Dwayne Haskins is looking for a fresh start after a disastrous two-year stint with the Washington Football Team that resulted in the first-round pick being cut with a week left in the season last year.
The 24-year-old quarterback is currently vying for the backup job with the Pittsburgh Steelers and has actually had a quite impressive preseason.
So much so, that former Steeler and ESPN analyst Ryan Clark believes that Haskins has earned the backup role, even ahead of Friday’s preseason finale against the Carolina Panthers.
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“I think he’s put himself in position ahead of Mason Rudolph to replace Ben Roethlisberger,” Clark told Zach Brook on the “Upon Further Review” podcast. “But it doesn’t necessarily mean he will be the predecessor.”
Roethlisberger, 39, could very well be in his final year but Haskins must first earn his spot as a backup.
He has performed well thus far in the preseason, particularly in a game against the Eagles in which he completed 16-of-22 passes for 161 yards and a touchdown. He is also getting the start in Friday’s preseason finale.
Clark believes by joining an organization that has a reputation for stability like the Steelers is also paying dividends for Haskins.
“Sometimes you need a swift kick in the ass to tell you, you know what, you need to be better. Be a better human. Be a better player,” Clark said. “Seems like he’s kinda accepted that. If you watched him throughout the preseason, you’ve seen great decision-making, you see him move in the pocket, making plays downfield like you saw against the Eagles.
“Even simple checkdowns, short passes are things that he’s learned. Sometimes failure can lead to great success. Sometimes those setbacks lead to comebacks and maybe that’s what Dwayne Haskins has.”
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