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In the aftermath of the Steelers’ preseason opening Thursday night, wide receiver James Washington called for a trade out of Pittsburgh, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The reason for Washington’s request, according to Schefter, is due to a lack of playing time. Last season, he played in 44% of offensive snaps. In limited action during the Hall of Fame Game, the 25-year-old did not record any captures on two targets.
Washington first arrived in Pittsburgh in 2018 when the club took him with the No. 60 pick in the second round pick of the NFL Draft out of Oklahoma state. He played sparingly during his rookie season, capturing just 16 passes for 217 yards and one touchdown in 14 games (six starts). He jumped in Year 2 and led the Steelers in receiving (735 yards) and was third on the team in receptions (44). However, 2020 saw Washington take a step back in production as their goals dropped nearly 30 and finished with just 392 yards, albeit with a career-high five touchdowns.
The Steelers are pretty deep in the position and Washington is likely on the outside watching three sets of wide receivers in this attack behind JuJu Smith-Schuster, Chase Claypool and Diontae Johnson. The prospect of being the fourth man on the totem pole is probably what prompts Washington to seek a new opportunity elsewhere in the NFL. Now the ball is in the Steelers’ court to see if they’ll grant his wish in Washington and we’ll have to see if what he’s recorded in his first three seasons in the league is enough for a team to invest. assets to acquire it.
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