Dwayne Haskins will finally start for the Steelers in their final preseason game Friday against the Panthers. But that's not necessarily an encouraging sign about his future in Pittsburgh.
Let's be honest: Mason Rudolph sitting out tells us he's probably secured the backup quarterback job, as ESPN's Brooke Pryor told the Fan Wednesday. While Haskins has impressed this preseason, the Steelers still seemingly view him as a project.
The question is, do they want to carry a project as their third quarterback?
Haskins' last start in an NFL game also came against the Panthers, and he imploded. The 2019 first-round pick completed just 14 of 28 attempts for 154 yards with two interceptions in that pivotal Week 16 matchup.
He was released days later for egregiously violating Covid-19 protocols.
This week, Haskins said he views Friday's contest as a fresh start. "I feel like that game really just was tough for me more than anything," he told reporters. "Probably the biggest thing for me going into this game is understanding and realizing that that's not who I am now, and that's not what I was trying to be when I was playing."
The Steelers signed Haskins to a one-year deal in January as a rehabilitation project, and so far, it's gone well. Mike Tomlin often praises him; Haskins always says the right thing. He's also performed well this preseason, completing 16 of 22 passes for 161 yards and a touchdown against the Eagles, while also leading three more scoring drives.
Haskins' impressive showing has led some NFL analysts, including Ryan Clark and John Clayton, to proclaim he should be ahead of Rudolph on the depth chart.
But in reality, Haskins isn't. The Steelers won't play many of their starters Friday, with even Najee Harris, who was expected to play in all four preseason contests, sitting out as well.
Josh Dobbs will relieve Haskins under center, and try to show he's the best man to fill out the quarterback room. Traditionally, the Steelers have used their third QB as somebody who can prepare Ben Roethlisberger for games and act as a scout-team quarterback. Bruce Gradkowski filled this role perfectly.
It's easy to write off Dobbs as a non-entity, due to his limited impact over four professional seasons. But you need playing time to make plays, and frankly, Dobbs hasn't received much of it. He's only attempted 17 passes in his NFL career.
Meanwhile, Haskins has thrown the ball 444 times in 16 NFL games.
Earlier this month, Tomlin said Dobbs is still in the QB mix. "This guy's not gonna back down from the competition," Tomlin stated. "You guys keep asking me about Rudolph and Haskins, but he's not going anywhere."
Dobbs found his way into the Steelers' lineup at the tail end of last season, running the zone read in their finale against the Browns. An elite athlete, Dobbs could potentially provide the Steelers with some new looks this season.
Admittedly, it's scintillating to think about Haskins rediscovering his potential and serving as Roethlisberger's heir apparent. But the Steelers don't appear to be sold.
If they were, Haskins wouldn't be starting Friday, as most other roster locks sit on the sidelines.
