When the news hit the wire of the Pittsburgh Steelers brining in former first round pick Dwayne Haskins for a visit, the you-know-what hit the fan. Fans around the globe talked about Haskins the player, not good, and Haskins the person, even worse.
This was their opinion, however.
When the Steelers made the move official, you would have thought the sky was falling. Sure, there was a small contingent of the fan base who was okay with the addition, but the vast majority wondered what Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert were thinking.
Despite numerous individuals, including myself, talking about how low risk this decision was for the Steelers, the release of Haskins’ contract numbers makes it even more of a low risk move for the black and gold.
This per Field Yates of ESPN:
No bells or whistles to Dwayne Haskins' reserve/future deal with the Steelers: 1-year, $850K, 0 guarantees.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) January 26, 2021
He's got plenty of money still due from WFT.
This was all about fit for Haskins, with a good chance to develop in Pittsburgh, while the Steelers take a zero risk flier.
Yes, you read that correctly.
The Steelers owe Haskins $0 in guaranteed money.
Nothing.
Nada.
Zilch.
Could Haskins show up and stink up the joint? He absolutely could, and if he does the Steelers let him go and don’t owe him a dime. Could Haskins show up and prove he is capable of playing at a high level, living up to his first round pick pedigree? Absolutely, and if so the Steelers will have a quality player at a bargain bin price.
This is about as low risk as it gets for the Steelers, and a deal fans should get on board with. If Ben Roethlisberger decides to call it a career, the Steelers will likely have a quarterback battle between Haskins and Rudolph for the starting position in 2021. If Roethlisberger returns, expect Haskins to get a chance to prove his worth and make the team as a backup.
Either way, the Steelers made a smart move bringing in Haskins. Is there risk involved? Absolutely, but when you don’t have hardly any risk financially it offsets the other risk which is presented.
Be sure to stay tuned to BTSC for the latest news and notes surrounding the black and gold as they prepare for the new league year, NFL Free Agency and the 2021 NFL Draft.