Robert Griffin III: Where Is It Best For Him To Start Over?

Robert Griffin III is just a month away from becoming a free agent for the first time.  The Washington Redskins are expected to cut him.  That leaves the question as to where the best place might be for the former Rookie of the Year to sign.  We asked the NFL Mocks crew for their assessment on his situations, including the team he should consider moving to.

Eric Robinson:

With his skill set, I think Houston is the place for RG3. It’s a situation where he won’t have much as far as competition as he would in Dallas. He has a top 5 WR in Hopkins, as well as a defense to lean on. We’ve seen that handling large media markets is not the best thing for him, which he will have heavy pressure in Dallas, Philly, and New York. So he can comfortably play in Houston which is only a few hours from Baylor. The division is winnable and who wouldn’t want to see Griffin/Luck twice a year. As much as I think O’Brien wants Hackenberg, Griffin is a special talent and has skills that Hack doesn’t have.

George Stockburger:

If Peyton Manning doesn’t retire and the Broncos aren’t ready to commit to Brock Osweiler long term, I’ve always thought Denver made sense. A good team with a veteran quarterback you can learn under. If the cards don’t fall that way, he’ll have some limited options. In my opinion he should avoid big media markets such as L.A., Philly, New York, Chicago and Dallas. Maybe San Diego if they want someone to groom behind Rivers.

I don’t think Griffin should get a starting job right away, so that makes sense. Houston is another place that is close to home and not as big of a market as Dallas. It would also be a hoot if he ended up on the Rams after they robbed the Redskins of all those picks.

Rodney Stokes:

I have to agree with Eric and say that Houston would be a perfect place for RG3 to land. Not only would he be in the comforts of home but he would also have a fresh start with a team that simply needs a QB to make them contenders. Another option for RG3 would be the Browns where he could pair with (the hopefully reinstated) Josh Gordon and work with Hue Jackson who was able to make strides with Andy Dalton. If I had to choose the most logical option however, it would be Houston.

David Holmes:

To me the ideal fit for RG3 to resurrect his career would be the Kansas City Chiefs. He’d have far less pressure as the franchise quarterback, since Alex Smith is already in place as the starter. Another thing to consider is Andy Reid as the head coach. He has dealt with his fair share of unique quarterback situations in his coaching career. From Donovan McNabb’s up and down attitude, to helping Michael Vick rebuild his career after his prison stint.

Andy Reid was able to mold both of these quarterbacks to his west coast system and see them both flourish.I believe being in small market where he could spend time to develop as an NFL passer under a veteran quarterback and coach would do RG3 a world of good.

Erik Lambert:

I don’t think the media market is the problem with Griffin.  I believe it’s his confidence.  He lost a good chunk of it after his knee injury as a rookie, followed by the tough love approach of Mike Shanahan.  What he could use is a head coach who knows how to motivate his players.  To that end, and this is going to shock some people, I’d keep a close watch on the Arizona Cardinals.  Let us not forget that Carson Palmer is 36-years old and coming off one of the worst performances of his career.

Head coach Bruce Arians must be at least pondering the idea of bringing in a younger quarterback.  Given his ability to elevate players (like Palmer) who were once thought long done, signing Robert Griffin III sounds like just their kind of move.  It puts him out of the spotlight for the time being in a smaller market, but more importantly under a head coach who will know what to do with him.