PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers are still considering options when it comes to their wide receiver position, and one name has surfaced as a potential re-signing this summer. That being said, a team insider has shut down most of the belief that bringing back a former second-round pick is on the table.
During his Asked and Answered column, Steelers team writer Bob Labriola was asked about re-signing former second-round pick James Washington. The free agent wide receiver has bounced around to the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints since leaving Pittsburgh, but finds himself looking for a new NFL home.
Ultimately, Labriola says the team wouldn’t consider it. And the only way he sees Washington returning to Pittsburgh is if the Steelers find themselves dealing with a handful of injuries.
“The only circumstance where I could envision the Steelers being interested in signing James Washington would be in the event of a number of injuries at the position early in training camp. Washington isn’t dynamic as a route-runner or as a playmaker, and who knows how the injury and year off has impacted his skill-set,” Labriola writes.
Washington, 28, has played just two games since leaving the Steelers in 2022. Both games were with the Cowboys, where he signed after leaving Pittsburgh. After being viewed as an option for their WR2 early in the offseason, Washington suffered a foot injury that held him out of the most of the season. From there, he never caught on and found himself as a free agent again in 2023.
He spent a little bit of time on the Saints practice squad before looking for a new home again.
With the Steelers, Washington played in 60 games, including 25 starts. He caught 144 passes for 1,629 yards and 11 touchdowns. In his final season, he had 285 yards and two scores, playing in 15 games.
