According to ESPN NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler, the Pittsburgh Steelers are placing a restricted free agent tender on quarterback Dwayne Haskins. Fowler also indicated the tender would be an original-round tender which would pay him something in the area of $2.5 million in 2022.
Haskins was a first-round pick of the Washington Football Team in 2019, so a first-round pick would be the compensation Pittsburgh would receive if a team chose to match the tender.
In other words, there is zero chance Haskins plays for any team other than the Steelers next season. This also means Haskins, along with Mason Rudolph will be the primary players battling it out for the starting quarterback spot in 2022. Haskins was active for one game this season when Ben Roethlisberger was on the COVID-19 list.
Although there has been no formal announcement, 2021 is expected to be Roethlisberger’s final season. Due to the salary cap, we may not hear anything official on Big Ben’s move until June but the Steelers will move forward in preparing for a rebuild without him.
The Steelers have indicated to Dwayne Haskins that they plan to place a restricted free agent tender on him for 2022, per source, and Haskins expects that to be an original-round tender, paying in range of $2.5 million. Another suggestion Haskins is in QB mix in Pittsburgh.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) January 23, 2022