There were reports earlier this month that Steelers wideout James Washington had requested a trade, a report that head coach Mike Tomlin later denied. Washington addressed the rumors today, and while he didn’t specifically acknowledge the trade request, he also didn’t deny the report.
“That’s a private conversation,” Washington said (via ESPN’s Brooke Pryor). “As far as me being happy in Pittsburgh, I love it here. Who wouldn’t be happy playing football as their job? I come to work every day with a smile on my face. I’m eager to be here with my guys — joking around, laughing, playing a sport I love.”
Washington was willing to acknowledge that he’s talked about his reduced offensive role with the coaching staff.
“It’s been talked about,” Washington said. “But I’m just trying to do what I can. I just want to show people I can be available and make the plays they want me to make. Just do what I need to do.”
Washington, a 2018 second-round pick, saw a jump from 38 targets as a rookie to 80 looks in 2019. During that 2019 campaign, caught 44 passes for 735 yards and three touchdowns. However, his targets dropped to 56 in 2020, with the receiver finishing his third NFL season with 30 grabs for 392 yards and five scores. His yards per catch average also dropped, going from 16.7 to 13.1.
This summer, Washington still found himself buried on the depth chart during the early parts of training camp, leading to rumblings that he was seeking a trade.
Ben Roethlisberger has never been shy about spreading the ball around, so there could definitely be a role for Washington in Pittsburgh in 2021. However, the 25-year-old currently has to compete with JuJu Smith-Schuster, Chase Claypool, and Diontae Johnson for targets, limiting his upside.
The Steelers don’t need to trade Washington. Keep him around as depth and at the end of the year he can walk as a free agent. They have no problems finding wide receivers.
Better to keep him and have the option of bringing him back next year if juju walks
Well, Washington’s best routes are ones that require time to throw, which the Steelers had none of last year. He’s not a guy who will make a lot of tough catches in tight coverage, which is what they did need last year. That doesn’t mean Washington is worthless-I certainly do not believe that he is-but he did not fit the need that the limited Steelers offense had last year. Washington I think is worth keeping, but developing a tougher set of hands would be ideal to make him more versatile and able to adapt to challenging offenses.
Is there a formula for developing “a tougher set of hands” that doesn’t involve stealing DNA from Larry Fitzgerald?
Drops too many balls. Come on a 50-50 catch ratio is not starting material and probably not what you want on your bench either, unless accompanied by 4.3 speed.
Not worth keeping in the end. Washington is a barrier to signing a receiver who does have decent hands.
You currently don’t have anything much better, so yes, you need him. Washington has uses-he’s fast, and can run field stretching deep routes better than the Steelers’ other receivers. That’s one of the reasons Washington’s targets fell dramatically last year-the Steelers didn’t really have those plays available. He’s still young, so he has some time to develop, and as is is their fourth receiver on the chart, so he’s not really “stealing” a load of opportunities. It’s early to suggest that his career in Pittsburgh should be over-especially considering the team’s lack of receiver help.
You’ve made this argument before about 50-50 catch rates not being good for a wide receiver, but his 2019 catch rate of 55% is right in line with the catch rates of many deep ball wide receivers, guys who average somewhere around his 2019 average of 12.5 yards before catch per reception (YBC/R). Not all wideouts are the same, and the catch rate of a possession wide receiver is usually going to be a lot higher than that of a deep ball specialist.
I agree with you, but the reason the catch rate is problematic here is that the Steelers are in a position where they’re having to get the ball out very quickly to receivers who usually are well covered. So Washington, as I said or tried to say, will be spending a lot more time running routes that don’t suit his skillset as well out of necessity. He-and to be fair, his other receivers-need to be better than average catching in traffic because the offense is worse than average at giving them time to get open. Washington’s 2019 was a pretty good year overall, and it is the main reason I would be encouraged to keep him. Last year was, as we know, difficult for all of the receivers, at least more than it should have been.
If the line improves or the running game does enough (and Ben is healthy/strong enough still to throw it deep) to give them time for more long throws, then Washington will look much better and his catch rate won’t really be an issue. But as long as they’re making tough throws, it (fairly or unfairly) will be, for him and his other receivers. That’s just my opinion from watching him.
Just fyi, I was responding to Mr. Kinnear, not you, Ak. I do agree with you that Washington is probably not a good fit for the Steelers’ offense this year. Personally, I’d seriously considering trading him if I thought I could get anything more than a 6th rounder for him, even a provisional 5th.
Oops, sorry, my bad. Apologies.
The Steelers are goin to be worse than the Jaguars and Jets this year
Sir, stop yelling, this is a church. Also, you’re drunk.
The Steelers have some problems to address and will play the toughest schedule of all the teams this season. If they have a very successful season Mike Tomlin should have no problem punching his ticket to the HOF.
steelers play up to the competition.
Were only afraid of bottom dwellers like the jets and jags , broncos etc
Your high as hell… that defense alone is going to carry them to at least 7-9 wins… and the whole receiver core Is very solid, even if Ben is aging… but I have a feeling Steelers will surprise more people that not, especially the doubters.
Let the two Pennsylvania teens make a tree Washington and a fourth round pick for Dillard sounds fair to me