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About an hour ago
There is a lot of speculation as to what the signing of former Washington quarterback Dwayne Haskins “really” means for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Is this an indicator that Ben Roethlisberger is going to retire? Is Haskins brought on board to goose Roethlisberger in that direction? Does that mean Mason Rudolph is going to be traded or cut?
My guess is none of the above. In my opinion, it is nothing more than Paxton Lynch 2.0. Which is a weird thing for me to type in because it’s even hard to recognize that Paxton Lynch ever existed as Steeler in the first place.
He did. Believe me. I saw him on the training grounds.
It’s the same exercise with Haskins, however. They just bring in another failed first-round quarterback with athletic potential and arm talent to see if they can find out what his first team didn’t.
And if they don’t, it’s just as easy to quietly allow Haskins to disappear on his one-year futures contract as it is to get rid of Lynch. I mean, I noticed Lynch leaving even less than I noticed his arrival. Is not it?
Optimists about the move may call it low risk, high reward. The rejection of one team is another team’s treasure.
Yeah. OKAY. May be. I am going on a more conservative path. I call it low risk, low reward.
At the best of times, maybe Haskins turns out to be a better backup than Mason Rudolph. Even if their numbers so far in the NFL don’t suggest it.
Rudolph has played 15 games. Haskins in 16. Rudolph has more touchdowns, better passer rating, fewer interceptions, better completion percentage and fewer sacks than Haskins.
Plus, you have to wonder why Washington got rid of a former first-round QB in the draft in just two years. Not only has this development been slow. It was also things off the field. Like violating covid-19 protocols by not wearing a mask at the post game party during the 2020 season. This act resulted in the removal of its captain. He was also reportedly benched for poor practice habits and poor preparation.
Do the Steelers want this guy in their quarterback room during Roethlisberger last year?
Yeah. I don’t think so either.
Plus, I would hate to see the Steelers come up with a potentially better option if they think it’s available in free agency or mid-draft just because they have Haskins in the mix now. The quarterback is not like most other positions. You can’t just put together as many as you want and let them fight for playtime and places on the depth board.
At least not now with Roethlisberger still under contract.
But maybe that’s the mentality. It may be the thought. Just store a batch of quarters together so no one else can get them just yet. Give yourself as many options as possible for a succession plan after Roethlisberger’s contract expires at the end of 2021.
Like when the Steelers added Tommy Maddox to the mix in 2001 with Kordell Stewart and Tee Martin. At the beginning of 2002, Maddox started.
Or what the franchise was trying to do in the 1980s with the combination they had in a given year of Cliff Stoudt, Mark Malone, David Woodley, Bubby Brister, Scott Campbell, Todd Blackledge, Rick Strom, and Steve Bono.
Weft! It’s quite a list. Maybe Lynch or Haskins would have had a chance to emerge as a starter of this group.
For me, this is the most glaring indicator. Not so much that signing the Haskins will have an impact on the Steelers in 2021. But starting in 2022, we might see the franchise wander down that 1980s path of constantly throwing a mishmash of mediocrity from quarterback to the end. until they come across the next capable full-time. Entrance.
My hunch is that Haskins’ role in Steelers history will be a footnote like most names in this group. And trying to read the tea leaves for a deeper impact of that signature is an unsuccessful endeavor.
Let’s just hope the Steelers don’t pass on someone who becomes another team’s treasure just because Haskins is there.
You know, like in 1983 when they felt good enough to have Stoudt and Malone behind aging and surgically repaired Terry Bradshaw. So in the project, they took Gabe Rivera instead of Dan Mari….
It does not matter.
Tim Benz is a writer for Tribune-Review. You can contact Tim at [email protected] or via Twitter. All tweets could be reposted. All emails are subject to publication, unless otherwise specified.
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Sports | Steelers / NFL | Breakfast with Benz
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