For the primary time in his skilled profession, Dwayne Haskins is enjoying for a head coach who’s keen to advocate for him. And to date it is bringing out the most effective in him.

I am not right here to relitigate his brief-but-troubled time in Washington after being a first-round choose in 2019. Suffice to say he shortly grew to become a human pawn in an unsightly recreation of tug of warfare between proprietor Dan Snyder and then-coach Jay Gruden. Gruden’s employees weren’t followers; he was considered because the proprietor’s choose. Haskins made greater than his share of missteps and immature errors, however by the point Ron Rivera took over – with sweeping management – he’d already heard a lot about Haskins to begin hedging his bets.

Loads of blame to go round. It wasn’t going to work there.

However issues are completely totally different in Pittsburgh, the place the Steelers took the last word low-risk proposition of signing the teen who did throw 50 landing passes in a season at Ohio State. And the first purpose why Haskins is there may be that head coach Mike Tomlin went to bat for him. Tomlin, I used to be advised by sources on the time and to today, was enamored with Haskins within the pre-draft course of, with Ben Roethlisberger nearing the tip, and made it clear he’d wish to work with him as soon as issues fell aside in Washington. And, it is exactly what Haskins was determined for; he at all times considered Pittsburgh as the most effective place to attempt to get his profession on monitor, exactly due to Tomlin and the tradition he constructed there.

Thus far, it is paying off. Haskins has regarded higher than Mason Rudolph all through the summer season and Thursday night time, for regardless of the second preseason recreation is price, Haskins appeared extra comfy and cozy than ever earlier than. He wasn’t jittery. He wasn’t hurried. He was regular and clean and slipped across the pocket to search out secondary choices downfield. His ball placement, general, was a lot improved (sure, there are a number of throws the developmental QB would need again) and he confirmed a command of the offensive ideas in place.

He regarded, frankly, like a QB with ample upside who was blossoming in a change of surroundings. He regarded like somebody who might play on this league. Will he ever be a full-time starter, or reside as much as his draft billing? Who is aware of, however he confirmed ample purpose to proceed giving him an extended look, and remaining open minded about the opportunity of him being a greater quarterback and teammate.

Coloration Tomlin impressed (which on this occasion is what issues most).

“I believed he was in command tonight,” Tomlin advised reporters after the sport. “He did an awesome job speaking with folks, going via his progressions.”

It is simple to be fast to surrender on gamers after a yr or two, or write them off. And Haskins should stack months of high quality on-and-off area work earlier than this may be deemed a hit story. However since he acquired to Pittsburgh he is stored a low profile, prevented being his personal worst enemy, and simply may find yourself proving some folks fallacious.

Bengals‘ new-look ‘D’ overshadowed by Burrow buzz

For the entire discuss Joe Burrow‘s restoration, understandably so, it is hardly the one space of concern for the Bengals getting into 2021. In some methods it has obscured their years of main points with that protection, and particularly as Burrow fights his means via the primary weeks and months of the season, that unit goes to have to have the ability to play higher complimentary soccer than a yr in the past.

The early returns have been fairly robust – albeit going in opposition to an offensive line with a lot to kind out and with Burrow nonetheless coping with the psychological aspect of his restoration from knee surgical procedure. In fact, we’ll discover out way more beginning this weekend with the preseason schedule underway.

“It is nonetheless early, however the vitality and confidence that the fellows are enjoying with, that is one thing we’re trying to construct on, definitely,” defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo advised me. “We have guys which might be enjoying with confidence proper now, and it is a lengthy strategy to go however we’re constructing an excellent basis, and that is what’s vital.”

One factor working within the Bengals’ favor is there appears to be a greater esprit de corps, if you’ll, with this unit. There was a veteran previous guard on that aspect of the ball that predated the arrival of head coach Zac Taylor and this employees, lots of whom had gripes and grudges with thew group going again. Guys like Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap and William Jackson just about knew they weren’t ending their careers right here, and a few of them let or not it’s identified they wished out means earlier than they lastly did exit.

That dynamic is gone, and whereas I do nonetheless marvel concerning the general expertise right here (not retaining Jackson or Carl Lawson might come again to chew them), it is a staff recreation and good vibes cannot harm.

“I simply assume all the fellows that we signed have slightly little bit of a chip on their shoulder for one purpose or one other – to show this or show that,” Anarumo mentioned. “They usually’ve been a pleasure to cope with day by day. They’re good gamers and so they ask nice questions, and have an inner drive to be nice.”

If they will handle to be acceptable – barely beneath common, even – then it might be a extra attention-grabbing season in Cincinnati than many anticipate.

Ravens already swimming in points on offense

The Ravens offensive line points bear vital monitoring this preseason, and, when coupled with Lamar Jackson lacking the primary 10 days of camp as an unvaccinated participant with a constructive COVID-19 end result, time may already be operating out to actually ramp up that passing offense earlier than the common season.

Star left deal with Ronnie Stanley is coming off a big midseason surgical procedure and simply began to do particular person drills this week. At finest maybe he’s prepared for some work within the third preseason recreation, however even then will probably be working via issues himself testing his physique in a means he by no means has earlier than. It has been a rotating forged of less-than-ideal candidates working because the beginning left deal with with out him (Tyree Phillips, Patrick Mecari, Andrew Smith), key veteran signings Kevin Zeitler and Alejandro Villanueva have not seen a lot of the sphere currently working via their very own medical points, and the makeshift 5 man items have been getting whipped pretty usually at follow.

Which begs the query … would you play Jackson in any respect beneath these circumstances within the preseason? Is the potential reward of engaged on passing extra to operating again J.Okay. Dobbins and being beneath heart extra to include extra play motion and making an attempt to develop the passing effectivity outdoors the hashmarks actually well worth the gamble of enjoying behind probably just one bonafide offensive line starter (Bradley Bozeman, who’s transitioning from left guard to heart)? We have seen groups hold far lesser QBs on ice with out such daunting personnel points.

Think about that high choose Rashod Bateman barely practiced in any respect earlier than requiring groin surgical procedure that would delay his common season debut to October, and that high returning receiver Hollywood Brown has barely practiced and Baltimore’s receiving group at follow this week was comprised nearly completely of very uncooked rookies or bubble guys or dudes simply signed off the road, and you must marvel about what actual gained will be made given what number of key figures on this offense have been out.

And, if actually that is the case, and Jackson find yourself largely a spectator for the exhibition video games, then it makes these misplaced eight practices in the beginning much more vital, when Bateman and Brown have been a minimum of considerably obtainable and earlier than the offensive line accidents mounted. Very nicely might be the Ravens do not actually get to see this revamped offense all collectively (or practically all collectively) past Week 1.   

Extra insider notes

• Discovered it very attention-grabbing that Invoice Belichick made some extent of getting Mac Jones right into a two-minute scenario in his preseason debut (or forcing a two-minute scenario when one didn’t come up naturally within the recreation). I might see a state of affairs the place each Jones and Cam Newton see a good quantity of labor in video games, relying on recreation circulation and tendencies. Cam in red-zone, the child in two-minute and a few conditions the place tempo and speedy passing are needed. Who is aware of? Belichick is actually not chained to standard knowledge and has earned the fitting to strive some totally different stuff … 
• For as heady as he’s, and for the way lengthy he has been a Band-Help or caretaker QB, I gotta say Ryan Fitzpatrick persevering with to be dumbfounded over Miami getting an extended have a look at Tua Tagovailoa final season nonetheless blows my thoughts. That staff wasn’t successful something of significance with both man at QB, they lastly acquired in place to take a top-five QB whereas clearly in a deep rebuild. What did he assume was going to occur? … 
• Going to exit on a limb and say the lazy narrative about WFT presumably taking the fallacious man with its high choose in 2020 will probably be formally expunged by October. Chase Younger in 12 months Two with an actual offseason/preseason may be very unhealthy information for NFL quarterbacks.