Steelers Working To Make Darnell Washington Happy After Latest Update

Pittsburgh Steelers insider Mark Kaboly revealed on Tuesday that he found it strange that tight end Darnell Washington didn't speak to the media. Quickly, however, Washington did speak with reporters on Wednesday. With the business side of football always weighing heavily, it's often interesting to watch how teams navigate the complexity of the salary cap.

With the Steelers signing 2023 fourth-round pick Nick Herbig to a massive four-year, $100 million extension, and the fact that Joey Porter Jr. is likely to command even more money than that, there are other talented players from that 2023 draft class who will now be eligible for extensions. The issue is that there's only so much money to go around, and even though Steelers General Manager Omar Khan is known as a cap wizard, there are limits to what can be done.

Kaboly seemed to think that Washington may not have spoken on Tuesday because he was frustrated with Khan and the organization, perhaps seeing the writing on the wall and realizing he wasn't going to get a new deal. However, the latest update from fellow Steelers insider Jeff Hathhorn offers a much different perspective while speaking on 93.7 The fan, one that would actually contradict Kaboly's speculation. In fact, it's a development that could leave Washington feeling quite optimistic about his future.

"Yeah, they are. They are also in contract negotiations with Keeanu Benton, Joey Porter Jr., and Darnell Washington," Hathhorn said. "They are looking to talk to all of these guys about getting new contracts."

Just on Tuesday, the speculation from several Steelers insiders was that Washington and Keeanu Benton could be the odd men out because there's only so much money to go around. Hathhorn, however, has heard that at the very least Pittsburgh is being proactive and trying to work out deals with Porter, Washington, and Benton. Whether a deal gets done with one, two, or all three before the 2026 season remains unknown. What is known is that the Steelers don't negotiate contracts during the season, and with McCarthy now in town, that isn't expected to change.

This goes to show just how quickly reporting and speculation can shift when it comes to the business side of the NFL. For Steelers fans, this is a much more encouraging update than the one they heard on Tuesday regarding Washington. He's a talented and rare tight end because of his combination of size and athleticism. 

Steelers Hopeful To See Darnell Washington Earn More Targets In 2026

In 2025, Arthur Smith worked to get Washington more involved, and every time he touched the ball, he was a nightmare for opposing defenses to bring down. Unfortunately, his season was later interrupted by injury. Now that he is healthy after a long offseason. Steelers fans are eager to see Washington get targeted even more in 2026. They also want to see Pat Freiermuth get plenty more.

With Smith gone and an entirely new regime in place, many are curious to see what Washington's role will look like moving forward. Many trust that McCarthy and new offensive coordinator Brian Angelichio know what they're doing when it comes to utilizing Washington in 2026. For now, Steelers fans will continue waiting to see which other members of Khan's very first draft class receive contract extensions before the 2026 season begins.

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