Dwayne Haskins Rumors: Panthers Among 'Several Teams' Interested in Ex-WFT QB

Free-agent quarterback Dwayne Haskins "is unlikely to sign before the season [ends]" but has received interest from NFL teams, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

Rapoport identified the Carolina Panthers as one of the franchises that are tracking Haskins, who cleared waivers Tuesday. Joe Person of The Athletic reported Carolina's interest was "characterized as exploratory and due diligence by a person familiar with the discussions."

Carolina signed Teddy Bridgewater to a three-year, $66 million contract last offseason, but he may not be the long-term answer at quarterback.

Bridgewater has thrown for 3,557 yards, 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions and completed 69.7 percent of his passes. That's solid production on a team in a transitional phase under first-year head coach Matt Rhule, but the numbers aren't so good as to make Bridgewater's position unassailable.

His deal makes it easy for the Panthers to move on as well after the 2021 season, when the team would save $21 million and absorb $5 million in dead money by releasing him.

Rhule could bring Haskins in to keep him on the sideline for a season or two while lining him up as Bridgewater's successor.

It's difficult to envision any scenario in which a team signs Haskins to start in Week 1 of the 2021 season when Jameis Winston and Andy Dalton had to settle for backup gigs when they joined their respective teams. The 23-year-old will need to earn his way onto the first string wherever he lands.

More teams will probably reach out to Haskins, and there isn't much incentive to rush into a decision with one week left in the regular season. Carolina would be a sensible landing spot if that's how things shake out.