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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.
Kyle Allen’s familiarity with the system Washington is using goes back to the #Panthers. WFT has a window where it thinks it can do some damage. Now it’ll be Kyle Allen under center for it. https://t.co/iqTY2Zflxy
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 7, 2020
QB Kyle Allen will start against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.
— Washington Football Team (@WashingtonNFL) October 7, 2020
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.
The switch from Dwayne Haskins to Kyle Allen is performance related, according to a person w knowledge of the situation.
— Sam Fortier (@Sam4TR) October 7, 2020
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.
Not only is Dwayne Haskins not starting for the Washington Football Team on Sunday, he's not even No. 2. Alex Smith will back up Kyle Allen against the #Rams.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 7, 2020
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.
When Kyle Allen takes the field Sunday, he'll become the 30th Washington quarterback to start a game since the beginning of the 1993 season. pic.twitter.com/aCQBd5xzb9
— Jake Russell (@_JakeRussell) October 7, 2020
Poll
Who do you think should be the starting quarterback for the WFT?
This poll is closed
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45%
Dwayne Haskins
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20%
Kyle Allen
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33%
Alex Smith