Kenny Pickett aims for stronger relationship with Darnell Washington

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett is looking forward to establishing a rapport on the field with rookie tight end Darnell Washington — a player he admitted he hasn’t gotten a ton of work in with thus far through training camp.

Speaking with the media Tuesday, Pickett identified Washington as a player he wants to get more reps with, particularly in the redzone.

“I’d probably say guys that I haven’t worked with like Darnell,” Pickett said. “He’s a guy that I haven’t had a lot of reps with, so continuing to build that with him. And we’ll get down in the redzone today and I think he will be huge. Building off of what we did in the spring. So, he’s a guy that I want to continue to work with.”

He added: “He’s done a great job. Darnell is doing a great job. He’s working hard. He’s got a lot of stuff going in. I’m sure his minds going a hundred miles per hour. So, it’ll slow down for him. I’m just excited about the way he’s showing up and working. He’s mentally locked in and everything else will come.”

The 6-foot-7, 264-pound Washington is hoping his size will lead to more touchdowns than it did at Georgia. In three seasons with the Bulldogs, Washington hauled in just three scores, albeit in a backup role behind Brock Bowers.

Darnell Washington shines during Steelers training camp

Washington shined elsewhere on the field Tuesday, the first practice with pads. Known for his blocking at Georgia, Washington showcased his ability against star edge rusher T.J. Watt. Washington said he looked forward to putting on the pads and matching up against the best.

“I mentioned it with the other guys, but I love challenges,” Washington said, via Steelers Now. “You have to embrace things and face those things head-on, so there’s no backing down. You need to go into things like that confidently. I looked forward to putting on the pads. You know, I wanted to showcase what I could do in the pads because, without them, it’s not real football.”

He added: “I was for sure confident. You can’t play this game with nerves or be scared. If you play like that, you’re going to get beat a lot and you’ll have lots of bad days. When I step on the field, whatever I do, I’m confident and try to do the best I can.”