first three years in the league. Still, with his size, it remains a bit of a concern moving forward. Then, there’s the question of if Washington’s skill set will still be used as well as it was in Arthur Smith’s 2025 Steelers offense. With Mike McCarthy likely to prioritize more 11 personnel (one tight end) moving forward, it will be interesting to see if Pittsburgh can maximize its investments in both Washington and Freiermuth, especially considering the latter is the more dynamic receiving target. But if anything, the Steelers’ decision to lock up Washington long term signals the team is both confident in his health and sees him a key piece of the offense moving forward. And why wouldn’t they? He’s a force multiplier in the run game who’s still a threat to ruin a defensive back’s day while gaining yards after catch in the open field. Like with Nick Herbig ’s contract, we’ll reserve the “A” for true slam-dunk deals and bargains. This contract still comes with some question marks. But it’s another strong B+ for one of the most fun players on the current Steelers’ roster. How would you grade the Steelers’ Darnell Washington ex [... truncated ...]
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Darnell Washington contract details revealed
The Pittsburgh Steelers and tight end Darnell Washington agreed to a four-year contract extension worth $42 million, making him the 12th-highest paid tight end in the league. Further details on the extension have been revealed. Per Spotrac , Washington will get $11.25 million in guaranteed money. the year-by-year cap hits are as follows: 2027: $11.3 million 2028: $9.75 million 2029: $10.3 million 2030: $11 million Washington is coming off a career-best season, with career-highs in catches (31) and yards (364). The Steelers also extended edge rusher Nick Herbig just one day before Washington, inking the Wisconsin product to a four-year, $100 million deal. The Steelers will return to the practice field at Rooney Sports Complex for their final set of OTAs this week before taking a six-week break ahead of training camp. Players will report to St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA Tuesday, July 28 with the first practice of training camp being Wednesday, July 29. Let us know what you think in the comments . Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more! Steelers QB Drew Allar could follow Drake Maye blueprint, says NFL analyst Steelers would need to pay hefty price for polarizing QB Don’t rule out Baker Mayfield as the Steelers’ 2027 quarterback Steelers TE Pat Freiermuth shares early takeaways on Drew Allar Projecting contract extension for Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr
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Friday Night Happy Hour: Contract extensions edition
Welcome back to BTSC’s Friday night open thread: It’s been a big week for Omar Khan and getting extensions done, and more are likely to follow. How would you grade Khan’s entire tenure as Steelers general manager so far? Nick Herbig signed for four years, $100 million. How do you see the Steelers’ edge room shaking out over the next two seasons? Darnell Washington signed for four years, $42 million. Do you think he or Pat Freiermuth will play more snaps in 2026? What’s your favorite Darnell Washington moment during his time with the Steelers so far? The Steelers’ preseason game times were announced this week . Are you at the point of the offseason where you’re looking forward to preseason football yet? It’s super regionals season in college baseball. Do you follow along? Pulling for any team in particular? Tonight’s song rec:
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Steelers waive former Arizona State TE
Yahoo Sports NFLSource ↗
After signing former Aaron Rodgers teammate and veteran tight end Robert Tonyan on Thursday, the Steelers made room by waiving tight end Chamon Metayer, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson . Metayer was part of the Steelers’ initial undrafted free agent class in 2026. He played college football in 2025 alongside Pittsburgh first-round pick Max Iheanachor at Arizona State. Now, the Steelers’ current tight end room consists of Pat Freiermuth , the recently-extended Darnell Washington , Tonyan, Jaheim Bell , J.J. Galbreath, UDFA signing Lake McRee, and rookie fullback hybrid Riley Nowakowski. Steelers minicamp concluded Thursday, but OTAs will resume on Monday. Let us know what you think in the comments . Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more! Pittsburgh Steelers trade rumors shut down by NFL insider Steelers sign former first round linebacker to one-year deal Steelers sign former Packers TE Robert Tonyan Steelers WR Roman Wilson impressing in minicamp as he chases spot in offense Steelers sign TE Darnell Washington to $42 million extension
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Pittsburgh Steelers trade rumors shut down by NFL insider
Despite significant investment in their edge rusher room, including extensions for Nick Herbig and Darnell Washington, NFL insider Ian Rapoport stated on The Pat McAfee Show that he does not expect the Pittsburgh Steelers to trade T.J. Watt or Alex Highsmith this year. Watt is coming off a career-low seven-sack season, while Highsmith recorded 9.5 sacks and 15 tackles for loss. Rapoport indicated that no significant moves involving these players are anticipated in the current year, with Watt expected to remain with the Steelers
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Steelers sign former first round LB
Yahoo Sports NFLSource ↗
After hosting five players for minicamp tryouts earlier this week, the Pittsburgh Steelers have officially signed former first-round pick linebacker Jamin Davis. Davis, a former Kentucky Wildcat, was the 19th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. by the Washington Commanders. The announcement comes just hours after the Steelers announced they signed tight end Robert Tonyan to a one-year deal. Davis logged 104 tackles and three sacks in 2022 for Washington, but struggled to find a consistent role in the defense. He was released in 2024 and has spent time with the Minnesota Vikings and the Las Vegas Raiders under the now Steelers defensive coordinator, Patrick Graham. Davis only appeared in two games for the Raiders, but the familiarity with Graham is notable. Davis was drafted as an off-the-ball linebacker but has also lined up as an edge rusher throughout his career. The defender was drafted in the first round thanks to his supreme athletic ability, posting a 9.93 relative athletic score during his pre-draft process. While this move could provide some inside linebacker depth, it seems possible that Pittsburgh also sees Davis as an edge player. The 27-year-old looks to earn a roster spot this summer on a star-studded Pittsburgh defense. His versatility and ability to provide depth at multiple positions is clearly something that Graham and the Steelers staff values. Let us know what you think in the comments . Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more! Steelers sign former Packers TE Robert Tonyan Steelers WR Roman Wilson impressing in minicamp as he chases spot in offense Steelers sign TE Darnell Washington to $42 million extension Former Steelers QB announces retirement from NFL Steelers, DT Keeanu Benton working toward contract extension
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Steelers sign former teammate of Aaron Rodgers
Yahoo Sports NFLSource ↗
Just hours after signing tight end Darnell Washington to a four-year $42 million dollar contract extension, the Pittsburgh Steelers have added another tight end to their roster tight end to their roster in Robert Tonyan. The former teammate of Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has joined the Steelers 90-man roster on a one-year deal after a minicamp tryout earlier this week, as reported by ESPN’s Brooke Pryor. Tonyan was one of five players that the Steelers brought in for a tryout this week. The tight end spent the first five years of his career in Green Bay, highlighted by an 11-touchdown season in 2020. Tonyan has also spent time with the Bears, Chiefs , and Vikings throughout his career. Rodgers has a history of reconnecting with former teammates throughout his NFL career. During his time with the Jets , the team added pass catchers Allen Lazard and Davante Adams . The Steelers have also been willing to bring in some familiar pass catchers for Rodgers, as Marquez Valdes-Scantling spent time with the team last season. Tonyan is the latest example and now slots in as the current third tight end on the Steelers roster behind Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington. Tonyan has caught just one pass in the last two seasons, but still provides critical depth behind Friermuth and Washington. Rookie fifth-rounder Riley Nowakowski also has experience as a tight end, but is listed as a fullback on the team’s website. The connection to Rodgers and uncertain depth at the position gives Tonyan a real chance to fight for a roster spot this summer. Let us know what you think in the comments . Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more! Steelers WR Roman Wilson impressing in minicamp as he chases spot in offense Steelers sign TE Darnell Washington to $42 million extension Former Steelers QB announces retirement from NFL Steelers, DT Keeanu Benton working toward contract extension T.J. Watt hints at new role on Steelers defense
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Steelers, TE Darnell Washington agree to a four-year extension
The Steelers have agreed to terms with tight end Darnell Washington on a four-year extension
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Steelers, TE Darnell Washington agree to a four-year extension
The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed tight end Darnell Washington to a four-year contract extension worth $42 million, with $21 million guaranteed. Washington, a 2023 third-round pick, has shown year-over-year improvement in receiving statistics and has been a consistent offensive presence despite sharing the tight end position
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Steelers sign TE Darnell Washington to $42 million extension
Steelers sign TE Darnell Washington to $42 million extension
Data comes from cached Sleeper and KTC snapshots. Values update when the sync jobs run.