It is not inherent in the personality of Darnell Washington to show arrogance.

So when a reporter recently asked the massive Pittsburgh Steelers tight end if he had won every rep he took in the backs-on-backers drill during two training-camp practices last week, Washington remained understated.

“Something like that,” he said, “yeah.”

Washington laughed. So did a dozen or so onlookers. After all, Washington not only prevailed against a myriad of opposing edge rushers during the “Friday Night Lights” practice, Washington appeared to dominate them. That list included a perennial defensive player of the year candidate in T.J. Watt, who couldn’t find his way around Washington’s imposing 6-foot-7 frame.

They don’t call him “Mount” Washington for nothing.

“For sure, that’s probably the (most fun) drill that we do,” Washington said. “Just because the energy, the mixed emotions, the competitiveness of everybody out there. Even with the running backs, just seeing them doing it back-to-back-to-back. And even when they lose, they get back up, say, ‘One more time, one more time!’ So just seeing that excites me, gets my blood flowing a little bit.”

Washington has delivered on his most obvious strength the Steelers saw in him when they took him in the third round of the 2023 draft. Among the 50 tight ends who played the most blocking snaps last season, Washington had the fourth-best Pro Football Focus run-blocking grade. He also was in the top 15 in pass blocking.

No surprise for a man who weighs … well … it says on the official roster … 264 pounds?!

As quarterback Mason Rudolph described Washington, a smirk on his face, “300 pounds … 290, 299 … ”

Widely known to surpass 300 pounds on the scale, Washington’s bona fides as a quality blocking tight end at this point are not questioned.

What is of question, though, is if Washington had it in him to take his career one of two divergent ways:

• Can he become a more dynamic receiving threat? As in, a 300-pound manchild catching, to use random examples, 40-50 passes with maybe a half dozen touchdowns per season?

• Or, in an even more outside-the-box idea, could Washington ditch the receiving altogether and apply his skills — and that enormous body — as an offensive tackle?

In regards to the latter, rest assured that it’s an idea that’s broached at times by the Steelers offensive linemen.

“His blocking is definitely varsity level enough to be a tackle,” starting right guard Mason McCormick said. “You’d have to fine-tune some things and work on some things, and there’d be some bumps along the way, but he absolutely has the capability, yeah.”

Does Washington want that? In some ways, he should — the top tackles in the NFL can make almost twice as much as the best tight ends. Then again, Washington is used to the glory of having the ball in his hands and having the opportunity to score.

For his part, Washington isn’t closing any doors on a possible mid-career position switch.

“I mean, I don’t know what God has got in play for me,” he said. “But as of right now, I’m focusing on the tight end role until I can’t or whenever my time is up.

“I’m an open-minded dude. So that comes in day-to-day life, football standpoint, relationship standpoint.”

Does Washington believe he would be able to excel if, at one of the sport’s most important positions and at its highest level, he would get asked to embark on a switch to offensive tackle?

“Personally, I feel like I can,” Washington said. “But right now, I’m a tight end. So I’m going to focus on that. But later on down the road or any time in the future that they ask for me to do that, I’m going to do it with my best ability. I personally know I’m going to do it with lots of confidence.”

It remains extremely unlikely that the Steelers would move Washington to tackle, especially any time soon. So for now, he can focus on improving the aspects of his “day job” — namely, receiving. With 26 catches on 35 targets for 261 yards and one touchdown in 34 career NFL games, there clearly is room to up that production.

Although Washington is the Steelers’ No. 3 as a receiving tight end behind Pat Freiermuth and Jonnu Smith, coordinator Arthur Smith’s scheme regularly deploys two-, three- and even four-tight end sets. And particularly with what is regarded as a shallow corps of wide receivers, Washington will get opportunities to catch passes.

“I don’t know how many human beings (that size who) can run the way he does,” Rudolph said.

“It’s pretty impressive. He’s got huge hands. He’s smart. He’s the total package.”

In part because of injuries afflicting the WR group and because of days of rest given to the likes of Jonnu Smith and Freiermuth, Washington has been one of the receiving stars of this training camp. He’s regularly catching multiple passes per practice, often in the red zone or end zone.

“With this offense, I just feel like my role is improving day by day,” Washington said. “I’ve just got to keep showing it.”

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