Dwayne Haskins is no longer the starting quarterback of the Washington Football Team. Head coach Ron Rivera made the decision official on Wednesday morning, following a 1-3 start to the season.
The New York Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are all intriguing options to step in and take a chance on Haskins.
Due to the NFC East being a dumpster fire, at 1-3, Washington is still completely in the running for a divisional title. That is what prompted Rivera to go with the quarterback he felt like could win right now, as opposed to winning in the future.
“We’re in a situation where if we’re still trying to teach one guy and the other 52 aren’t given an opportunity to see if we can win, then that’s not fair,” Rivera said.
“If someone [in the division] was 4-0 or 3-1, OK. But there’s a chance to win the division. You have to look at it that way.”
So where does that leave Haskins?
Not great. https://t.co/8swzzOKuxG
— Game 7 (@game7__) October 7, 2020
The former Ohio State star got off to a rough start in 2020. Through four outings, his 30.6 QBR puts him dead last in the entire NFL. Moreover, he ranks 27th in completion percentage and 26th in yards per passing attempt.
With all that being said – he is only 23 years old. This is his second year in the league. He is still very raw, having started a combined 25 outings between his time in the pros and his time at Ohio State.
There is still plenty of time to develop, preferably on a team that would have the patience for that sort of thing.
Even Rivera contends that Haskins is an NFL caliber quarterback.
“The kid has an NFL arm,” Rivera said.
So who could step in and make a move for Haskins?
The Jets are an obvious contender. Sam Darnold has not delivered on the promises that were made when he got drafted, and the Jets rank at the bottom of the league in total passing yards, passing yards per game, total yards and total yards per game.
If Haskins could be gotten on the cheap right now, there is no reason for New York not to take a chance on him.
Yikes Tyler Herro. https://t.co/LX84mxEocZ
— Game 7 (@game7__) October 7, 2020
Pittsburgh also makes a lot of sense. Ben Roethlisberger is looking good to start the year, but he is still 38 years old and coming off a year where he missed all but two weeks. A succession plan needs to be developed, and Mason Rudolph isn’t it.
Finally, the Buccaneers are a fascinating option. Tom Brady is 43 years old and has two quality years left in him – at best. Josh Rosen probably won’t suddenly become good, so there is room for a young quarterback to come in, sit on the bench, and learn.
Haskins would be perfect.
All in all, Haskins will undoubtedly get another shot to be a starting quarterback in the NFL in some capacity – it’s just a matter of when not if.
Which team will step up to the plate and take advantage of him being available right now? Time will tell.
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Charles Kruger has been credentialed to cover two Super Bowls, four NBA Finals, and one World Series. A 20-year veteran in the sports world, he has sources spanning the NBA, MLB, NFL, UFC and NASCAR. Currently residing in Los Angeles, Calif., he is Game 7’s go-to source for rumors surrounding the Lakers, Clippers and Dodgers.
