Clint Lamb
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The Pittsburgh Steelers are loaded up at wide receiver. Even with Chase Claypool and Diontae Johnson still on the roster, the team chose to re-sign 24-year-old JuJu Smith-Schuster during the offseason.
Those three will be the starters, which has led to a lot of speculation that former second-round pick James Washington wants to be traded. In three years, he’s started 23 of 45 regular season games, hauling in 90 catches for 1,344 yards and nine scores.
Steelers’ WR James Washington, a former 2018 second-round pick, has approached the Steelers and requested a trade based on his limited playtime last season and so far this preseason, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 6, 2021
No, those stats aren’t eye-popping, but Washington is considered a valuable part of the receiving rotation, especially with his ability to push defenses vertically. That’s why Mike Tomlin recently put the trade rumors to bed, saying Washington isn’t going anywhere.
“He has not. Those unnamed sources, we don’t react to or respond to,” Tomlin told reporters, via The Spun. “James has been great here, working, having a good camp.”
Well, I guess that squashes that.
The Steelers have done a great job over the years of identifying and developing wide receivers without having to spend Day 1 picks on them. Washington isn’t the best hit they’ve had, but he still adds value to the team.
As long as he’s not pushing for a trade, don’t expect Pittsburgh to deal him.
Follow Clint Lamb on Twitter @ClintRLamb.
