Point/Counterpoint: Should Dwayne Haskins Start This Season?

July 2, 2019

by Eric Hill

Hello and welcome to another edition of Point/Counterpoint, where we debate the hot-button issues facing our favorite team.  This week’s topic is “Should Dwayne Haskins Start This Season?”

Joining me, as always, is my old friend Strawman, an experienced debater who has argued topics ranging from Roe vs. Wade to Brittany vs. Christina. Welcome, Strawman.

Strawman: Thanks. Forgive me if I’m not as quick-witted as usual. I took quite a beating at the Democratic debates and I’m still recovering.

Eric: Understood.  To keep things from getting out of hand this time around, we have brought in a moderator. Please welcome Dead Horse.

Dead Horse: Hello! I’m glad to be here, though I’m a little sore too. Twitter has been doing quite a number on me lately.

Eric: Let’s get started.  Strawman, you’re the guest so you go first.

SM: Coach Jay Gruden is on a very short leash. His job title might as well be Raiders Assistant Quarterback’s Coach-In-Waiting. If he misses the playoffs this season, he’s done. He doesn’t have the luxury of waiting around for a quarterback to develop when he is trying to save his job.  Dwayne Haskins should start day one.

Eric: It’s true that Gruden needs to win now, but is Haskins ready to do that?  He has a ton of talent, for sure, but he only started 13 games at Ohio State.  It’s a pretty big leap of faith to expect someone who is essentially a college sophomore to lead a professional football team from day one.  Case Keenum has a ton of experience and should give the team its best chance to win this year.

SM: Experience or not, If Haskins can play then he can play.  The best way to gain experience is playing time. You can learn the game on the fly.  Remember Robert Griffin III’s rookie season?

DH: Hey, tread lightly.

SM: I’m just saying, RG3 was good from day one and he would still be running the show if Mike Shanahan hadn’t left him in the game so long against Seattle!

DH: Ouch. Dude…come on! RG3 is off limits.

SM: Sorry Horse, I’m just saying that coddling Haskins isn’t the right call.

Eric: I’m not talking about coddling him, I’m talking about making sure he’s ready.  He turned in a nice performance at OTAs and Mini-Camp, but reporters and coaches noted that he was having some difficulty with the terminology and speed of the defense at times. That combined with some of the mechanical issues we’ve been told about makes me hesitate to declare him the guy from the get-go.

SM: Great, we drafted a quarterback with mechanical flaws.  It’s another Jason Campbell situation.

DH: Ow!  That was uncalled for.

Eric: Not at all.  He just has a few things to clean up, like footwork and follow through.  It’s all correctable if he’s given time.

SM: That’s what they said about Heath Shuler.

DH: Ooof! Ok…hang on…I just need a second…

Eric: I’m not saying Haskins is going to be a bust, I’m just saying he has some stuff to work out before he sees the field.  The first quarter of the season is brutal.  If you roll him out there against the Eagles, Cowboys, Patriots and Bears before he’s ready and he puts up awful numbers while taking a beating, you could set him back in his development. Remember what happened with Patrick Ramsey?

DH: I thought you were my friends. Why are you doing this to me?

Strawman: That’s all well and good, but you’re talking about Case Keenum as an alternative.  The guy had one good season when he was surrounded by weapons in Minnesota.  Other than that, he’s just a guy. In case you haven’t noticed, the Redskins don’t have the firepower that the Vikings do.  You want to roll that out against that early schedule?  You might as well pencil us in at 1-5.

Eric: Keenum is a capable quarterback. Jay Gruden’s offense has guys running wide open almost every play. It’s all about the quarterback making the right read and having the guts to pull the trigger. Keenum has shown he can do that. He was more than just his weapons in Minnesota.  You may have noticed that a certain former Redskins quarterback struggled mightily with those same weapons last season.

DH: Please don’t. I’m begging you.

SM: Kirk Cousins is better than Case Keenum and it’s not even close. He didn’t get a fair shake last year because of the terrible play calling and offensive line! And the Vikings defense was terrible!  It was like DC all over again. Why can’t Cousins be surrounded by players and coaches who know what they’re doing!

We wouldn’t even be having this discussion if the Redskins had done right by Cousins!

DH: My existence is punishment.

Eric: OK OK, back to the Redskins.  As of right now I’d roll with Keenum this season. I could change my mind if Haskins proves beyond any doubt that he’s the best of the three in training camp, but I don’t see that happening.  He’s the future of the team and they should do everything they can to make sure he’s ready.  Case Keenum should be the guy to start this year. When Haskins shows he’s ready then they should make the switch but there’s no need to press him into duty before then.

DH: What about Colt McCoy?

Eric: *blank stare*

SM: *tilts head*

DH: OK then. Back to Twitter.