Who could start at quarterback for Washington in Week 16?

With Dwayne Haskins embroiled in controversy, who will start at quarterback in Week 16 for Washington?

After former first-round pick Dwayne Haskins was benched by Ron Rivera and the Washington Football Team, it seemed like his time as the franchise guy in Washington was over. However, injuries to Alex Smith and Kyle Allen gave Haskins another chance at the starting job.

Haskins might’ve blown his second chance after partying at a strip club without wearing a mask following their loss against the Seattle Seahawks. After he apologized on Twitter, it’s entirely possible that he might not be handed QB1 duties against the Carolina Panthers.

With Haskins likely facing internal disciple that could entail a benching or suspension, and with Smith still not 100 percent ready to go, Washington could be forced to roll with either a rookie in Steven Montez or a well-traveled practice squad QB in Taylor Heinicke.

Both Steven Montez and Taylor Heinicke would be risky starts for Washington

Heinicke, a former record-setting quarterback in Old Dominion’s days as an FCS school, has bounced around practice squads since 2015, including a stop on Rivera’s Panthers in 2018. In limited NFL action, Heinicke completed 62 percent of his passes for 320 yards, 1 touchdown, and three interceptions. Rivera has consistently stressed knowledge of the offense, and Heinicke checks that box.

Montez, an undrafted free agent out of Colorado who had some nice moments as one of the six quarterbacks invited to the 2020 Senior Bowl, is straight out of central casting. At 6-5 and 235 pounds, Montez’s superb arm strength is easy to spot, as the ball explodes out of his hand. For his size, he’s a solid athlete with mobility.

However, Montez failed to hit 3,000 passing yards or 20 TD passes in any of his three seasons as the starter in college, and his accuracy issues, difficulty moving between reads, and poor pocket presence prevented him from getting drafted.

Washington can opt for either the incredibly raw, yet talented, Montez or the safe, yet underwhelming, Heinicke. Either way, this isn’t an ideal situation for a team fighting for a division title, as Haskins really put them in a tough spot.