For the second consecutive year, James Washington spent his offseason subtracting weight while adding a sense of urgency to his NFL career.

Washington reported to organized team activities in 2019 with a noticeably leaner look, claiming to have dropped 15 pounds from his rookie-season playing weight. On Monday, the Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver revealed he shed a few more pounds heading into a pivotal Year 3 for the former second-round pick.

“I feel a lot lighter out there running around,” Washington said during a video conference call. “A little more explosive coming off the ball. Just being able to jump is night-and-day different, it feels like. I just feel like an all-around new person when you shed some weight like that and kind of lean down just a little bit more. It is all paying off.”

The 5-foot-11 Washington said he was at 207-208 pounds during the first week of padded practices at Heinz Field. Though officially listed at 213 pounds, Washington said he played at about 225 as a rookie.

The coronavirus pandemic shut down this year’s OTAs, and Washington’s path to the practice field for camp presented further hurdles. First, there was a stint on the reserve/covid-19 list. Then, an undisclosed injury.

But almost from the moment Washington hit the field for a full padded practice last week, he has made plays that served as glimpses of the former Oklahoma State standout the the Steelers were happy to grab with the 60th overall pick in 2018. However, he has battled inconsistency in the pros.

“It is Year 3, but I never want to add extra pressure to myself,” Washington said. “All I can do is go out and try and get better each and every day with the offense and get on the same page with (Ben Roethlisberger) and earn his trust. The rest will take care of itself.”

Washington caught just 16 of 38 targeted throws in 2018, including some high-profile drops. Last season’s numbers were mediocre — 44 catches, 735 yards, three touchdowns — but his play between Weeks 9-16 (34 catches, 574 yards, three touchdowns) provides reason for optimism.

Before new Steelers wide receivers coach Ike Hilliard worked with Washington on a practice field, Hilliard identified how Washington could tap his full potential.

“Everyone can see that James is a freakish athlete,” Hilliard said. “We love and respect that. There are areas of growth in timing and spacing … using his hands at the line of scrimmage versus press a lot more.

“We have to find a way to get more lateral movement out of him in terms of quick twitch and help him get away with some of those things because of the linear athlete that he is.”

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Washington seems to be taking his coach’s advice. He cited stance, explosion off the snap and getting into routes more quickly as points of emphasis.

Washington won the 2017 Biletnikoff Award as college football’s best receiver, then wowed during his rookie training camp and preseason. That created high expectations that quickly devolved when Washington was graded by Pro Football Focus as the NFL’s worst receiver (minimum 33 targets) in 2018.

His play late in 2019 coupled with improved conditioning leave reason to believe Washington can finally break out in 2020.

“A lot of that from my rookie year was a lot of nerves and not wanting to let (Roethlisberger) down,” Washington said. “ … I have sharpened a few skills and will just continue to do that every single day and get to where I need to be.”

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