3 Steelers who won’t be back next season after Chiefs loss

James Washington

For a minute there, it looked like James Washington could be the next big Steelers wide receiver.

Pittsburgh drafted the Biletnikoff Award winner out of Oklahoma State in 2018 and he broke out in Year 2 with 44 catches for 735 yards and three touchdowns. He averaged 16.7 yards per touch that season.

Since then, Washington’s role has only diminished. He started seven games in 2020 managing 392 yards. The 2021 season didn’t bring any more success. He was more or less the Steelers fifth option at wide receiver, catching 24 passes for 285 yards and two touchdowns during the regular season.

Washington came up with a touchdown in the Wild Card Game against the Chiefs, which looks likely to be his final appearance for Pittsburgh.

As a 2022 free agent, there are simply no signs the Steelers have any interest in re-signing him. He may go on to success somewhere else but if Pittsburgh wanted to get more out of him, they had the chance over the past two seasons and it clearly didn’t work out.