The Washington Redskins have names Robert Griffin III the starter for the 2015 season, but moving on in the future he may not be the answer at quarterback, as the team still has not yet decided on his fifth year option and this comes as Marcus Mariota has been mentioned as a potential target for Jay Gruden in the draft along with names like Leonard Williams, Dante Fowler, Shane Ray and Randy Gregory.
The Redskins brought back Colt McCoy to join Kirk Cousins on the QB depth chart and while RG3 is at the top once again, things could change depending on how the draft goes. Earlier in the offseason there were reports that the Redskins would look at moving on from Griffin, but Gruden came out at the combine and said Griffin would be the starter heading into camp. According to CSN Washington, the team has still not yet made a final decision on whether to pick up the fifth year option for Griffin.
The Redskins brought in a new general manager in Scot McCloughan this offseason and he is looking at all of his options heading into 2015. McCloughan has a strong track record and the Redskins have been fairly active in free agency, signing players like Stephen Paea, Jeron Johnson, Chris Culliver and Terrance Knighton on defense. McCloughan still has options on offense and there is a chance he could look at the draft as a way to add more talent.
According to ESPN.com, McCloughan said that the team would be open to taking a quarterback in the draft this year even with Griffin coming back as the starter. John Clayton wrote earlier this offseason that Marcus Mariota could be an option for the team at number five if he slips there, as he could be a strong fit for Jay Gruden's system. Last year there were reports that Gruden did not like how Griffin fit into his offense and while the coach dismissed that talk, Griffin still has his fifth year option yet to be picked up.
The option is non-guaranteed and is $16 million for the fifth year and the Redskins have a deadline of May 5 to pick it up or decline. The team could work out a new deal with Griffin by then, but so far there have been no indications that a new deal is happening. McCloughan said that the team has "early discussions" about the option, but that no decisions have been made yet.
According to NFL.com, the Redskins could look at players like Leonard Williams, Dante Fowler, Shane Ray and Randy Gregory at the number five pick if the team opts to pass on Mariota or if he is off the board. Landon Collins also could be a target for the team, as McCloughan said this past week that the safety position is one of need for the Redskins. The team comes in with seven selections in the 2015 NFL draft and they pick at number five overall.
Williams could go as high as two, as he has been reportedly looked at as a target by the Tennessee Titans. If Williams falls there is a chance that the Redskins could pick him, while Gregory also is considered a solid option on defense. Fowler is another name to look at, as the Redskins lost Brian Orakpo in free agency and the linebacker from Florida could be a good option to replace him.
