LATROBE, Pa. -- While Antonio Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster are clearly the Pittsburgh Steelers' top two receivers, there's room for a third guy to emerge.
Veterans Justin Hunter and Darrius Heyward-Bey are reliable options. But the Steelers are still learning about second-round rookie James Washington, and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger wants to see more.
"You see him getting better every day," Roethlisberger said. "Early in camp, we were talking about he couldn't even get on the field with me. Now we're asking for him to be on the field so he can get some reps and we can see what he can do."
Washington appears ready for that spotlight. He is still refining his game for NFL standards, but he has shown a knack for making catches in traffic. If Washington can beat cornerbacks downfield and make the contested catch, the Steelers might just have their Martavis Bryant replacement.
Washington has soft hands and strong arms to secure the ball through contact. That's a good place to start, even if coach Mike Tomlin reminded Washington in a recent practice that his footwork should catch up to his hands ability -- in other words, get to the spot quicker so the catch is easier.
"At this level, I've realized you have to make combat catches," Washington said. "Everyone is good at this level. You're not going to get 10 yards of separation. ... It's all about your hand usage and how good your hands are at the catch point."
Washington, who broke records at Oklahoma State with quarterback and Steelers teammate Mason Rudolph, converted two corner-end-zone touchdowns with Roethlisberger in 11-man work last week.
He'd like that trend to continue.
"Whatever I can do to get on the field with whatever opportunity I get," Washington said. "If I get in with Ben and get the opportunity, I'm taking it and [running] with it."
