Ron Rivera compares Dwayne Haskins to Ben Roethlisberger due to size and pocket presence

Rivera says he’s impressed with Haskins’ size and ability to move around the pocket and keep plays alive, much like Ben Roethlisberger does.

Though rookie quarterback Dwayne Haskins is still a young and relatively raw football player, he’s shown some flashes of upside so far in his career, especially in the final two games of his season, where he threw for over 390 yards and four touchdowns combined.

Luckily, those were two games that new head coach Ron Rivera would have been available to watch, as he was no longer working with the Carolina Panthers after being fired. In that time, Rivera was able to see the potential that Haskins has and realize what his size can allow him to do while in the pocket and facing pressure.

While appearing on ESPN’s First Take on Friday morning, Rivera remarked that Haskins’ big body allows him to model a playstyle similar to Ben Roethlisberger. At 6-3, 230 pounds, Haskins isn’t exactly what we consider a ‘mobile quarterback’ in today’s NFL, but he doesn’t need to be. With the height to see over the line, and the bulk to take a few hits, Rivera things that Haskins can face pressure up the middle and stay poised enough to deliver the ball downfield.

It’s also interesting to note that Rivera finished this remark about Haskins by saying that he’s excited about the rookie’s potential, but he is still planning to pit a couple of veterans against him in the QB competition this summer, like Alex Smith, should he recover in time. Be it for a legit fight for QB1, or a way to keep Haskins looking over his shoulder, Rivera seems committed to avoiding the naming of a starter until the fall.

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