Los Angeles Rams: Robert Griffin III should be targeted if made available
By Hunter Noll
The Los Angeles Rams backup quarterback situation hasn’t looked good this preseason. If Robert Griffin III becomes available, they should strike fast.
The Los Angeles Rams backup quarterback situation came into the season looking ugly, and it hasn’t gotten any prettier. Robert Griffin III may not be on the Baltimore Ravens for much longer, and the Rams should scoop him up immediately if that happens.
Sean Mannion and Brandon Allen came into the preseason as the Rams backup quarterbacks. So far neither has looked competent when it comes to running the offense.
Mannion is 24-for-46 (52 percent) with 168 yards (3.7 yards per attempt) and one touchdown compared to two interceptions. Allen on the other hand is 26-for-39 (66.7 percent) with 194 yards (4.9 yards per attempt) and one touchdown compared to one interception.
The offense has scored five touchdowns in three games, and has just 46 first downs, nine coming off penalties. All-in-all, neither quarterback has looked very good, and neither has been able to lead the offense very well.
Robert Griffin III meanwhile, has looked sharp with the Ravens. The quarterback is 20-for-30 (66.7 percent) with 185 yards (6.2 yards per attempt) and one touchdown compared to zero interceptions. He’s also run the ball eight times for 43 yards (5.4 yards per carry). Griffin III has accumulated 17 first downs in a much shorter amount of time (four via penalty), including two off long runs.
Despite the great play, Joe Flacco and Lamar Jackson make him much more expendable then he should be. Due to that, a release of RGIII could be in the cards.
Not only has Griffin III looked more capable this preseason, he simply has more experience. Allen has never thrown a pass in a regular season NFL game. While Mannion has thrown a total of 50 (235 yards and one interception).
RGIII’s story doesn’t really need to be told, as he led the Washington Redskins to the playoffs in his rookie season (2012) before an injury derailed his career in the first postseason game. For some reason, the Redskins seemed to give up on him way too easily after his return from injury, and he’s fallen out of favor since then.
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Griffin III could be a superb backup to Jared Goff, though.
The Los Angeles Rams need a backup plan. Robert Griffin III has a solid résumé and has looked fantastic this preseason. If he becomes available, the Rams should only need to take a quick look at what their backup quarterbacks have (or haven’t) been able to do for them so far before realizing this would be a perfect fit.