The Washington Football Team decided to make a change at quarterback after a 1-3 start to the season capped off by a tough loss to the elite Baltimore Ravens defense. Washington staff said there was a window of opportunity to perhaps gain some traction in the abysmal NFC East divisional race from Weeks 5-8. Benching 2019 first-round pick Dwayne Haskins and stunting his development was apparently necessary to take the next step.
Not only is that a very shortsighted way of thinking, but the belief that Kyle Allen and his almighty “knowledge of the system” would right the ship was obviously foolhardy. Allen showed throughout 2019 that he is incapable of being a high-level quarterback in the NFL, and the only thing he’s done since taking over the reins in Washington is cement that reality.
The Football Team was blown out by the Los Angeles Rams in Week 5 and followed that up on Sunday with a loss to the previously winless New York Giants. They’re still very much in the mix for the NFC East crown, though, so at least they have that going for them.
At this point, with Allen and Alex Smith ahead of Haskins on the depth chart, there’s no reason not to move Haskins and get as much return as possible before the trade deadline on Nov. 3. While Haskins has really struggled thus far in his career, Josh Rosen showed that first-round quarterbacks keep their value very well no matter what. The two are perfect comparables at the moment: first-round QBs taken 10th and 15th (which shows a bit of reservation from NFL clubs), with surrounding circumstances that could not have been worse to start their careers.
Haskins still has two and a half years remaining on his rookie contract, and the prospect of potentially turning things around with a top talent at the most important position in sports is always worth a shot. Here’s how the beginning of Haskins’ career (11 starts) stacks up with Rosen’s 16 starts:
| Player | PFF Passing Grade | TD/INT | Y/A | ANY/A | Big Time Throws / Turnover Worthy Plays |
| Josh Rosen | 46.2 | 12/20 | 5.5 | 3.23 | 23/33 (.69/1) |
| Dwayne Haskins | 58.9 | 11/10 | 6.6 | 4.52 | 13/11 (1.18/1) |
Rosen was traded from the Arizona Cardinals to the Miami Dolphins for second- and fifth-round picks, so that should provide a solid benchmark. Of course, Miami did not get any value out of Rosen and has already moved on, so an interested team could try to pitch that angle to Washington. Nevertheless, we believe a second-round pick and change is still probably where negotiations start.
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