The Washington Redskins have had a tough season and moving forward the team could look at the trade or release of RG3, as head coach Jay Gruden has appeared to move on from the quarterback and if Dan Snyder sides with him, the franchise could trade Robert Griffin III to teams like the Raiders, Buccaneers, Titans, Jets or Texans.
Griffin was benched by Gruden earlier in the season after coming back from an injury and now the team is set to start Colt McCoy against the Giants on Sunday. Griffin played last week for a bit after McCoy suffered a neck injury and Gruden said that week that as long as McCoy is healthy he will start. According to the Washington Post, Gruden could be at odds with owner Dan Snyder if he wants to move on from Griffin and that could lead to another coaching change in DC.
Griffin came into the league and was electric as a rookie, taking the Redskins to the playoffs and winning rookie of the year. But after getting injured that season and rushing back for the following year, Griffin has not been the same player and now it looks like he has regressed. The Washington Post has reported on numerous issues and problems surrounding Griffin, including reports about his work ethic, his diva attitude and his focus on being a brand rather than just a starting quarterback.
Griffin has the makings of a star and the talents to be a franchise player, but right now the team is at a major crossroads and if they opt to move on from Griffin, other teams likely will step up to the plate. The team has to make a major decision on his fifth year option and that comes in May and could cost over $15 million for the Redskins. The team gave up multiple first round picks and other draft choices to get Griffin and that is another reason why this decision is so tough for the Redskins.
The team was embarrassed in each of the past two weeks, as they played the Colts and the Rams, losing both games. Andrew Luck was selected ahead of Griffin and lost to him in the rookie of the year race, but two weeks ago he started against Colt McCoy and not RG3, an embarrassment for the Redskins. Last week the Rams put out the six players acquired for RG3 as their team captains at the coin toss and then they beat Washington 24-0, another huge embarrassment for the franchise. Adding insult to it, McCoy started that game and Griffin only got in after he was injured.
The Redskins come into the game at 3-10 on the season and they finish with three straight divisional games to end the year. The Raiders, Texans, NY Jets, Tennessee Titans and Philadelphia Eagles all could be interested in Griffin, while the Buccaneers also likely will be making a change at QB after the season. This offseason will be a major turning point for the quarterback no matter how it turns out, as Griffin could get traded, released or signed to an extension, all of which bring pressure.
