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Steelers sign former Washington QB Dwayne Haskins

Quarterback Dwayne Haskins has found a new home in less than a month after the Washington Football Team cut him.

Haskins and the Steelers agreed to a one-year deal, first reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and later confirmed by the team.

Rapoport reported earlier Thursday that Haskins was meeting with the Steelers, and had visited with the Carolina Panthers.

Haskins will try again in Pittsburgh

Haskins wasn’t picked up by any teams after his dramatic exit from Washington in December, when he was fined $40,000 and stripped of his captaincy after being photographed without a mask at a party, a violation of the NFL’s COVID-19 protocols. He started the next game, a Week 16 matchup with the Panthers and was benched in the fourth quarter. Washington released him the following day.

With Ben Roethlisberger still undecided on retirement, at least publicly, Haskins’ role isn’t clear. If Roethlisberger returns, Haskins certainly won’t have a starting job, and his performance during the 2020 season didn’t merit one. However, a change of scenery and a new head coach could have a positive impact on him.

LANDOVER, MARYLAND - DECEMBER 27: Dwayne Haskins #7 of the Washington Football Team looks on prio at FedExField on December 27, 2020 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Will Newton/Getty Images)
Dwayne Haskins is reportedly meeting with teams as he searches for an opportunity to play in 2021. (Photo by Will Newton/Getty Images)

Haskins was the final first-round draft pick of the Jay Gruden era, and Washington’s first-year head coach Ron Rivera never seemed to warm to him.

If Haskins improves, who knows what his role could be in 2021 or when Roethlisberger retires. He’s a 23-year-old former first-round draft pick who likely hasn’t reached his potential. At the very least he’ll provide the Steelers with QB depth, and it’s possible he could give them much more.

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