Steelers 2-a-days: James Washington out to improve; Herb Waters continuing transition to CB

Editor’s note: From now until the first practice of training camp at Saint Vincent College, the Trib will be running through the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 90-man roster, assessing each player’s outlook for the 2019 season. The breakdown will go through the roster in mostly-alphabetical order, (at least) two per day, between June 14 and July 26.

WR JAMES WASHINGTON

Experience: 2nd season

Contract status: $1.023 million cap hit in 2019, signed through 2021

2019 outlook: With 16 catches and one touchdown on 38 targets, it’s fair to say Washington was one of the Steelers’ bigger disappointments of 2018. That might in part be because unrealistic expectations were heaved upon him as a highly productive college receiver drafted in Round 2. But the Steelers have reason to be hopeful for a breakout season. With Antonio Brown gone, someone has to pick up the slack, and a slimmed-down Washington is the most obvious candidate.

#Steelers James Washington hopes that cohesion with Ben Roethlisberger serves as a springboard into a strong second NFL season https://t.co/T6uMtSieD8

— Tribune-ReviewSports (@TribSports) May 26, 2019

RB HERB WATERS

Experience: With Packers from 2016-18 but never in a regular-season game; been with Steelers since October

Contract status: $495,000 cap hit in 2019, under contractual control for four accrued seasons

2019 outlook: One of three converted college receivers on the Steelers camp roster, Waters is the only one who never played defense in college (at Miami). He moved to cornerback on the Packers practice squad in 2016. Injured in 2017, Waters spent most of 2018 on the Steelers practice squad. At 26, time is running out, but he shows ability that intrigues the Steelers, especially if he can excel on special teams.

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