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Nick Foles is now the unquestioned leader of the Chicago Bears‘ offense, but it’s no secret the team still needs its quarterback of the future. Mitch Trubisky’s days are done in Chicago — unless Foles should fall victim to injury, which is a distinct possibility — but barring a miracle, Trubisky will be wearing a different uniform in 2021.
Meanwhile, over in Landover, the Washington Football Team just benched second-year quarterback Dwayne Haskins due to poor performance. Washington coach Ron Rivera demoted him to third-string after a slow start this season, and when Haskins did not show up to the game Week 5, rumors immediately began to swirl that he would be traded, sooner rather than later.
While his absence Week 5 sent Twitter into a frenzy, it was confirmed by analyst Jason La Canfora that Haskins stayed home because he was experiencing flu-like symptoms and was feeling under the weather.
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Many analysts were quick to defend Haskins after his benching, saying that the young quarterback wasn’t given a fair chance or solid enough opportunity. Selected 15th overall by Washington in the 2019 draft, Haskins has played in two different offensive systems under three different head coaches in less than two seasons, and several were critical of Rivera’s decision to pull his young quarterback.
Analysts Call for Chicago to Trade for Dwayne Haskins
Haskins is still on his rookie deal, so he’s easily affordable, and he once beat Joe Burrow out for a job at Ohio State, so the potential is undeniably there. He played in nine games his rookie season, starting seven. He finished his rookie campaign going 119-203 for 1,365 yards, seven touchdowns and seven interceptions. He ran 20 times for 101 yards, but he was sacked 29 times due to a porous offensive line.
After upping his workout ante this offseason, Haskins said he cut seven percent of his body fat, and he was named the starter by the team’s new staff. In his four starts this season, he threw for 939 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions. He had a career high in passing yards (314) the game prior to his benching, and calls began to emerge for the Bears to look into acquiring Haskins via trade.
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Would Haskins Be a Good Fit in Chicago?
Maybe, but considering the team’s recent experience with developmental quarterbacks, it’s not likely. Like Trubisky, Haskins played just one full year as a starter in college. Unlike Trubisky, he was a Heisman finalist, he excelled in a top-ranked football program, and he played extremely well in his bowl appearance.
Haskins passed for 4,831 yards, and he tossed 50 touchdowns to just eight interceptions in 2018, his lone season as starter at Ohio State. He also led the Buckeyes to victory in the Rose Bowl, throwing three touchdowns and winning the game’s MVP award in their 28-23 win over Washington. But the Bears trading for Haskins is highly unlikely.
There have been reports that Haskins’ work ethic isn’t the greatest, and that’s a huge part of why he lost his job as the starter. Still, he’s young, and he could benefit from minds like Matt Nagy and John DeFilippo — and he could also learn a great deal sitting behind a guy like Nick Foles, who is an excellent mentor.
Those who are quick to say Mitch Trubisky is far superior to Dwayne Haskins aren’t being fair. Their stats over their first 13 starts are eerily similar, and Haskins has already been through more head coaches in his 13 starts than Trubisky did into his fourth season.
“This is not an indictment on Dwayne as much as an indictment on the situation and circumstances that we’re in,” Rivera said about his decision to bench Haskins. “He did not have the benefit of OTAs and minicamp, he didn’t have the benefit of four preseason games to work through things. And because of that, he’s behind in his development in this system. And again, it’s an unfortunate situation. But as we go through the first four games and look at them and break them down … It’s just one of those things that he needs more time.”
Haskins will get the time to develop somewhere. It won’t be in Washington, and it probably won’t be Chicago — but it’s an interesting thought to toss around.
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