3 reasons why the Panthers should gamble on Dwayne Haskins

The Carolina Panthers should take the plunge on Dwayne Haskins.

There appears to be some real doubt regarding the Carolina Panthers from a quarterback perspective. The team made a bold move to bring in Teddy Bridgewater during 2020 free agency and release Cam Newton, which didn’t sit well with large sections of their loyal fanbase given the timing and the way a player they idolized for almost a decade was treated by the organization.

Bridgewater was inconsistent throughout the campaign, which makes the decision made by the Carolina Panthers to give him a three-year deal when he hadn’t been a prominent starter since 2015 even more baffling. The franchise looks tied to the player until 2022 due to the structure of his contract, but a better contingency plan needs to be in place if the former Louisville standout struggles again next time around.

One player that the Panthers are taking an interest in is Dwayne Haskins. The 2019 first-round pick was released by the Washington Football Team following a dismal display against Carolina in Week 16, which was coupled with a strip club incident that broke COVID-19 protocols just a few days before.

Haskins is due to visit the Panthers on Monday with a view to coming in and competing during OTAs and training camp. Here are some reasons why Carolina’s coaching staff should take the risk.

Reason No. 1

Low financial risk

Haskins is still owed a ton of money from Washington after he cleared waivers. So it isn’t going to cost the Panthers much in the way of salary to bring him to the organization if they like what they see and hear during his visit.

If it doesn’t work out, so what? At least they had the courage to look at Haskins when everybody else raised their eyebrows and it might even light a fire under Bridgewater in the process.

There appears little doubt that Haskins will have a huge point to prove wherever he ends up. Players like him always get a number of opportunities to make a name for themselves in the NFL and although it won’t be easy to convince another team he’s worth a shot, the risk versus reward scenario makes it worth it from a money point of view alone.