The Washington Football Team decided to move on from their young quarterback Dwayne Haskins, whom they selected with the No. 15 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.
The team announced the release of Haskins on social media on Monday with an accompanying statement by head coach Ron Rivera.
Haskins acknowledged the move on Twitter as well, writing: “I take full responsibility for not meeting the standards of an NFL QB & will become a better man & player because of this experience.”
While it’s rare that teams move on from their high draft picks after just two years, Washington’s decision to release Dwayne Haskins doesn’t come as a major surprise.
Haskins failed to produce on the field so far in his NFL career, struggling to get accustomed to NFL football. In 16 games he played under center in the previous two seasons, he managed to throw for only 2,804 yards and 12 touchdowns while also having 15 picks. Washington is 3-10 with him as a starter.
Haskins also did himself a disservice with his off-the-field behavior. Besides the reports about lack of commitment and poor working habits early in the season, he also breached the COVID-19 protocols multiple times, resulting in fines and him being stripped of the captaincy.
Washington will now move on with Kyle Allen and Alex Smith as their quarterbacks, and it shouldn’t be surprising if they also select another one in the draft next year.
Haskins, on the other hand, will most likely get an opportunity for a fresh start with another organization down the road. He is still only 23 years old and has a big upside, something that will definitely intrigue QB-needy teams.
