Robert Griffin III's time with the Washington Redskins is coming to an end and he knows it. The quarterback spent all season watching from the sidelines as Kirk Cousins led the team to the playoffs. Meanwhile Griffin became a distant memory and with a contract easy to cut, the quarterback is expected to head elsewhere. So where could he land and rebuild his NFL career?
According to ESPN's John Keim, Griffin left a note in his locker after cleaning it out that hints he is headed elsewhere in 2016. This is not news to any Redskins fans. The quarterback has a $16 million option for 2016 that is only guaranteed for injuries. He is an easy release and Keim predicts that will be the favored move in order for both sides to move on.
Griffin is young and with time could develop into an NFL talent. According to the Dallas Morning News, the quarterback has the Dallas Cowboys at the top of his list. It would not be a bad place for him to land considering Tony Romo is already to inserted starter and he could sit behind the veteran and develop. Teams like the Houston Texans or Cleveland Browns could show interest if they believe that Griffin is ready to start immediately in 2016. There is plenty of doubt around that question.
The departure of Griffin means Kirk Cousins is favored for the future of the organization. However, making sure that happens is easier said than done. Cousins has one year of real success under his belt. What kind of contract does that give him? According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, the likely outcome is a franchise tag which is certainly not a bad move for Cousins. The Redskins might be weary giving him such a big contract with a short resume. The tag would allow Washington to see how Cousins returns for his second full year as a starter. The issue is whether or not another team deems Cousins worth the two first-round draft picks. The Cleveland Browns could easily give up two picks to get a quarterback like Cousins. They have shown interest in him before.
One thing is clear, Cousins has no interest in hitting the market. The quarterback told the media that he wants to remain with the Redskins and will handle contract talks when they come.
"I think I want to be where I am wanted," Cousins said, via the Washington Post. "You want to be with people who believe in you and we are going to find out - because we haven't discussed it much yet - how much I am wanted and where that'll go. I'm sure it's a business and the team is going to operate with that mind-set. This is my first time going through that process in the NFL, so it's new to me. Don't know a whole lot about it. So we'll see how it goes."