Washington Football Team: Players team could trade away before deadline
QB Dwayne Haskins
Just a year and a half ago, the Washington Football Team spent a first-round pick on quarterback Dwayne Haskins. With the trade deadline approaching, it seems possible that the team could move on from him.
After Haskins was benched in favor of Kyle Allen, there were reports that the team would try to trade Haskins before the deadline. That would give Haskins a fresh start and give Ron Rivera and Co. a chance to ride Allen, who appears to be their preferred quarterback, the rest of the way.
On the surface, trading Haskins may seem like a foolish decision. But considering that struggles he has had as a starter along with the fact that Washington may have another top-five draft pick, it may make sense for both sides to get a fresh start. Besides, it doesn’t seem like Rivera believes Haskins will develop into a starter, so it doesn’t make sense to try to force this fit to work.
Selling on Haskins now would be selling low, but this has been done in recent seasons. Josh Rosen was traded for a second-round pick just one year after the Arizona Cardinals selected him with a top-10 pick. That trade looks good for the Cardinals now since they ended up drafting Kyler Murray while Rosen is the third-string quarterback for the Dolphins.
Haskins could pan out in a different system or a different setting. Or he could be given more time in Washington to develop and prove himself as a quality start in 2021. It’s hard to know what will happen at this point.
It is fair to give Haskins some benefit of the doubt given that he’s on his third coach in less than two years and didn’t have a real offseason to prepare in this new offense, but it’s also true that the NFL is a result-driven league. And simply put, Haskins hasn’t done much to show that he can deliver the results needed to be a solid starter.
If a team like the Steelers, Patriots, or Seahawks call up and make an offer for Haskins, Washington will have to consider it. He may not draw a ton of interest on the trade market given his performance this season, but the possibility of him being traded exists. It would be a disappointing end to his brief tenure in Washington, but selling too early is better than selling too late.