One of the biggest criticisms of Washington Redskins quarterback Dwayne Haskins during his rookie season was the respect he demanded. The most glaring misfall of this came midway through the season when Haskins was in the midst of a tough game, and a video of him pleading with his offensive line on the sideline was shared across the internet, and questions of his leadership started to arise.
Well, as we saw down the stretch, Haskins started to get a grip on things, and his work and dedication this offseason have helped further that notion. According to wide receiver Steven Sims Jr., it was apparent down the stretch of the season that Haskins was growing into his own as the leader on the team.
“To see that in Dwayne, that’s big for me,” Sims said in an interview with The Washington Post. “That’s what I saw from him late [last] year, correcting [former left tackle] Donald Penn in the huddle. He’s telling him, ‘Hey, Penn, shut up. I’ve got to say this play, [and] you’re sitting here going back and forth with the refs. We got to move on. We got a whole new play coming. A whole new clock is started and already running.’ It’s good to see those things, that leadership, and chemistry.”
If Haskins can demand that type of respect from his teammates, especially the veterans, his leadership will start to spread far and wide across the team and in the locker room. If the roster respects the leader, and the leader is able to do his job on the field, there’s no telling where a team can go.
