There are new beginnings in Ashburn, Virginia, as the Washington Redskins have welcomed in a new coaching staff led by two-time NFL Coach of the Year Ron Rivera (2013 and 2015). The team has changed many within the medical/training staff as well.
Despite the influx of change, some of Rivera’s moves have been the additions of several coaches and players from his time with the Carolina Panthers.
One of those players is quarterback Kyle Allen. Allen was traded for a fifth-round draft pick to the Redskins and the move raised a few eyebrows. Washington has a former first-round draft pick in Dwayne Haskins Jr. that is considered by many as the franchise signal-caller of the present and future.
Could the move to trade for Allen signal competition for the position in training camp?
Allen seems to rightfully think that’s the plan going forward and what he thinks his role in Washington is.
“When they traded for me, it was kind of random,” Allen said during a conference call with team reporters. “I didn’t push to be traded, and I just signed a contract in Carolina two weeks before. Interesting experience, but just talking to the coaches and talking to Ron [Rivera] and I think the expectation is to come and compete for the job. I think it’s an awesome opportunity, and I think it’s cool to be back with the coaches who run a similar system. So, we’ll see and I’m going to take advantage of my reps like in Carolina when I was the fourth string two years ago and got three reps in training camp. Now with more reps, I’m taking advantage of them.”
Allen did take advantage of his reps last season in throwing for a career-high 3,322 yards in 13 games (12 starts) with the Panthers. He threw 17 touchdown passes along with 16 interceptions.
Haskins, on the other hand, saw increased reps and performance once he was named the Redskins starter after coach Jay Gruden was replaced mid-season by Bill Callahan. On the year, Haskins threw for 1,365 yards with seven touchdowns and seven interceptions over nine games – seven which were starts.
Haskins 22, and Allen 24, are both young, so competition for the starting job only seems fair. Washington still has veteran quarterback Alex Smith on the roster as he continues to work himself back from a devastating leg injury sustained two seasons ago.
Allen doesn’t know Haskins but plans on building a relationship with his competition and mentioned that they had texted each other since his trade to the Redskins.
“No, I have never met him before,” Allen said of knowing Haskins. “We played each other last year and dapped each other up after the game, nothing crazy. But, we texted since I’ve been traded, nothing crazy. I’m excited to get out and meet him. A lot of the coaching staff is been the same too, but I haven’t met [QB] Coach [Ken] Zampese yet either. So, I’m excited to meet him and all the new players and stuff too. But, yeah, limited contact, me and him.”
Allen doesn’t see his opportunity to compete as anything more than just that.
“We’ve been doing this our whole lives, you know what I mean,” the University of Houston product said. “We’ve all been doing this since we were in high school. We’ve been trying to compete against different guys, and at the same time, you get to meet a lot of really cool people in the process. That’s how I was with Cam, and Will, we’re all competing for different types of jobs and stuff. But, we all come out with great relationships. You spend a lot of time with these people, you might as well make relationships with them. So, hopefully, it’s the same between me, Dwayne [Haskins Jr.], and Alex [Smith].”
The Redskins now have two young signal-callers who both can grow with each other and also gain valuable insight from Smith should his playing career be in jeopardy.
Rivera said during his introductory press conference that the Redskins would work and compete for everything earned. To make the most critical position on the field, be one of competition seems smart. Haskins has the inside track and appears to be the starter, but he will have to hold off Allen to gain the job.