PITTSBURGH – Dwayne Haskins, a first-round pick in 2019, has agreed a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers after meeting with the team on Thursday, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN.
The defender was released by the Washington football team less than a month ago, a day after he was defeated in a loss to the Carolina Panthers. He had been photographed without a mask on his girlfriend’s birthday after losing to the Seattle Seahawks. He was fined $ 40,000 for a second violation of COVID-19 protocols and lost his captaincy.
He still started against the Panthers, but he played badly and was on the bench. Haskins was demoted in favor of a player, Taylor Heinicke, who signed with the Washington coaching staff less than a month earlier. Haskins was then abruptly released the day after Carolina’s loss.
“I told him that I think it is for the benefit of both sides that we are going our separate ways,” Washington coach Ron Rivera said in a statement at the time. “We want to thank Dwayne for his contributions over the last two seasons and we want him to move forward.”
In a tweet, Haskins wrote: “I take full responsibility for not meeting the standards of an NFL QB and I will become a better man and player because of this experience.”
Haskins, Washington’s 15th general in 2019 and often criticized for his unethical work ethic, had a tumultuous tenure with his first NFL team.
His selection was led by owner Dan Snyder, going against the wishes of the franchise’s football team. Coaches have been told by Ohio coaches that it will take them a while to mature as a professional, and the organization intends to make him stay in the rookie’s entire season.
But the injuries of other defenders and a bad record made Haskins start seven games as a recruit. After a disastrous early presentation, Haskins finished with two good outings to close the season. In those games, he posted a combined total of 74.8 QBR. But his total QBR for the season was 28, and this season he was 31.
Last season, Rivera said that Haskins has franchise talents, but that he needs to become more of a leader. Rivera was pleased with what he saw from Haskins in the offseason. Haskins received all the first team representatives in the training camp and was named the starter at the end of August, although Rivera said he would open it to a competition if there were pre-season games.
Haskins started the first four games, throwing four touchdown passes on three interceptions, but with a total QBR of 29.8. Several sources said they felt he was celebrating his first 300-yard game in the locker room after a 14-point loss to Baltimore.
Rivera made him a chair for the following week; he was inactive for the next four games until starter Kyle Allen broke his ankle. Haskins spared an injured Alex Smith for the second half of a Dec. 13 victory over San Francisco. Haskins started the next two games, but did not play well. In his final start, the 20-13 loss to Carolina recorded a total QBR of 4.1.
Haskins, 23, is represented by Brian Levy, who is also Mike Tomlin’s agent.
With his signing, the Steelers have signaled that they are focusing on a future without defender Ben Roethlisberger – either this year or immediately thereafter. The future of Hall of Famer probably has another year of contract, but it has not yet established its future with the team. After the loss by wild card, Roethlisberger said he would pray about the decision and consult the family. He added that if he decides to return, he hopes the Steelers want to return as well.
With third-string quarterback Josh Dobbs reaching the free agency in March, the Steelers are poised to include Roethlisberger, Mason Rudolph and Haskins on the 2021 list, though Roethlisberger has a $ 41.2 million payout. .
Information from ESPN’s John Keim was used in this report.