Player: TE Darnell Washington
Stock Value: Up
Reasoning: Signing a sizable contract extension, Darnell Washington will clearly be a big piece of the Steelers’ offense going forward. Not just for the 2026 season, but in general. Based on the contract alone, it’s evident that Mike McCarthy sees the potential in using his talents. And it helps that he’s also more or less said exactly that, too.
Suddenly, the Steelers are paying two tight ends eight-figure APY salaries with Darnell Washington joining the club. Going into his fourth season, the former third-round pick is now a wealthy man. Pocketing a $10 million signing bonus, his new four-year deal is worth $42 million.
A tight end who could see himself playing tackle one day, Washington has slowly revealed new layers each season he has been in the NFL. While not nimble like a gazelle, he can be a force with the ball in his hands. And he has decent hands, at least often enough to justify throwing to him. While he’s had some drop issues, he can also make tough catches.
And nobody wanted to tackle him. Already, we’ve heard from opposing teams that Darnell Washington is a player they actively note in their scouting report. If they throw to him, the defense must gang tackle. He can run through a defender, run over him, or simply run him into the ground.
But blocking will always be a huge part of the equation for Washington. It’s a fact he readily admits, while also allowing that he still wants a larger part of the receiving pie. That’s a hard ask with so many mouths to feed, proverbially, but whoever produces should win out. If he makes it worth their while to throw him the ball, they will.
And with a fat new contract in hand, Darnell Washington will have plenty of time to earn more opportunities. One wonders if they’ll even, eventually, come at Pat Freiermuth’s expense. Maybe he won’t ever make the Pro Bowl for his receiving skills, but he’s arguably a better all-around player. Vital to their blocking scheme and a legitimate regular contributor to the passing game, he could reach new heights under Mike McCarthy.
With the 2026 offseason well underway and many moves made, we have stock to take. Already promising a year of change, the Steelers are shaking things up. That is unavoidable, of course, when you gut the coaching staff. Mike Tomlin’s resignation has fundamentally changed this football team, including the players on the roster.
After a long season, the Steelers showed the ability to win the division and make the playoffs. But they also showed that their progress was minimal, since they made it no further. Two years in a row, with two different quarterbacks, they went 10-7 and lost in the Wild Card Round. The only differences are they ended the season on a higher note and won the AFC North. But it didn’t help.