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Is Dwayne Haskins the best choice as QB2 in Pittsburgh?
Less than nine months ago, QB Dwayne Haskins was released by the Washington Football Team after being the 15th overall pick in 2019. After a decent rookie year, he was named the 2020 starter by head coach Ron Rivera after coming to camp leaner and playing well in the preseason. Dwayne Haskins was benched prior to Week 5 due to a poor work ethic and performance on the field. After breaking COVID-19 protocol several times with the team in playoff contention late in the season, Haskins was released before the end of the season. Rivera stated he was cut because of his poor decision-making and not meeting off-field team standards. The Pittsburgh Steelers signed him to freshen up their competition for QB2 and Ben Roethlisberger's eventual replacement. Mason Rudolph has been the backup since 2018 but has yet to secure the spot long-term. Joshua Dobbs is in his second stint with the Steelers and has potential that has never fully been unlocked. Dwayne Haskins opened the 2021 training camp as QB4.
Dwayne Haskins started at the bottom of the depth chart while at rock bottom of his career. After Haskins was cut, it took weeks before the Steelers signed him, and there was no other calls coming in for him. He was a former top-15 pick from 2019 with 50 TDs in 2018 with Ohio State. He later called his release and blown chance in the NFL a "blessing" and that playing for his hometown team felt more like a "burden". Ron Rivera didn't draft him and had zero ties in Haskins' future. Basically, Dwayne Haskins has the talent when given the right environment and mentors. Since joining Pittsburgh, he has had zero issues off the field and has been a model player.
Entering training camp, Dwayne Haskins was shaky on the field and many assumed he would be in the first round of cuts. Instead, he started off hot out of the gate in camp with accuracy, TDs, high yardage and big plays. He even led all of the Pittsburgh QBs with 20+ yard completions. As camp proceeded, he eventually cooled off but remained in the battle. In his first 2021 NFL preseason game, Dwayne Haskins went 8/13 for 54 yards (4.2 yards per attempt) as the backup to starter Mason Rudolph. He completed three of his four passes on 3rd down, but never converted. He was credited by head coach Mike Tomlin for being smart on the field, but came up short in the moment.
In Week 1, Dwayne Haskins went off with 16/22 for 161 yards and a TD while scoring on four of his five drives as the backup to Rudolph again. Mike Tomlin praised him for being "in command" of the offense by going through his reads well and making good decisions under pressure. Haskins called the game the most fun he has had since being drafted in the NFL. One of his major blunders was a miscommunication on a play and he ran right into the defense while his blockers went the opposite way. Still, he has the edge on Mason Rudolph through two games. Ben Roethlisberger will play in Week 2 versus the Detroit Lions and it's unclear who the backup will be. Haskins and Rudolph should split the load, though.
At this rate, Dwayne Haskins is poised to beat out Mason Rudolph, who could end up being traded in the process. But is he the best fit as Roethlisberger's backup? Mason Rudolph plays similar to Ben's style, but for the Steelers, Dwayne Haskins is the best option for them. He has the intangibles that Rudolph doesn't, but has taken a hit to his mental skills on the field with a shaken confidence. That seems to have been repaired by Pittsburgh, and he's shown the same potential he had as a top draft prospect. Haskins is less than a few months into playing in this new system, one new to all of the QBs, and already has the edge in it. We haven't seen how Ben Roethlisberger will play in Matt Canada's new offense, but Haskins has taken to it better than Rudolph and Dobbs. Haskins won't start the regular season barring a major injury to Ben, but if he can continue his success with the offense throughout practice during the season, 2022 could be Dwayne Haskins' redemption as a starter in the NFL.
Also Read: Who is Ben Roethlisberger's Wife, Ashley Harlan?
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