Time For Washington Redskins To End Robert Griffin III Era
By Erik Lambert
Sep 14, 2014; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III (10) is carted of the field after being injured against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first quarter at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Ironically, it seems the Washington Redskins did find their quarterback in 2012 draft, it just turned out not to be Robert Griffin III.
Kirk Cousins showing he fits Redskins offense
There is no denying that at one point in time he looked like the perfect fit for the Redskins. Unfortunately injury and coaching changes have altered the landscape. Jay Gruden is the man in charge now, and there is a quarterback on the roster who seems to fit his offense quite well. That is backup Kirk Cousins, who tossed for over 400 yards and three touchdowns in his first start under Gruden. Cousins seems like a natural fit for the system, something that was hinted at during the entire off-season. Now with firm validation of it, questions are being raised about what Washington should do about Griffen, whom they have a sizeable investment in.
Possible Trade Options For RGIII
The short answer would be to trade him as soon as possible. They will never get back the host of picks they gave up to get him, but the Redskins should still be able to find a quality deal for RGIII. He’s still only 24-years old with plenty of athletic talent. What he needs is a fresh start in a system that can take advantage of his skill set. Here are a few options to note.
New York Jets
At this point fans will take just about anybody over Geno Smith. Once again the young quarterback made some mind-numbing mistakes that cost his team the game. It may not be much longer before the Michael Vick calls are heard, which offers little comfort for New York Jets loyalists. Perhaps trading for the more gifted RGIII could be the solution to their problem.
St. Louis Rams
Oh the irony is palpable. The team that practically robbed the Washington Redskins of four high draft picks (three #1s) for the rights to Robert Griffin III are suddenly in serious need of a quarterback. Sam Bradford is out, probably for good and his backups haven’t cut the mustard. Jeff Fisher has built successful teams around mobile quarterbacks before (Steve McNair) and could certainly find a place for Griffin provided he can fix the St. Louis Rams protection issues first.
Dallas Cowboys
Yes, Tony Romo is still the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys, but for how much longer. He clearly hasn’t played like his old self, and at age 34 coming off back surgery is only going to continue losing his physical edge. Dallas has no succession plan in place. Since they love mobile quarterbacks with good arms, perhaps they would have interest in RGIII. True, it would mean a rare deal between two division rivals but if the Redskins aren’t sold on Griffin anyway, it shouldn’t be a problem to work something out.