If the Washington Redskins truly believe they’ve found their franchise quarterback in Dwayne Haskins, they should start him right away.
In a surprise twist for many, it seems as though the Washington Redskins hit a grand slam in the 2019 NFL Draft. Washington was able to secure the rights to a falling Dwayne Haskins at No. 15 overall and capitalized on a misdiagnosed injury scare by grabbing one of the best pass rushers in the class, Montez Sweat, at No. 26 overall.
Not only was Haskins one of the best bargains of the first round, but he seemed to be the apple of Jay Gruden and Dan Snyder’s eye throughout the whole process.
If the Redskins really wanted Daniel Jones, they would have tried to get ahead of the divisional rival New York Giants at No. 6. But instead, Washington held their position and reaped massive rewards because of it. Now, they just have to make the right decision in starting Dwayne Haskins.
More from NFL Spin Zone
- Dallas Cowboys made the trade everyone else should have made
- Pittsburgh Steelers rookie sleeper everyone should be talking about
- Anthony Richardson putting jaw-dropping talent on display immediately
- Denver Broncos’ stud wide receiver might be out for a while
- Washington Commanders: Three takeaways from win over Ravens
In recent years, it has become more than apparent that the most valuable thing in the NFL is a good, young quarterback on his rookie deal. A third-year Russell Wilson won Seattle their first Super Bowl in 2014. Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff showed himself to be worthy on his rookie deal, leading the Rams to a Super Bowl appearance last season. If the Redskins truly see their franchise quarterback in Haskins, it’s best to start him right off the bat.
The old method of sitting a young quarterback behind a veteran is just that; old and outdated. Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield showed that last year, taking over for Tyrod Taylor early in the season and tossing a record 27 touchdowns as a rookie. Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz nearly won the MVP award in 2017 before tearing his ACL.
As a first-round pick, Haskins does have an extra year on his deal with the fifth-year option. But the Redskins should aim to get all they can out his arm early on, rather than wasting his rookie year on the bench.
Case Keenum is a fine backup, but showed last year that he should not be the quarterback that owners decide to gamble their team on. If the Redskins think that highly of Haskins, they should show it, and give him the chance to prove them right as the starting quarterback.