Pittsburgh Steelers v Jacksonville Jaguars - NFL Preseason 2025
Getty Images

NFL Media's Daniel Jeremiah, who was a scout for three different NFL teams, raised the idea of Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Darnell Washington switching positions on a recent episode of the "40s and Free Agents" podcast he co-hosts with Gregg Rosenthal. "I think he's the best tackle on their team. And I really like Fautanu, their right tackle, and we'll see what Broderick Jones can be," said Jeremiah. "But just in terms of talent, he's got the frame to do it. If you want to earmark this for three years down the road and we're talking about Jason Peters 2.0, it's this dude."

Jason Peters was a jumbo-sized tight end in college for the University of Arkansas. The undrafted free agent started making the transition to left tackle during his rookie season with the Buffalo Bills in 2004 while splitting time between the practice squad and the 53-man roster. Peters became a six-time All-Pro and is one of four offensive tackles named to the 2010s All-Decade team. 

Jeremiah reiterated his belief about Washington on Tuesday during an appearance on the "Pat McAfee Show." "He's got a chance to be a Pro Bowl tackle," Jeremiah said. "There's just not many guys that are that big that can move like that. And if I was his agent, I would be like, 'Here's what the 15th best tight end in the NFL makes. Now here's what a top 10 offensive tackle makes in this league.' Make the switch. Your finances will thank you."

Doug Whaley, a former Buffalo Bills general manager and former Steelers front office executive, echoed Jeremiah's sentiments during Washington's rookie year in 2023. He thought Washington's agent should request to Steelers general manager Omar Khan that his client become an offensive tackle because of the potential financial benefits.

Washington indicated he was open to making a position switch when asked about it during training camp. "Personally, I feel like I can, but right now, I'm a tight end," Washington said. "So, I'm gonna focus on that. Later on down the road or any time in the road, if they ask for me to do that, I'm gonna do it to my best ability." 

Washington is listed at 6-foot-7, 264 pounds. That weight doesn't seem to be accurate. Steelers tight end coach Alfredo Roberts revealed last year that Washington was over 300 pounds. Russell Wilson, who was Pittsburgh's starting quarterback in 2024, put Washington's weight at 315 pounds during the latter part of last season. Fellow Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth also confirmed the inaccuracy shortly before Wilson. He wouldn't disclose a weight. Freiermuth, who is listed at 6-foot-5, 258 pounds, called Washington massive.

Washington's opportunities in Pittsburgh's passing game could be more limited than last season when he had career highs of 19 receptions for 200 receiving yards with one touchdown in 17 contests, due to the acquisition of Jonnu Smith. There should still be a major role for the 2023 third-round pick in the run game. Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith called Washington the NFL's best blocking tight end late last season. 

Washington's pay will be limited if he continues to be known primarily for his ability to block as a tight end. Josh Oliver is the NFL's highest-paid blocking tight end. He signed a three-year, $23.25 million contract extension, averaging $7.75 million per year that's worth up to $27.5 million through incentives and salary escalators, with the Minnesota Vikings in June. The deal has $19.745 million of guarantees where $15.645 million was fully guaranteed at signing.

By contrast, the Kansas City Chiefs signed Jaylon Moore, who was a swing tackle for the San Francisco 49ers for the last four years while on his rookie contract, to a two-year, $30 million contract, averaging $15 million per year as an unrestricted free agent in March. Moore's deal has $21.42 million fully guaranteed. He could be a backup or moved to offensive guard because 2025 first-round pick Josh Simmons appears to be Kansas City's long-term solution at left tackle.

Even if Washington developed into a complete tight end instead of just a blocking tight end, there's a big pay discrepancy with offensive tackles. George Kittle is the NFL highest-paid tight end at $19.1 million per year. The five-time All-Pro received a slightly backloaded four-year, $76.4 million extension with $35 million fully guaranteed from the 49ers in late April. 

There are 20 offensive tackles with contracts averaging more per year than Kittle's $19.1 million per year. Los Angeles Chargers left tackle Rashawn Slater leads the way with the four-year, $114 million extension, averaging $28.5 million per year, he signed in late July a few days after training camp opened. There is an offensive lineman-record $92 million in guarantees, of which $56 million was fully guaranteed at signing, in the deal.

Nineteen of the 20 offensive tackles have contracts averaging at least $20 million per year. There are only four tight ends (Kittle, Cardinals' Trey McBride, Chiefs' Travis Kelce and Vikings' T.J. Hockenson) at or above Moore's $15 million-per-year mark.

Using the data points Jeremiah mentioned, Dallas Goedert is the NFL's 15th highest-paid tight end at $10 million per year. He took a pay cut in May from the four-year, $57 million extension, averaging $14.25 million per year, he signed in 2021 to remain in Philadelphia. The Eagles also have the league's 10th highest-paid offensive tackle in Lane Johnson at $22,166,667 per year.

A Steelers tight end making this type of position switch has happened before. Larry Brown was Pittsburgh's starting tight end for their first two Super Bowl winning teams in the 1970s. His days as a tight end were over after his sixth NFL season. Brown was the starting right tackle when the Steelers won two more Super Bowls to end the decade. He earned Pro Bowl honors for the only time during his 14-year NFL career as an offensive tackle in 1982. Brown is a member of the Steelers Hall of Honor.