Washington could have cause to pick a quarterback in 2021
In light of Rivera’s comments, it’s now at least a possibility that Washington’s quarterback situation deteriorates further as the regular season rolls along, and by 2021, they could again be in the market for a first-round quarterback.
Were Washington to have this opportunity, they’d most likely look to avoid the mistakes perceived to be made with Haskins. One of the chief criticisms of Haskins, even dating back to his successful college days, is that he’s not athletic enough or proficient enough at improvising to perform off-script and create organically for the offense.
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If Haskins continues to trend downward and is ultimately benched, his lacking physical ability will likely play a primary role. One could argue it already has, as Haskins’ unhinged urgency may be a result of him trying to compensate for physical deficiencies.
Luckily for Washington, the top three signal-callers in the 2021 NFL Draft are all versatile passers with plus mobility, and one could argue that all three of them have more physical upside than Haskins had as a prospect.
2021 NFL Draft quarterback prospects for Washington to consider
Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence is the unquestioned QB1 at this point; he’s an astoundingly complete prospect with size, athleticism, arm talent, accuracy, and smooth mechanics. He’s also a quick processor whose decision making passes the test.
With that being said, Washington will need the No. 1 pick to get Lawrence, because other teams are competing for that top pick who could also be interested in Lawrence.
Given Washington’s solidity on defense and the overall lower quality of the NFC East, it doesn’t seem likely that Washington will leave 2020 with the No. 1 pick. Therefore, most of our time can be better spent on the next men up, North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance and Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields.
Both Lance and Fields are extremely efficient players who are coming off career years. Lance completed 192 of his 287 attempts for 2,786 yards, 28 touchdowns, and zero interceptions in 2019. Fields, a Heisman runner-up, completed 238 of his 354 attempts for 3,273 yards, 41 touchdowns, and three interceptions.
On the surface, Lance and Fields are similar prospects. Both are mobile to varying degrees, both have considerable arm strength, and both are relatively adept at avoiding turnovers while also implementing risk-taking elements into their games. With that said, there is a preference to be had, as they also differ in key ways, which could be of developmental importance.
Comparing Trey Lance to Justin Fields
While both Lance and Fields are worthy of Round 1 consideration, it’s important to delineate what they do differently to make the best long-term investment with such expensive capital.
Delving deeper into their traits, I prefer Lance over Fields if I’m scouting for Washington. That may sound odd, especially considering that Fields is on deck to play an eight-game season, while Lance’s only 2020 contest occurs this Saturday.
When studying the 2019 film of both Lance and Fields, however, I found Lance superior to Fields in both his natural ability to throw and his innate ability to create on the ground.
While Fields has good mobility and elusiveness, Lance is a legitimately explosive athlete who can be a mismatch on his own at the NFL level. This is especially important in Turner’s scheme, which emphasizes versatility and deception at every position. Having a legitimate running threat at quarterback could be a game-changer, and Lance seems more adept at creating in that context.
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Additionally, while Fields was more productive as a passer, in terms of raw numbers, Lance has more natural mechanical fluidity. Lance’s release is quicker and more compact, his shoulders are naturally square, and throwing on the run comes very easily to Lance. Passing in off-script situations and on play-action rollouts is a specialty of his.
Lance’s footwork will be of heightened interest, considering that footwork is one of the factors weighing down Haskins in 2020. Lance’s footwork is very natural, and while he does have an occasional tendency to plant prematurely, rather than staying on his toes, his explosive athleticism allows him to divert course quickly and evade rushers, and his quick release also allows him to waste little time at the launch point.
Lance also seems to do a better job hitting receivers up the seam and in pockets outside the hashes. Lance’s arm generates a better mix of velocity and touch, while Fields can be too one-dimensional with his trajectory. Fields also tends to push balls high outside the hashes, and he needs to do a better job applying touch. Lance seems to have superior accuracy to all ranges, and while leaping to the NFL’s pace may affect this, the foundation is there to build around.
From a physical standpoint, Lance seems just a bit superior to Fields in almost every way. The big sticking point with Lance is his FCS competition and his lack of experience in 2020. Teams won’t have as much up-to-date information on Lance, which may scare some from investing a high pick in him.
In my opinion, however, Lance’s elite physical abilities should alleviate these concerns. Lance is adequately polished for his age, and his ability to create for himself would not only boost Washington’s offense tremendously but also allow Lance to navigate adversity better and withstand the change of pace.
It all depends on Dwayne Haskins
All this talk about Washington drafting a quarterback in 2021 can go away if Haskins progresses as planned through the final thirteen games of the 2020 season. It’s all up to him, and after a Week 3 performance in which he was the primary factor in the offense’s struggles, that’s never been more apparent.
Haskins is on volatile ground, where one good performance could give him a few extra games of security, and one more bad performance could send him to the bench prematurely and get the ball rolling toward Washington’s next transition at QB.
It’s important to understand that Haskins’ issues stem partly from his limited athleticism. Haskins showed adequate mobility to complement his arm talent in 2019, but despite his offseason work to trim down weight this offseason, he appears clunky and immobile in the pocket. He doesn’t know how to use his mobility to buy time and create off-script. It’s not natural for Haskins.
Washington’s coaches may have convinced themselves that Haskins could run Turner’s offense based on his flashes last year. However, the greater sample size could wind up proving that his limitations are still pervasive and that his style simply doesn’t match where the league is trending. Haskins may need a near-perfect situation to thrive, and if that’s the case, he’ll always limit Washington’s offense.
It’s hard to know what to expect from Haskins at this point. He appeared upward at the end of 2019, but his mechanics are a mess early on in 2020. Consequently, his limitations are showing up more and more. Haskins might become proof that having a quarterback who can physically do more, like Lance, is objectively better in the modern NFL, even if picking Lance requires restarting at the quarterback position.
Washington will have a tough decision to make regarding their quarterback situation in 2021. If Haskins finds his rhythm and starts to produce, then all of this is moot. But if Haskins continues to struggle, and Washington gets an opportunity to draft his replacement, they may have to.
It’ll take cutting ties with a young quarterback and severing his development, which is never easy to do. But being honest with oneself and making these decisions quicker, when able, can help a team expedite growth, as they seek sustainable long-term success.