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The Washington Redskins selected quarterback Dwayne Haskins in the first round (15th overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft. He's set to be their future at the position and many people (rightfully) have pretty high expectations for him.
For now though, he's fighting for the starting role. Haskins is in a three-man battle for the top quarterback spot with veterans Colt McCoy and Case Keenum.
Throughout training camp, we've heard a lot about all three quarterbacks. At times, all have impressed and made their case for why they should be the starter. Of course, someone needs to be chosen and time is starting to run out as the first preseason game for the Redskins is set for Thursday night against the Cleveland Browns.
With that in mind, what should Dwayne Haskins focus on? Here are three goals for his preseason debut with the Washington Redskins.
3. Knowledge of the System
This one is pretty simple. Colt McCoy has been with the Redskins for a while now (this will be his fifth year). He clearly knows the system.
Meanwhile, Case Keenum is new to the team but has been in the NFL for a long time. He's seen multiple different systems and has shown he can adjust to them.
Finally, there's Dwayne Haskins. He's a rookie that's new to the NFL and new to the Washington system. He also was a one-year starter in college. You can't blame anyone for wondering how quickly he'll pick up the system.
With that, no one is probably expecting him to go into the first game of the preseason with every little kink worked out. That being said, he needs to show he's progressing. He needs to show that he's figuring out the system and that the team should trust him to continue to improve as the preseason goes on.
2. Show Chemistry
When looking at familiarity with the system, yes McCoy has the upper hand. He's entering his fifth year with the team and that means a lot. Then there's Keenum, who is new to the team but a veteran in the NFL. Finally, there's Dwayne Haskins – a rookie in every sense of the term.
With that in mind, you would think McCoy has a major head start. While he definitely has a small advantage, it isn't nearly as massive as you'd imagine. There's a simple reason for that.
The Redskins have a lot of new faces in their offense. Derrius Guice might have been on the team last season, but an injury kept him out all year. Trey Quinn is kind of in the same boat. The slot receiver barely played last year (totaled 10 targets) before an injury sidelined him for the season as well.
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Meanwhile, rookie receivers like Terry McLaurin and Kelvin Harmon could carve out pretty big roles in the offense.
With so many new faces, it's not like McCoy has had any more of a chance to play in games with the talent than Haskins or Keenum have. In fact, Haskins is more familiar with college teammate McLaurin than any other quarterback on the roster.
With that in mind, each quarterback will need to prove they have chemistry with the talent around them. If Haskins can do that, he'll take a massive step towards winning the starting quarterback spot.
1. Plant the Seeds
Obviously, the best way to win the starting quarterback spot for the Redskins would be to put up ridiculous numbers. If Haskins could throw for 400 yards and three touchdowns in a half (or however long he plays), it would make things a lot easier for everyone involved (not named Colt McCoy or Case Keenum).
However, that's unrealistic. For now, Haskins shouldn't be too worried about putting up video game numbers. What he should be doing is planting the seeds that he can run the offense properly.
What does that entail exactly?
Things like making the right reads and using his eyes to get people open (not staring down the player he's going to throw too). Going through his progressions and not making errant throws. Limiting the turnovers and showing the ability to move the sticks. Not panicking in the pocket and getting rid of the ball on-time. Showing a good connection with his receivers, and plenty more.
A lot goes into the game of football than just numbers. The Redskins will want a quarterback that can lead the team and bring a lot to the table. Can Haskins prove that he can do some of the stuff that doesn't show up in the box score?
If he can, he'll definitely plant the seed in the mind of many that he should be the Week 1 starter.
