Jerome Bettis: Steelers should take 'long, hard look' at Dwayne Haskins originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
Last week the Washington Football Team moved Dwayne Haskins to third-string, and Jerome Bettis believes Pittsburgh should look into the second-year passer's availability.
"If I was in the Steeler brass I would give a long, hard look at a young quarterback that has the ability to be really special," Bettis said this week.
A Hall of Famer, Super Bowl winner and Steelers legend, Bettis said he thinks Haskins has "raw talent."
Bettis' comments - via The Jerome Bettis Show on WPXI - come at an interesting time.
Washington Football head coach Ron Rivera decided to bench Haskins after four games, and there's been plenty of consternation if that was too early of a hook for the former 15th-overall pick.
Haskins has very little experience but a rocket arm. In two years in Washington he's started just 11 games, and he only played one full season of college football at Ohio State in 2018.
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"You've got a young quarterback that has the ability to make every throw, still needs some developing," Bettis said.
Let's be clear about something: If Pittsburgh was to have interest in Haskins, it would be as a developmental passer behind veteran starter Ben Roethlisberger. Now might be a good time to shop for that role, however, as Roethlisberger is 38 year's old and missed most of last season with an elbow injury.
It's also unclear if Washington would move Haskins, who's under contract in Washington through at least the 2022 season. Asked if Haskins could be on the block before the NFL trade deadline in early November, Rivera said he wouldn't discuss football business but did not rule a move out.
ESPN proposed a hypothetical trade that would send Haskins to Pittsburgh in return for cornerback Justin Layne and a fourth-round pick. While the compensation isn't overwhelming for Washington, if Rivera has already decided he wants to move on from Haskins, that deal could make sense.
Regardless if a deal is forthcoming or not, for Bettis, it certainly makes sense for Pittsburgh to check out Haskins.
"I would have to think yes."
