After flaming out spectacularly in Washington, former first-round pick Dwayne Haskins officially became a free agent Tuesday after passing through waivers unclaimed. A holdover from the previous Jay Gruden regime, Haskins never meshed with coach Ron Rivera, who benched the underachieving 23-year-old only a month into the 2020 season.
After surviving the trade deadline, Haskins was called into action after an injury to veteran Alex Smith in Week 14. Haskins started the following week, struggling in a loss to Seattle (two interceptions, 5.36 yards per attempt). Haskins continued his self-destruction after being spotted partying mask-less with strippers, a clear violation of the league’s COVID protocols. Rivera reluctantly turned to Haskins as his Week 16 starter, but not before levying a steep fine (the strip club stunt cost him a cool 40 G’s) and demoting him from his role as team captain. Haskins was benched again in Sunday’s loss to Carolina (this time for former UDFA Taylor Heinicke), prompting his release the next day.
Haskins’ disastrous two-year stint in Washington couldn’t have gone any worse, exposing his immaturity, questionable work ethic and physical limitations as an immobile, mistake-prone field general with poor accuracy and a penchant for committing costly turnovers. Toxic as the Ohio State alum may seem, Haskins has reportedly drawn "some" interest as a free agent, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Given his pedigree as a former top-15 pick, Haskins, for all his flaws, could be a worthy reclamation project in the right environment. He’d also fill an immediate need for the Rams, who are rolling out untested John Wolford at QB in Sunday’s must-win game against the Cardinals. Wolford, who has yet to attempt an NFL pass, will have the unenviable task of replacing Jared Goff, who was lost to a broken thumb in Week 16. The Rams’ opponent in that game, the 8-7 Cardinals, also face questions at quarterback with Pro Bowler Kyler Murray nursing a leg injury.
For his part, Haskins has acknowledged the lapses that led to his departure from Washington, owning up to his past shortcomings and vowing to make the most of his next opportunity, whenever that may come. Will Haskins benefit from a change of scenery like former Dolphins castoff Ryan Tannehill, who has flourished since his move to Tennessee, or will his career trajectory more closely resemble Josh Rosen, a failed first-rounder who has already been relegated to journeyman status? Time will tell.
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