Washington Football Team head coach Ron Rivera has been hesitant to name a starter for the 2020 NFL season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles. Despite the return of Alex Smith under center, it appears Dwayne Haskins has done enough to earn the starting job.

According to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter, Rivera has officially named Haskins as the starter in Week 1:

Despite Rivera's attempts to remain coy on the quarterback situation following an unprecedented offseason, the decision hardly comes as any surprise since has has largely taken all the first-team reps in training camp.

Although his staff had inherited Dwayne Haskins as a potential franchise cornerstone, there was some speculation regarding their long-term plans under center since they had the No. 2 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. With defensive end Chase Young now in the mix, the onus will fall on Haskins to prove that Rivera made the right choice by moving forward with foundational pieces on both sides of the ball.

It is safe to say that Dwayne Haskins is hardly a lock to remain as the starter should his struggles from a rough rookie campaign carry over. After all, Smith made headlines with his inspirational return to football and the veteran is all too eager to earn his spot back.

Fortunately, Rivera has shared high praise for the growth Haskins has showed since then. This is certainly an encouraging sign since his lack of experience as a starter in college has seemingly resulted in a learning curve of sorts. The time has now come for him to show that he is ready to take over as one of the new faces of the franchise.