Landing spots for Robert Griffin III
— -- Last offseason, before the Washington Redskins named Kirk Cousins their starting quarterback, 35 NFL coaches and personnel evaluators graded projected starters for our annual Quarterback Tier Rankings survey. Robert Griffin III ranked fifth from the bottom at No. 28. Josh McCown, Brian Hoyer, Matt Cassel and Geno Smith were the only projected starters listed below him.
Could the reality be as bad as the perception for a player who dazzled the NFL as a rookie during the 2012 season? The market will answer that question after the Redskins inevitably release Griffin in the coming weeks.
Griffin could benefit from a change of scenery, but many within the league believe that a new mindset is what he has needed the most. A personnel director said last offseason he thought Griffin was starting to show positive signs on that front.
"We have seen a little more humility out of him, and hopefully that translates to his preparation and his play," this director said. "He has to rethink and reframe how he plays."
Putting together a short list of "fits" for Griffin must account for the reality that NFL teams think Griffin has more name than game at this point. Some of the teams listed below might show no interest at all, but as the price for Griffin drops, upside can begin to outweigh risks.
Five interesting potential fits for RG III
Bringing in Griffin as insurance and/or to push Taylor for the starting job could make sense for the Bills. Backup EJ Manuel's career appears to have run its course in Buffalo. His expected departure would open a spot for Griffin to compete with Taylor, whose deal voids after the 2016 season. Griffin would fit better in coordinator Greg Roman's offense than he would in most other systems, making Buffalo one of the few natural scheme fits.
Some thought Griffin wielded too much influence in Washington before the Redskins benched him. Griffin will not enjoy the same power in his next stop, but it wouldn't be an option in Denver anyway. Kubiak came to Denver with a reputation among other coaches for telling his quarterbacks how they were going to do things -- on his terms, not theirs. The way he dictated terms to Manning this season showed that reputation was well-earned.
The stability and professionalism Reid and Smith bring to their jobs also could benefit Griffin as he attempts to remake himself. He has not had veteran quarterback mentors in the past. Smith is the clear starter, so playing time could be elusive for Griffin, but with Chiefs backup Chase Daniel eligible for free agency, there could be an opening.
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