For now, according to the announcement head coach Jay Gruden made, the Washington Redskins are sticking with Robert Griffin III as their starting quarterback. But is that really the guy they want behind center, or is there more to this announcement?
The main reason Gruden is naming Griffin as his starter so soon is to try and clam down the buzz and media interest. Griffin hasn’t shown to be the most durable or sturdy individual when it comes to handling pressure and controversy. Naming anyone else might be the final blow to his fading career, but lets not forget the Redskins have the fifth overall pick heading into the 2015 draft.Some say Marcus Mariota is going to be available.
But picking Mariota will increase the pressure on the organization and Griffin himself, a second overall pick in 2012. Griffin more or less earned back his starting role after coming back from injury last season, but it had more to do with Kirk Cousins performing appallingly after brief signs of actually being the guy for the Redskins and rumors of Gruden preferring him to be the man who runs his offensive system.
And after all, Gruden announcing such a thing doesn’t mean all the options aren’t still on the table. Griffin can still be traded (if anyone wants him). He can still be benched after the preseason if he’s having a rough time. Saying something doesn’t mean Gruden is now locked and loaded for the entire season. We’ve seen last season that he has no problem going in a different direction, and he isn’t the biggest fan of Griffin, who has seemed to forget how to play football in the short time he’s been in the league.
The Redskins finished last season with a 4-12 record, making it another abysmal year for a franchise that seemed to be on the right path after drafting Griffin and making the playoffs during his rookie season. Griffin himself played in just nine games last season, starting and leading the team to just one victory that he actually saw through. He finished the season with 1694 passing yards, four touchdowns and six interceptions, while running for just 176 yards (4.6 yards per carry, his lowest) and posting a passer rating of 86.9.