While the Pittsburgh Steelers lack depth at wide receiver, they tried to make up for that by loading up at tight end. Pat Freiermuth has been a consistent presence for them for years, Darnell Washington has been a solid blocker, and they also traded for Jonnu Smith, who’s been a reliable threat in the passing game for years. However, none of those players have been huge contributors as receivers yet. In Week 4, Freiermuth and Smith even saw their usage rates decrease. That was part of the Steelers’ game plan, according to Mike Tomlin.
“We have a certain personality, particularly when we play 4-3 teams,” Tomlin said Tuesday via the team’s YouTube channel. “I haven’t been bashful about that. That’s why we drafted Darnell Washington. You can’t play 4-3 teams with 250-pound tight ends. There are weight classes in combat sports for a reason. When the edge people are 300-pounds, you better have somebody out there that looks like that animal.
“That was our intentions in Minnesota,” Tomlin added. “As we move into divisional play in the next couple of weeks and we’re playing two 4-3 teams, chances are you’re going to see more of that. It’s unfair at times to ask guys like Pat Freiermuth and Connor [Heyward] to block 4-3 ends. That’s not realistic if you want to have a good real good run game day.”
Against the Minnesota Vikings, Freiermuth only played 15 of a possible 53 snaps. Similarly, Smith only played 13 snaps. Compare that to Washington, who played 48 snaps. That was a significant change compared to their Week 3 game plan, where Smith and Freiermuth played nearly the entire game, while Washington was more limited.
Tomlin’s explanation makes sense, though. Freiermuth and Smith aren’t known for their blocking. Meanwhile, Washington has one of the most unique frames for a tight end in the NFL. If he wanted to, he could probably transition to offensive tackle. He’s got a massive frame.
That strategy paid dividends, too. The Steelers had their best day running the football yet this season in Week 4. Finally, their offensive line was moving people, creating lanes for Kenneth Gainwell.
The Steelers finished with over 100 rushing yards as a team, a big improvement on what their run game had looked like. Their offense looked like it was clicking. That’s no slight against Freiermuth or Smith. They just have different skill sets compared to Washington, and the Steelers put a lot of stock into running the ball effectively. That’s how they want their offense to flow.
Like Tomlin said, don’t be surprised to see Washington get more playing time than Freiermuth and Smith over the coming weeks. AFC North football is usually tougher and more physical. The Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals might not be at their best, but they’ve got solid players up front. If playing Washington more helps the Steelers win games, though, then that’s all that matters.