The Steelers’ Secret Weapon against Edge Rushers

PITTSBURGH — The Steelers have a secret weapon that all NFL teams now need to worry about in the run game and pass protection. Despite the team’s Week 1 struggles against the 49ers, they did a lot of positives from their rookie class as a whole throughout the game. That includes rookie third-round tight end Darnell Washington.

Much has been made about the difficulty of the early part of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ schedule regarding the quality of opposing edge rushers.

The Steelers started the season by facing reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa and the San Francisco 49ers. They’ll continue the stretch this Monday night, facing four-time All-Pro Myles Garrett and the Cleveland Browns. On the horizon is two-time Pro Bowler Maxx Crosby and the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 3.

Washington can be the weapon the Steelers need to help slow down some of those edge rushers on the edge. He came into the NFL known as a quality blocker and showed his chops early on, getting a pancake block on Bosa in the opener.

Darnell Washington’s blocking game is on ANOTHER level.

Washington already looks like a Top-10 blocking TE in the league.

Washington didn’t allow a SINGLE pressure in his NFL debut.

Matt Canada (Steelers OC) said recently that Washington has “continued to ascend” since he… pic.twitter.com/5xdQOJ65NY

— NFL Rookie Watch (@NFLRookieWatxh) September 14, 2023

“Having that big body on the edge, Coach (Mike Tomlin) always says it, him having that body on a 4-3 defensive end, I think it’s going to play a heck of a lot of difference, honestly,” left tackle Dan Moore Jr. said this week.

Washington knows that difference will be the key to his early role in the Steelers offense.

“They’re a big factor in their defense,” he said. “We’re just trying to slow them down in any way if that’s helping tackle with the tight end, whatever it may be, just trying to slow those players down and not let them disrupt the whole game.”

When your job is helping against the other team’s top defender, and you end at least one rep with an All-Pro on his back, that is an excellent way to start your career.

“It’s always a good feeling, whoever it may be,” he said. “Being a dominant player like he is, a high-caliber player who is a key factor, their guy on defense or whatever, really just making a play in general, but when it’s their key player, it’s like times two.”

Pittsburgh needs Washington to be a big boon to the team’s chances against the Browns. Stopping Garrett and Za’Darius Smith is no easy task. But we are talking about a player who would rather pancake a player than catch a touchdown. That is who Washington is as a rookie. Pittsburgh needs him to help slow down the edge rushers they will face.