Coming off a quiet rookie season that saw him lightly used in the passing game, the expectation was for second-year Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Darnell Washington to take a significant step forward in 2024 with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith and his TE-friendly scheme in place.
Though Washington didn’t put up eye-popping numbers, the Georgia product certainly took a sizable step forward in Year 2. For his efforts in the passing game and the progress he made as a blocker, Washington was named the Steelers’ most-improved player by Pro Football Focus.
“Washington featured more frequently in the passing game in 2024, catching 19 passes for 200 yards and a touchdown,” Thomas Valentine writes for PFF.