Washington Should Trade Dwayne Haskins to Cleveland

After Haskins was benched in Washington, it seems like his time there could be coming to an end. Backing up Baker Mayfield in Cleveland would be a better spot for him.

Dwayne Haskins to the Cleveland Browns…?

Ever since the Washington Football Team demoted Haskins to the No.3 quarterback, reports have surfaced that they could be looking to trade the former first rounder.

With the trade deadline looming, Washington has until Nov. 3 if they want to offload Haskins this year. The Athletic’s Sheil Kapadia has proposed Washington should trade Haskins to the Browns for a fourth-round pick.

“Browns fans, before you jump to the comments section and smack me around, let me explain why acquiring Haskins could be a forward-thinking move that GM Andrew Berry might consider. The hope for the Browns is that Baker Mayfield develops into a true franchise quarterback. If that happens, great. They can pay him big money and be set for the next decade. But there’s also a scenario where Mayfield isn’t the guy and the Browns need a Plan B,” Kapadia wrote. “One way to approach the quarterback position is to take a bunch of swings and hope one connects. 

“That’s what acquiring Haskins would be — another swing. He could compete with Case Keenum in the backup role and work with Cleveland’s coaches, knowing there’s no rush to develop and be the starter. If the Browns see progress in his development, great. Maybe he performs well in a backup role, and they trade him to a QB-needy team. If they don’t like what they see once Haskins is in the building, no big deal. He’s on a relatively inexpensive contract, and they can move on whenever. 

“As for Washington, it sure feels like the writings on the wall and Haskins isn’t going to be there long. The comp here would be the Cardinals trading Josh Rosen to the Dolphins in 2019. Arizona was able to acquire a second and a fifth in that deal, but that was with Rosen having played just one year on his rookie contract. Haskins is already in Year 2, so whichever team theoretically trades for him has less projected upside. Maybe Washington is able to get a third-round pick for him, but a fourth seems more likely.” 

The Cleveland Browns roster, especially on the offensive side of the ball, is built to win now. A quarterback that requires less time for development would be the most logical fit for Cleveland. However, if Haskins were to switch to the Orange and Brown, he would be surrounded by one of the most talented offensive arsenals in football. 

The Browns have the former LSU-duo at the receiver position in Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry. They also have a top tight end in Austin Hooper and the former NFL rushing leader, Kareem Hunt; Nick Chubb is sidelined with a knee injury. Lastly, the offensive line has blossomed into one of the best in the NFL. 

Already being dealt away from the team that drafted him close to home is not ideal. However, Haskins would have a much better chance to succeed 146-miles north from where he became one of the best passers in the nation at Ohio State.