Washington Redskins: RG III and Out
Following a sensational debut season back in 2012, Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III appeared to be a budding star. But appearances can be deceiving.
It was nice while it lasted. And now it’s just a matter of when.
On Tuesday, Washington Redskins president Bruce Allen told The Dan Sileo Show (Mighty 1090 in San Diego) that 2012 rookie star signal-caller turned 2015 backup quarterback Robert Griffin III would not be on the team’s roster this season.
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“I see Robert getting an opportunity with another team,” said Allen to Sileo (and documented by John Keim of ESPN). “We’ve heard from some teams that are interested. I think he’s going to have a choice of a couple teams that will let him excel in the future.”
It’s amazing how the somewhat mighty have fallen in such a short time. The 2011 Heisman Trophy winner and the second overall pick behind Indianapolis Colts’ quarterback Andrew Luck less than four years ago, Griffin was one of the big stories of the 2012 NFL season. He helped the Redskins rally from a 3-6 start and win the NFC East with a 10-6 record (although he did get an assist or two from fellow rookie quarterback Kirk Cousins that season).
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That year, Griffin completed 65.6 percent of his passes for 3,200 yards and 20 touchdowns, with only five interceptions. He would also run for 815 yards and seven scores and lost only two of his 12 fumbles despite being sacked 30 times.
Then came the 2012 NFC Wild Card Playoffs against the Seattle Seahawks and that season’s NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year would go down in the game with a knee injury. And while he never saw any action in the following preseason, he wound up starting in Week 1 that year against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Over the next two seasons (2013-14), Griffin would play in 22 games (20 starts), throw 20 touchdown passes compared to 18 interceptions and lost eight of 20 fumbles. In those contests, he ran for only 665 yards and one score.
This past season, he was unseated by Cousins and never saw the field. His inability to stay healthy combined with the fact that he never learned to protect him when attempting to slide or run out of bounds compounded the issue and now he will be playing elsewhere – hopefully – in 2016.
“I think he’s going to have a choice of a couple teams that will let him excel in the future,” reiterated Allen to Sileo.
As usual, there are a handful of clubs that could use quarterbacks, be it a starter or an experienced backup. Griffin is still under contract, hence the Redskins could still see if any team is interested in making a trade. But given the current climate and the fact that teams know the ‘Skins are getting ready to cut ties with the young quarterback, that’s a highly unlikely scenario.
There appears to be no ill will between Griffin and the Redskins. “From the very beginning, Robert has handled himself like a professional,” added Allen. “When we drafted him all the way through, he’s been a good teammate and a good guy. I know some people on the outside always like to be critical, but his teammates like him, his coaches like him and he does have some special talents and we wish him well.”
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It will be interesting to see who will give RG III a second chance at success in the NFL. We have seen our share of comeback stories over the years and who knows how this will eventually play out.