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ESPN hypothetical trades could make sense for Dwayne Haskins, Ryan Kerrigan

By JP Finlay

ESPN hypothetical trades could make sense for Haskins, Kerrigan originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington

​Washington Football benched Dwayne Haskins after a Week 4 loss to the Ravens and the quarterback has missed extensive time since his benching due to a stomach illness. 

Things are not going great between the organization and the 2019 first-rounder, and plenty of people think the best thing for Haskins would be a fresh start before the NFL Trade Deadline in a few weeks. 

ESPN recently put together a series of hypothetical NFL trades including moves for the Washington Football Team with the headliner sending Haskins to Pittsburgh in exchange for cornerback Justin Layne and a fourth-round pick. 

From ESPN:

Haskins realistically needs time to go develop behind an established quarterback, which is why the Steelers could make sense. Ben Roethlisberger looks solid in his age-38 season, but he is close to the end of his career. Mason Rudolph showed little filling in for Roethlisberger last season, and he is about to enter the final year of his rookie deal. Layne, a third-rounder in 2019, is at the bottom of a deep cornerback room in Pittsburgh and hasn’t played a single defensive snap as a pro. Layne and a fourth-round pick might not seem like much value for a 2019 first-rounder, but Washington hasn’t done much to make Haskins look valuable.

That’s a lot to take in but one thing is for sure: Washington hasn’t made Haskins look valuable by moving him to third-string, and it’s debatable how valuable Haskins has made himself look being drafted by Washington. 

This trade would obviously be an incredible admission of guilt by Washington. No 15th-overall selection should be moved 18 months later for a third-round corner and a future fourth-rounder. That shouldn’t happen, and it shows a very bad selection. 

Yet, considering how nuclear things seem to be between Washington and Haskins, the reality is that deal seems realistic. 

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Haskins never got a fair shake in Washington. 

The coaching staff last year didn’t want him, and in 2020, Covid ruined any chance of offseason development. It also doesn’t help that Washington is in the midst of a dramatic rebuild with major holes on offense. Still, other young quarterbacks are able to flourish in similarly bad situations. Haskins hasn’t.

It’s a chicken and egg situation between Washington and Haskins that looks like it will have no easy answer. Maybe a trade, like this one to Pittsburgh, is the best idea for all parties. 

Elsewhere on the ESPN list is a trade of veteran pass rusher Ryan Kerrigan to San Francisco in exchange for receiver Dante Pettis and a 2020 fifth-round pick. Here’s the explanation:

Speaking of the Niners, they badly need short-term help on the edge, with Nick Bosa and Dee Ford both on injured reserve. Most teams aren’t willing to trade away effective veteran edge rushers, but Washington is rebuilding and has one in Kerrigan, who has a little over $8 million in salary left in the final year of his deal. The 49ers would have to clear out some cap space to make this trade work, which they could do by extending Richard Sherman or Kyle Juszczyk or via restructuring Jimmy Garoppolo’s deal. In return, Washington could buy low on a weapon for their various quarterbacks by going after Pettis, who has barely been seen since a promising 2018 season.  

This seems hard to pull off with the Niners only having $4 million in cap space. Sure, they could move some numbers around to make room, but it’s not simple. 

Losing Kerrigan would really sting for a Washington fanbase without a lot of familiar names anymore too. It might make sense in the bigger sense of a rebuild, but considering Pettis might be dealing with a knee injury, this seems to help San Francisco far more than Washington. 

Either way, trade season is coming to the NFL. Of all the major sports leagues, pro football typically has the least big-name action at the deadline, but Washington has never quite been in a situation like this.

Ron Rivera has already made some big trades – Trent Williams, Quinton Dunbar – so don’t be surprised if Riverboat Ron decides to roll the dice a few more times in the coming weeks. 

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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