NFL
By: Ryan Cooley
Dwayne Haskins has had one of the worst weeks a quarterback can have. He went from being a team captain in week 4 to not even dressing for week 5. Kyle Allen was announced as the starter Wednesday with Alex Smith backing him up. Many fans were upset with the news. Most believed Haskins deserved to have a full season to prove himself.
It seems each day, more news comes out about Haskins that may explain why he was benched (besides his poor performances). Sunday before their game, Washington reporters announced rumors that Haskins’ time in D.C. may be over and he is likely to be gone by the trade deadline on October 29th. There is no solid evidence of Haskins officially being on the trading block, but after everything that has transpired this past week, it is not a crazy thought.
Here are five potential landing spots for Dwayne Haskins if Washington decides to trade him.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers drafted Mason Rudolph in hopes he could be Ben’s successor. However, last season proved the chances of that happening are slim to none. Roethlisberger is 38 and is set to be a free agent in 2022. This put Pittsburgh in the market for a QB.
When he was a prospect, Dwayne Haskins’ NFL comparison was Ben Roethlisberger. I believe Haskins would benefit greatly from sitting under a quarterback like Ben for a year or two. They have a very similar skill set as being a big QB with a huge arm.
Chicago Bears
The Bears are in a very difficult position. Trubisky was benched during week 3 as Nick Foles took over. In 2 ½ games, he has not been impressive either. It seems the Bears are going to need a new quarterback in 2021.
The problem is they do not have an abundance of draft picks or cap space. They have a first-rounder, but being 4-1 does not bode well for them to have a top pick in the draft. This may lead to them trading for Haskins if he’s available. If he can sit for the rest of 2020, and learn the playbook, he may have a shot at being the starter in Chicago next season.
I am not sure this is necessarily a great fit, but it’s not as if the Bears have a ton of options.
Indianapolis Colts
Phillip Rivers signed a one-year deal with Indianapolis this offseason. They also selected Jacob Eason in the 4th round this past draft. I am not sure if they believe Eason is their future quarterback, so it might be wise to trade for Haskins. If Rivers retires after this season and Brissett walks in free agency, they would be left with just Eason.
If they brought in Haskins, they could have a competition in training camp to see who the starter will be in 2021. The Colts have a great offensive line and defense, along with decent weapons. This would be good for any young quarterback that is developing.
Minnesota Vikings
I’ve already seen some Viking fans intrigued by the possibility of them trading for Haskins. Sean Mannion is the only other quarterback on the Vikings roster. Cousins is set to be a free agent in 2023. This would give Haskins two full years to sit and learn. I also believe Cousins would be a good quarterback to develop under.
I do not think Cousins is a quarterback that can lead a team to the Super Bowl, so obtaining Haskins wouldn’t be the worst idea. If he can sit and develop, he could be their option after Cousins’ contract is up, or even before that if Cousins can’t live up to expectations.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Is there any better player for a young quarterback to sit and learn than under the greatest of all time? Brady’s contract is up after 2021 and Tampa Bay will need someone to take the reigns. Brady wouldn’t be the only asset their to help. Along with Brady, Bruce Arians has also coached Peyton Manning, Carson Palmer, Andrew Luck, and Ben Roethlisberger. He knows his way around coaching a great quarterback, to say the least. He would also have Byron Leftwich as his OC.
The problem with this move is that Tampa Bay signed Josh Rosen to their practice squad. Much like Eason in Indianapolis, I am unsure if they view Rosen as a possibility to be their future quarterback. This landing spot would probably be more ideal for Haskins than the Bucs.
