Washington quiet as he does his job
Fourth-year wide receiver insists any trade requests private matter
To say James Washington was less dismissive of any frustration with his playing time than his head coach and offensive coordinator would be an understatement — and Washington is a pretty understated guy.
Less than two weeks after an ESPN report that the Steelers’ fourth-year wide receiver requested a trade, and after both Mike Tomlin and Matt Canada shot that down, Washington said Wednesday he’d prefer to keep that conversation private.
“But as far as me being happy in Pittsburgh, I love it here,” Washington said. “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.”
That much was evident early in practice when fellow receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster tried to lift Washington off the ground during warmups. JuJu is the jokester in the group, with Chase Claypool not far behind, but Washington and Diontae Johnson are the more serious members of a sometimes dynamic, sometimes maddening group of young wideouts.
The depth works well for Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers offense, but it doesn’t always mean an equal share of snaps. Washington often found himself the odd man out last season, and he projects to be the No. 4 option again on a team that also has playmakers at tight end and running back. Has the 2018 second-round pick gone to the coaches to discuss how he can have more balls thrown his way?
“It’s been talked about,” Washington said, in contradiction to Canada’s and Tomlin’s claims that he simply shows up for work each day without saying a word. “But I’m just trying to do what I can, trying to show people I can be available and make the plays they want me to make.”
He had more of a chance to do that Wednesday with Claypool sidelined by a minor ankle injury. On one of the last plays of practice, Washington didn’t need help from Smith-Schuster or anyone else to get off the ground and reel in a 5-yard touchdown catch from Mason Rudolph, leaping up and over rookie cornerback Mark Gilbert in the corner of the end zone.
It was a flash of why Washington was one of the most productive pass catchers in the country with Rudolph at Oklahoma State. But the Steelers continued to invest valuable draft resources at his position, so entering the last year of his rookie contract, it’s no wonder why former Cowboys star Dez Bryant and even exSteelers quarterback Devlin Hodges made calls on Twitter (or duck calls) for other teams to trade for Washington.
“It wasn’t a distraction,” Washington insisted. “I’m sure everybody knows me. I’m not really on social media. I might post a picture here and there, but I don’t really get distracted with social media too much.”
Washington had zero catches on just two targets in the first preseason game and was then held out of the second with a minor injury. But he’s been productive in the exhibitions before, so perhaps he’ll make a case for himself the next two weeks — be it with the Steelers or to show the other 31 teams he can help them.
The good news is that in addition to his long history with Rudolph, he maintains a strong rapport with Roethlisberger, who pulled him to the side at one point during Wednesday’s practice to talk through a certain play. Those two have gone hunting together in the offseason, and Washington is about as low-key as they come in a league known for diva wide receivers. Still, there’s only one ball, and just 11 players allowed on the field at one time.
“It’s kind of early in the season, but me being who I am, I’m just wanting to compete and help the team win,” Washington said. “It just gives me that drive to get out there, put my hand in the pile and help the team to victory.”