Bruce Allen: Dwayne Haskins entering “perfect environment”

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Washington didn’t have many healthy quarterbacks on the roster leading into the draft.

But they have a bunch of former quarterbacks on staff, and along with the injured ones, plenty of mentors for first-rounder Dwayne Haskins.

That’s why team president Bruce Allen was so upbeat about the situation Haskins is walking into, during an appearance on ESPN.

“We’re going to try and get every player acclimated immediately,” Allen said, via the Washington Post. “We do have to start out fast this year. We open with the Philadelphia Eagles and we’re going to have our best lineup on the field. As far as Dwayne, we have a great system and a great environment to develop a quarterback. Our offensive coordinator [Kevin O’Connell], our quarterbacks coach [Tim Rattay], our senior assistant [Matt Cavanaugh] all played quarterback in the NFL. Our head coach [Jay Gruden] was a quarterback, and of course we have Doug Williams in the building.

“We think we have the perfect environment to nurture a young quarterback. And don’t forget, the secret ingredient, maybe, for Patrick Mahomes was Alex Smith. We’re pleased to have Alex and this group to help mentor a quarterback.”

Smith isn’t expected to play this year after a gruesome broken leg last year, so he’ll be available to give advice.

Washington traded for Case Keenum, and Colt McCoy is coming off multiple surgeries for a less-severe broken leg of his own, leaving a reasonably clear lane for Haskins to compete for and perhaps win the starting job.