Report: Dwayne Haskins Benched, Kyle Allen Named Starting Quarterback

According to a Tweet by NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport, the Washington Football Team has opted to bench starting quarterback Dwayne Haskins in favor of backup Kyle Allen for their upcoming matchup against the Los Angeles Rams.

The move comes on the heels of Washington’s 31-17 defeat to the Baltimore Ravens, in which Haskins went 32-of-45 passing for 314 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. Through the first four games of the season, the second-year signal-caller is 89-for-146 (a 61 percent completion rate) for 939 yards (6.4 yards per attempt) with four touchdowns and three interceptions.

Additional reporting by Tom Pelissero, also of the NFL Network, indicates that Alex Smith has also jumped Haskins on the QB depth chart, and the 15-year veteran will serve as Allen’s primary backup for Sunday’s matchup.

Kyle Allen joined the team this offseason following coach Ron Rivera from Carolina, where he served as the backup, and eventual starter over two seasons with the Panthers. Allen has a win-loss record of 6-7 with a 62.1% completion percentage and a 19-to-16 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

Haskins, who was drafted in the first round of the 2019 NFL draft was named the starter prior to week one of this season, but has struggled at times behind a depleted offensive line with few standout weapons at his skill positions. While there have been rumors in recent weeks that the coaching staff has been displeased with Haskins’ performance at quarterback, it seemed unlikely that they would go in another direction so soon in what has been deemed a re-building year. The move casts doubt on Haskins’ prospects as a franchise quarterback, and will certainly lead to more questions about the team’s long-term direction in the weeks and years to come.