You can officially add another quarterback to the Pittsburgh Steelers roster.
As expected, the Steelers used an original-round tender on quarterback Dwayne Haskins Friday, according to a report from Pro Football Focus’s Doug Kyed.
The original-round tender carries a salary of $2.54 million, though none of that money is guaranteed.
Haskins was a first-round pick of the Washington Football Team (now Commanders) in 2019, so a first-round pick would be the compensation Pittsburgh would receive if a team chose to match the tender this offseason. Safe to say, that’s unlikely.
After failing in Washington and ultimately being released late in the 2020 season, Haskins signed with the Steelers as a street free agent after previously visiting with the Carolina Panthers. As the No. 3 quarterback on the depth chart following a training camp battle with Joshua Dobbs, Haskins spent the entire season inactive on game days.
Now, with the original-round tender in place, Haskins will get a chance to compete with Mason Rudolph for the starting job in Pittsburgh, which is what Haskins said General Manager Kevin Colbert told him he’d get the chance to do during his exit interview after the 2021 season.
“…I’ve had meetings with several other people on the staff. GM Kevin Colbert,” Haskins told reporters in mid-January. “Happy to have an opportunity to have a conversation with him. Looking forward to what I can do. As for what I can add to this team, they’re giving me a chance to compete and have a chance to start. So that’s all I could ask for.”
The decision to place the original-round tender on Haskins does not block the Steelers from adding to the quarterback room. Veteran Jacoby Brissett’s name has been tossed around by many here at Steelers Depot, and gained traction Friday thanks to Gerry Dulac’s report. With Haskins officially in the fold though, the Steelers now enter free agency and the 2022 NFL Draft with two quarterbacks on the roster entering their second seasons in offensive coordinator Matt Canada’s system.
