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Sitting RGIII--good football move?

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by printit, Dec 11, 2013.

  1. printit

    printit Member

    Most of the discussion on this has been Shanahan/Snyder driven, I wanted to discuss the move on its merits. I like it.
    1. These games mean nothing. Whether the Redskins go 6-10 or 3-13 means nothing to them.
    2. RGIII is a high risk player. Maybe not as much this year, but I would say the odds of his getting hurt are slightly higher than the average odds of an NFL QB getting hurt.
    3. Spotlight on Kirk Cousins could get Redskins needed draft picks: This is the part I think most people are missing. The Redskins need draft picks, having given up so many to get RGIII (and being bad in general, and having a cap penalty this year). My strategy for the next 3 weeks would be to do everything under the sun to make Kirk Cousins look like the next (fill in the blank hot young QB who came off the bench). Hope that someone likes what they see enough to trade you a couple of draft picks for him. Matt Flynn left GB as a free agent but parlayed 2 good games (Sunday Night Football against New England and Week 17 against Detroit) into a huge contract. Alex Smith was worth a second round pick. Cousins won't have the resume of Alex Smith at the end of the year, but he'll also cost a lot less money. I can see a GM who thinks he is a QB away from the playoffs and a losing season away from getting fired overpaying to get Kirk Cousins. (3rd and a 6th?)
     
  2. PCLoadLetter

    PCLoadLetter Well-Known Member

    I have no problem with sitting RGIII. He's clearly nowhere close to 100% and giving Cousins the work makes sense.

    On the other hand, if I'm the Redskins I am not in any hurry to deal Cousins. If you believe RGIII has a higher than average risk of injury -- and I agree -- why would you deal the decent backup and hang your hopes on Rex Grossman? I assume Griffin will miss a few games each season, so there'd better be a backup who can actually win games.
     
  3. Starman

    Starman Well-Known Member

    Presumably the new coach coming in in Washington is going to have to decide whether he wants to hitch his wagon to RGIII long-term, so getting a better idea what Cousins can do with extended PT will give them more information to work with.

    And yeah, at this point, it's dumb to throw RGIII out there at less than 100%. Nothing good and plenty bad can come of it.
     
  4. Football_Bat

    Football_Bat Well-Known Member

    The Redskins traded their No. 1 pick to the Rams, so sliding up the board doesn't do them much good.

    But sitting RG3 and playing Cousins is the smart long-term move.
     
  5. printit

    printit Member

    Right, which would be part of the impetus for getting some picks in a trade. Washington has no reason whatsoever to tank, hell, if Cousins goes 3-0 as a starter, that's good for everyone involved.
     
  6. Mark2010

    Mark2010 Active Member

    Might as well find out what you got under game conditions.

    Even bigger question...... if Cousins performs well (however you wish to define it), would you consider putting Griffin on the trade block and having Cousins be the No. 1 guy going to camp next summer?
     
  7. Starman

    Starman Well-Known Member

    That could be part of it, too.
     
  8. 3_Octave_Fart

    3_Octave_Fart Well-Known Member

    The Redskins would consider this if they were smartly run - they are not.
    At the same time, playing Cousins on this joke team could get him hurt, reveal he's not all that good and/or damage his trade value.
     
  9. Starman

    Starman Well-Known Member

    Well, if you wait until the Redskins are a well-constructed, well-organized team before playing Cousins, you could be waiting five years.

    And if you're afraid of playing people because of damaging their potential trade value, you shouldn't play anybody -- just start guys off the practice squad (what do you have to lose??).
     
  10. 3_Octave_Fart

    3_Octave_Fart Well-Known Member

    A lot of guys on this team are playing for jobs.
    Griffin is being paid to compete. Even his 2-year-old id understands that.
    I have never and never will understand this notion that not trying is acceptable, under any circumstances.
    It's not in us as a people.
     
  11. Starman

    Starman Well-Known Member

    Griffin,

    a) is obviously physically not 100%. In addition his style of play is such that playing at a below-par level will probably subject him to additional injury risk (he won't be able to move or protect himself as he normally would).

    b) Obviously does not have the confidence of the current coaching staff (or vice versa), which almost certainly will be gone shortly. Even if he plays and plays well it's probably not going to change anybody's mind.

    There really is no upside to playing him. The absolute best you could hope for would be he gets through three more games with no additional injuries.
     
  12. Webster

    Webster Well-Known Member

    I didn't see the Chiefs game, but against the Giants, he looked like he was moving fine. I think you need game time (in my viewing, Griffin has not been very precise) and giving up with three games to go sends a bad message.
     
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