There is a fresh, recent first-round quarterback freely available for anyone right now. The Washington Football Team released 2019 first-round pick Dwayne Haskins on Monday after he was benched in the midst of a dreadful performance against Carolina.
For a team like the Detroit Lions, who sorely need a young, developmental quarterback in the organization, taking a chance on Haskins makes sense. It’s a risk, however; Haskins has had problems with selfish behavior aside from uneven passing that has seen the Ohio State product throw more INTs (14) than TDs (12) in his two seasons in Washington.
Lions fans might recall Haskins celebrating with fans along the sidelines instead of being ready to take the field for a two-point conversion in the Football Team’s win over Detroit in 2019. Acts like that wore thin with the new Ron Rivera regime in Washington, which did not draft him at No. 15 overall in 2019.
Despite the rough start to his NFL career, Haskins does have some impressive talent. A fresh start with a new team that won’t immediately expect him to be the franchise answer at quarterback can hopefully salvage a bad personal fit in Washington.
The Lions, with veteran Matthew Stafford under contract for at least one more season, are one such team. At minimum, Haskins is an upgrade over backup Chase Daniel and third-stringer David Blough. He’s also suitably cost-controlled as a recent former first-rounder. It’s hard to ignore the lack of professionalism Haskins has exhibited and the erratic decisions on the field, though.
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