Every single team in the NFL should be salivating over the abundance of tight end talent in the 2023 draft, and Darnell Washington might just be the best of the bunch. While he is a little unpolished, he has the potential to be one of the best tight ends in the league, and somebody is going to roll the dice on him. The only question is, which team will that be?
As of this posting, there doesn’t appear to be a consensus on when Darnell Washington will go off the board. Some mock drafts have him going midway through the first round, while others view him as more of a Day 2 guy. Because of this uncertainty, just about every team in the league could have the opportunity to draft Darnell Washington.
Top 6 Teams That Could Draft Darnell Washington
Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers need a tight end in the worst way. After failing to address the position in free agency, the team has arguably the worst group of tight ends in the entire NFL. Darnell Washington would fix this teams problems immediately, as the big tight end would provide a reliable target over the middle for Justin Herbert. As an added bonus, Washington is also an elite run blocker, and putting him next to Rashawn Slater should lead to some easy running lanes for Austin Ekeler.
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys lost Dalton Schultz in free agency, and they haven’t really done anything to replace him. Tight end is an important position for the Cowboys, so perhaps the team is banking on someone like Darnell Washington to contribute from Day 1. While he’ll likely need some time to get up to speed in the passing game, he should be able to create rushing lanes for Tony Pollard as a rookie.
New Orleans Saints
Juwan Johnson is a fine tight end, but he’s not the type of player that will stop the Saints from trying to find an upgrade at the position. Darnell Washington is unquestionably better, and Derek Carr’s history of supporting tight end production makes this fit even more of a no-brainer. Darren Waller and Darnell Washington are not the same type of player, but Carr’s propensity for targeting his old tight end should translate to Washington.
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers will have a new quarterback in 2023, but it’s anyone guess as to who he’ll be targeting in the passing game. Adam Thielen and DJ Chark are both adequate players, but neither is a long-term solution, and the team has absolutely no talent at tight end. Darnell Washington would immediately be the best player on the roster and could serve as a valuable security blanket for either CJ Stroud or Bryce Young.
Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals have an elite wide receiver trio in Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd, but they could use another body at tight end. After losing Hayden Hurst in free agency, the team needs to find a more reliable option than Drew Sample, and Darnell Washington could be the man for the job. With all the talent at receiver, opposing defenses won’t put additional pressure on Washington, allowing him to make the most of one-on-one situations and potentially turn into a great redzone threat.
Kansas City Chiefs
Travis Kelce is still a phenomenal player and the best tight end in the league, but how long can this possibly last? The four-time All-Pro is entering his age-34 season, so he’s definitely on the back nine of his career. Darnell Washington could spend the first year or two learning the nuances of the position before taking over when age inevitably catches up to the future Hall of Famer.
Main Photo: Kirby Lee – USA Today Sports
