NFL Rumors: Dwayne Haskins Is ‘Virtually Certain’ To Be Gone From Washington In 2021, Per ‘CBS Sports’
Following continued struggles on the field, as well as a recent violation of the NFL’s COVID-19 protocols, it appears there’s a good chance second-year quarterback Dwayne Haskins may be cut or traded by the Washington Football Team before the start of the 2021 season.
Citing sources familiar with the situation, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports wrote on Sunday that it is “virtually certain” Haskins will “not be back” in Washington next year. This reportedly comes weeks after the former Ohio State star was benched in favor of Kyle Allen and later asked to be moved to another team. Despite the organization’s willingness to trade him, it turned out that there was a “limited-at-best” market for the young signal-caller.
“That market is likely to be even more constrained in 2021, with most teams expecting him to be released this offseason after a highly-tumultuous two seasons in Washington since being selected in the first round by a prior regime,” La Canfora continued.
As further noted, there has supposedly been “no shortage of tough love” for Haskins after he had been spotted violating the NFL’s COVID-19 protocols. The quarterback was quickly stripped of his short-lived status as team captain and fined $40,000 — a record-high fine for coronavirus-related violations, as pointed out by Bleacher Report. However, it appears that Washington has no choice but to stick with him in the meantime, considering the ongoing concerns over veteran Alex Smith’s recent calf injury, as well as the fact that his career nearly ended due to a previous right leg injury.
Allen, meanwhile, underwent surgery for a season-ending ankle injury he sustained in Week 9, leaving Haskins as Washington’s only player with experience behind center heading into Week 16 action.
Statistically, Haskins has struggled since getting selected in the first round by Washington in the 2019 draft. According to Pro Football Reference, the 23-year-old has thrown for five touchdowns and five interceptions for 1,285 yards this season, good for a 77.7 rating. While he has only won three out of the 12 games he started in across his two-season career, he has shown substantial improvement in terms of his completion rate as well as his average passing yards per game. He also played solidly during the second half of Washington’s 20-15 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 15.
Despite the uncertainty regarding Haskins’ future, he still might have a chance to help Washington emerge on top of an especially weak NFC East division. With a 6-8 record, the club will need to defeat the Carolina Panthers, while the New York Giants (5-9) will also have to lose to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.
