ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — Former starting quarterback Dwayne Haskins remains away from the Washington Football Team because of an illness that’s not considered COVID-19 related.
The second-year quarterback was not at the stadium for Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams and was sent home from the team’s practice facility Wednesday after being tested for the coronavirus. A team spokesman said Haskins is sick.
Haskins was benched and demoted to third on the depth chart last week, so the plan was for the 2019 first-round pick to be inactive against L.A. The team sent him home Sunday morning after he reported having a stomach virus.
Kyle Allen took first-team snaps at practice and is expected to start for Washington (1-4) at the New York Giants (0-5) this weekend with Alex Smith backing up. Allen left the Rams loss with a left arm injury in the second quarter, was replaced by Smith in his first game action since November 2018, and coach Ron Rivera chose to stay that course even after his starter was cleared to return.
Rivera said Allen would get the nod over Smith against the Giants as long as he’s healthy. He did not look inhibited in the throws he made early in practice.
Haskins’ future with Washington is uncertain. Owner Dan Snyder, since-fired president Bruce Allen and since-fired coach Jay Gruden were in charge when the team drafted him, and Rivera gave Haskins the opportunity to start after seeing signs of growth in training camp.
Since a comeback victory against Philadelphia in Week 1, he hasn’t seen much of what he wanted. Haskins overall this season is 89 of 146 for 939 yards passing, four touchdowns and three interceptions.
Rivera said he’d like to see continued progression from the 23-year-old, even giving him third-team snaps at practice. That is stunted by his absence, with rookie practice squad QB Steven Montez taking Haskins’ place in drills behind Allen and Smith.
One possibility is Washington following Arizona’s path with Josh Rosen: opting to trade him after a regime change. The trade deadline is Oct. 29.
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