Steelers need Washington to ‘get it’ now
PITTSBURGH 鈥� Don鈥檛 ask Ben Roethlisberger if he misses guys like Antonio Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Eli Rogers and Martavis Bryant, because he鈥檒l just talk about Justin Hunter and Darrius Heyward-Bey.
Roethlisberger鈥檚 loyal to vets that way.
But with rookies, like James Washington, the veteran quarterback realizes he must begin anew.
鈥淲e鈥檝e got to work through some things to get certain guys on the field,鈥� Roethlisberger said. And, of course, the second-round draft pick is primary among the 鈥渃ertain guys.鈥� In fact, Roethlisberger wasn鈥檛 shy about running into the red zone to illustrate the specifics of a new route he wanted Washington to master.
Washington didn鈥檛, but the session was a start.
鈥淲e work with who鈥檚 here,鈥� Roethlisberger said with a shrug when asked about it later.
As casual as Roethlisberger wants to make spring workouts seem, there appears to be more urgency surrounding Washington. Not that the rookie feels it.
鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 seem like that,鈥� Washington said. 鈥淏ut, at the same time, he wants you up to par as quick as possible.鈥�
Washington might not sense the urgency, but the Steelers NEED him to get it, and get it now. So, on some days it seems like the whole world鈥檚 a critic.
Washington receives instant feedback on his routes, how to make better use of his body positioning, how he needs to know where he鈥檚 at on the field. There was also the dreaded incomplete-due-to-juggling sign he got from an official after thinking he had caught a ball in the corner of the end zone.
Then again, there are days when Washington simply goes up to catch a ball, comes down with both feet inbounds and hears booming praise from his position coach, Darryl Drake, and gets a pat on the butt from a veteran cornerback.
鈥淗e comes to work every day at practice and doesn鈥檛 complain,鈥� said cornerback Cameron Sutton. 鈥淗e doesn鈥檛 drop his head when things aren鈥檛 going right for him throughout the day. He鈥檚 made some plays out there, as well. I鈥檓 excited for him this year and excited for everything he鈥檚 doing right now. Just got to keep building off of it.鈥�
So, he looks like a player?
鈥淥h most definitely.鈥�
That鈥檚 what Mike Gundy, his coach at Oklahoma State, told one TV analyst, who repeated during a game that Gundy believes Washington will end up in the Hall of Fame one day.
鈥淗e鈥檚 never told me that, but I heard about it,鈥� Washington said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 always told me how good I can be once I reach my full potential, but I feel in college I never really reached my peak. I feel like I鈥檓 just now getting started.鈥�
With the aforementioned receivers either traded, injured or just skipping the voluntary OTAs, Washington has received a ton of work the past three weeks. He said his biggest adjustment has been 鈥渢o the speed of the game. It鈥檚 so much faster than in college. You鈥檝e got defensive linemen that get to the flats so fast. I mean, it鈥檚 going to have to take time.鈥�
But, compared to where he was during the first of 10 OTAs, 鈥淚鈥檓 a lot more comfortable,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 kind of getting used to the speed of the game and the concepts are getting easier to understand and remember. It all comes with more time on the field and meeting with coaches after everyone leaves.鈥�
And working with a 15th-year quarterback.
鈥淗e鈥檚 a good teacher,鈥� Washington said of Roethlisberger. 鈥淚 run a route and he鈥檒l tell me what I did right, what I need to improve on. He鈥檚 testing me, throwing balls everywhere, seeing my range of motion.鈥�
Roethlisberger, in kind, praised Washington鈥檚 ability to make 鈥渃ombat catches.鈥�
鈥淎t Oklahoma State, that鈥檚 how I was coached every day, to make those combat catches in traffic,鈥� Washington said. 鈥淎t this point, no catch is going to be just wide-open clean now. Everybody鈥檚 good at this point.鈥�
Washington is a receiver with average size 鈥� 5-11, 213 鈥� and average speed 鈥� 4.54 鈥� but one with a gigantic heart and the work ethic of a farmer.
Of course, Washington is a farmer. He grew up working his father鈥檚 land in Stamford, Texas. And, he realizes that instead of dealing with the up-and-down struggles of becoming an professional wide receiver, Washington could be there.
鈥淚t鈥檚 probably about 105, 110 back in Texas,鈥� he said.
When told that sounds awful, Washington shot back with his first smile of the interview: 鈥淚 love it. When I come back I鈥檒l be in perfect shape for training camp.鈥�
It鈥檚 a wheat and cotton farm that Washington will run one day, but when he returns to Stamford following next week鈥檚 mini-camp, Washington said, 鈥淚鈥檒l probably be working on tractors and cleaning up around the barn. My dad just finished planting cotton. That鈥檚 the hard part. There鈥檚 not really much left to do.鈥�
On the same day Terrell Owens was telling the Hall of Fame that he won鈥檛 be attending his own induction, Washington was expressing disappointment that his dad had to do all the hard work on the farm back home. Either Washington is a new breed of NFL receiver or he鈥檚 completely unique.
鈥淗e鈥檚 a great guy, a great locker room guy,鈥� said Brian Allen, another veteran cornerback. 鈥淗e鈥檚 right next to me, so we talk all the time.鈥�
And on the field?
鈥淥h, I like him a lot,鈥� Allen said. 鈥淔rom what I鈥檝e seen so far he has great hands, great routes, great speed. I think he can replace what we lost with Martavis. I鈥檓 excited for him and I鈥檓 ready to see what he can do.鈥�
Washington鈥檚 best asset?
鈥淨uickness coming off the ball is one of the things I like about him,鈥� Allen said. 鈥淏ut, he still needs to get used to the speed of the game coming from college. For right now, from what I鈥檝e seen right now, his greatest asset that I鈥檝e seen so far is his hands. He has great hands.鈥�
Great hands go nicely with a gigantic heart.
鈥淣o doubt,鈥� Allen said. 鈥淚 feel like he can come in and play right away.鈥�