Assessing Washington Redskins first-round options: QB Dwayne Haskins
By Ian Cummings
How Dwayne Haskins fits the Redskins
Haskins fits fairly well into the west coast concepts that Jay Gruden uses frequently. Haskins likes to get the ball out quick, and he likes to throw when his receivers have some separation. With limited arm talent, the Redskins would be wise to glean some concepts from Ryan Day’s playbook at Ohio State, to make Haskins as comfortable as possible.
Comfort is important for Haskins, because when he’s uncomfortable, and when he has to go off-script, he’s not nearly as proficient. In terms of both play calling and supporting cast, the Redskins have some work to do before they can deem their situation as one that would give Haskins comfort. The offensive line still lacks a starter at left guard, and depth can be added. The receiving core is a big question mark at this point, and while Kevin O’Connell might help get the most out of his cast, to assume as such is dangerous; as long as Gruden is there, he’ll have input on play calls.
So the Redskins situation isn’t perfect for Haskins. But is Haskins even the right player for the Redskins? His weaknesses seem fairly similar to those of recent Redskins quarterbacks, weaknesses that kept them from sustaining any success. Haskins is similar to Kirk Cousins in the sense that he needs the structure to be minimally flawed, at this stage in his career. He’s also similar to Alex Smith, in the sense that he’s a good, smart distributor, but fails to live up to the occasion when asked to take more risks or make something out of nothing. In fact, the Draft Network’s Jon Ledyard made the comparison to Alex Smith for Haskins. It’s a comparison that incites worry.
Could Haskins be better than the aforementioned players? Yes, he could. But he doesn’t have the surefire upside to bank a ton of money on that possibility. His arm is good, not great, and he’s not mobile or athletic or quick on his feet. Haskins needs the structure to succeed. Are the Redskins really in the business of trading up for that kind of quarterback, after the last two didn’t work out?