Dwayne Haskins Signs One-Year RFA Tender with Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers have set their quarterback competition for 2022 after former 15th overall pick Dwayne Haskins agreed to his restricted free agent tender, the team announced Wednesday.

The contract is a one-year deal for $2.54 million. Haskins will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the contract. The Steelers reportedly placed the tender on Haskins on Saturday.

Haskins was drafted 15th overall in 2019 by the Washington Commanders (then known as the Redskins). He came into the league after becoming the seventh player in NCAA history to throw at least 50 touchdowns in a single season.

Haskins never found success with Washington, and was cut midway through his second season. This came after going 3-10 in 13 starts while throwing more interceptions (14) than touchdowns (12). He also broke the NFL’s COVID protocols twice and been accused of a lack of preparation prior to games. Haskins threw for 2,804 yards, completing 60.1% of his passes and maintained a 74.4 passer rating.

In 2021, the Steelers signed Haskins in January, intending to sit him behind Rudolph and Ben Roethlisberger and let the talented former Buckeyes passer acclimate to the NFL with a more stable franchise quarterback situation.

Haskins was named the team’s third-string quarterback when Josh Dobbs suffered a toe injury late in training camp. He was made active for just one game, when Roethlisberger missed the game against the Detroit Lions with COVID-19, but Haskins did not enter the game.

He is still just 24 and a former first round pick, though. His age and pedigree has earned him a chance to compete with longtime Steelers backup Mason Rudolph and recently signed Mitch Trubisky for the 2022 starting quarterback position.

“Dwayne Haskins came in, did some nice things throughout the season as a scout team quarterback, played some throughout the preseason, and we’re excited to see what Dwayne can provide, from competition, or maybe he evolves as a starter,” General manager Kevin Colbert said in February. “None of us know at this point.”