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The Pittsburgh Steelers played their final preseason game Friday as they faced off against the Carolina Panthers. The game had many implications regarding players trying to secure a spot on the roster this season. One specific player had a tremendous amount of pressure to perform well. That player being: Dwayne Haskins.
The Steelers were defeated by the Panthers in dominating fashion. The final score was 34-9 as Pittsburgh looked woefully unprepared, and the offense that Dwayne Haskins was leading appeared to be nonexistent.
Here's a look at three takeaways from the Steelers' final 2021 preseason game.
Dwayne Haskins will not be the backup QB
Haskins, 24, finished with a staline of 9-for-16 completed passes for 108 yards, a touchdown and an interception. The Steelers offense struggled mightily and conjured up a touchdown on their final drive as a result of garbage time. His touchdown score was merely stat padding as his play throughout the game didn't match the numbers he finished with.
Mason Rudolph has underperformed throughout all of training camp, but his experience with the Steelers, coupled with Haskins' inability to perform outside of practice, will grant the former the backup position this upcoming season.
Haskins may not make the Steelers roster
After a disastrous stint with the Washington Football Team, the former first-round pick failed to show any improvement during his time with the Steelers. IN his two years with Washington, he threw for 2,804 yards along with 12 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.
Dwayne Haskins' talent is undeniable, however hhe consistently fails to comprehend NFL playbook's and it's on full display every time he walks on to the field.
Mike Tomlin doesn't tolerate players that are unprepared come game time. Meaning, Dwayne Haskins' brief tenure with the Steelers could very well be coming to an end in the coming days.
The Steelers still need to find Big Ben's successor
Mason Rudolph clearly isn't the answer to succeed Ben Roethlisberger when all is said and done. There was hope that maybe Haskins could be that answer, considering he was the 15th overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft.
Unfortunately, the Steelers' attempt to make another man's trash their treasure failed. With Roethlisberger entering season 18 at the age of 39, it's imperative that the front office find his replacement.
Haskins could still potentially be that guy. But as of now, his play has proven otherwise and it remains unclear if he'll even make the roster this season.
