For many teams, Griffin IS the future
“One man’s loss is another man’s gain.”
(Or in this case, an entire organizational gain)
On Wednesday, former Baylor QB Robert Griffin III, who in 2011 led the Bears football team to its best record in the program’s history (culminating with a shoot out victory against Washington in the Alamo Bowl), announced that he is forgoing his senior season and becoming eligible for the 2012 NFL Draft. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner, who has turned heads making equally impressive plays with both his arm and his feet, is currently projected to be a top ten, if not top five, pick in April’s draft. Below, The Word explores possible landing spots for this hot commodity.
Who’s In On Griffin (Teams are listed in draft order)
St. Louis Rams – With all indications pointing to the Colts taking Stanford QB Andrew Luck with the top pick, the Rams would be foolish not to consider Griffin at No. 2. Yes, it is has only been two years since current QB Sam Bradford was chosen by the team as the top selection in the 2010 Draft, but injuries and a regression in performance have not helped Bradford’s chances. Additionally, the Rams will have a new coach at the helm in 2012 who may want to implement his own philosophy with his own personnel. If that person should be Jeff Fisher (who reportedly does not hold Bradford in the highest light), then St. Louis’ chances of choosing Griffin increase. Finally, if they do decide to stick with Bradford, they should have plenty of interest from other teams wanting to trade up and take Griffin second. Either way, the Rams are in a very good spot.
Minnesota Vikings – This may be a little bit of a stretch, but hear me out. By spending last year’s first round pick on QB Christian Ponder, the Vikes seemed to signal to the rest of the league that the former Florida State Seminole was their QB of the future. And while Ponder did get some crucial experience this year after aging veteran Donavan McNabb flamed out, he still has a long way to go. If Griffin somehow makes it to No. 3 (assuming the Rams don’t take him and/or other teams don’t trade up), Minnesota definitely should consider him. There are obviously bigger holes of need than at the quarterback position (both the O-line and D-line along with the secondary come to mind), but can you imagine how explosive of an offense the Vikes would have with Griffin, WR Percy Harvin, and RB Adrian Peterson (assuming he returns healthy from that terrible knee injury he suffered at the end of the season)? That possibility may be too entertaining for Minnesota to let go, especially when they desperately want a new stadium. RG3 may just be the necessary marketing tool to achieve that.
Cleveland Browns – If Griffin makes it to this spot, Cleveland will take him. Current signal caller Colt McCoy is a solid player and possesses winning intangibles, but he lacks the arm, strength, and speed needed to be consistently successful in the physical AFC North. Griffin on the other hand would be a dream come true to Browns fans. He possesses anything and everything you want in a franchise quarterback, and would bring excitement and a superstar-type identity that the Cleveland sports community so desperately craves after LeBron James left them high and dry. I honestly believe that if there is one team who needs Griffin the most, it’s the Browns. Look for them to do anything and everything they can to get RG3 into the Dawg Pound on draft day.
Washington Redskins – In terms of needing Griffin, the ‘Skins are a close second to the Browns. Rex Grossman and John Beck do not appear to be even close to the answer, and for a team whose past decade of play is completely embarrassing given their proud tradition, any sense of hope for a near resurgence would be welcomed with open arms. Head Coach Mike Shanahan is probably salivating at the mouth when dreaming about getting a guy like Griffin, but the odds of it actually happening may be pretty slim. As I said before, in no way do the Browns let Griffin go by with the fourth pick, so if the ‘Skins truly want him, they are gonna have to trade up. St. Louis or Minnesota may reap the rewards of a possible bidding war between Washington and Cleveland.
Miami Dolphins – Among other things on the wish list, the ‘Fins would like a QB. Chad Pennington has a limited ceiling, and while Matt Moore did experience some success this season, he is not the long-term answer for Miami. Again, any team who picks after Cleveland is going to have to trade up to get Griffin. The thought of him, Reggie Bush, Daniel Thomas, and Brandon Marshall all on the field at once is pretty dreamy, but I don’t think the ‘Fins go all out in April. This squad should be considered as a wildcard for RG3.
Seattle Seahawks – With all due respect Seattle fans, any team that has Tavaris Jackson as their QB1 is always on the prowl for someone better. And while RG3 represents a definite upgrade over Jackson, Seattle is going to need to make a big push to move up from pick No. 12 and grab Griffin before either Cleveland or Washington does. If Pete Carroll really wants to, the Seahawks do have the young talent to make an attractive offer, however I think that they will stick with Jackson for another year and look to make a run at Matt Barkley (whom Carroll recruited while at USC) in 2013. Consider Griffin an extreme stretch for the ‘Hawks.
Arizona Cardinals – Sticking in the NFC West, the Cards have the next pick , and like Seattle, hold an uncertain future at the quarterback position. Arizona invested a lot in Kevin Kolb, but unfortunately a disappointing 2011 has potentially raised more questions than answers regarding his role with the team. Backup John Skelton has shown promise in his limited time under center, so maybe Arizona sticks with Kolb/Skelton one more season. Additionally, this team desperately needs help along the offensive line, so Griffin may not be such an appealing selection.
San Francisco 49ers – This entry is solely based on my lack of confidence in Alex Smith to lead a team deep into the playoffs. I understand that San Francisco has had a great year and are still in the running, but you cannot tell me that Smith has the ability to make the passes needed against defenses like the Ravens or Steelers and in turn, win a Super Bowl. And while Jim Harbaugh has expressed his full confidence in Smith, it is scary to think what the Niners would look like with Griffin behind center. The glaring problem I see in this scenario is San Fran’s reluctance to part ways with any of their good, young talent in a trade, something they will undoubtedly have to do if they want to have shot at landing Griffin. For a team that is by and large the best in their division, Griffin should be considered a fantasy, and an unrealistic one at that.
My Predictions:
(In order of likelihood, here are my predictions of who gets RG3):
1. Browns
2. Redskins
3. Dolphins
4. Vikings
5. Rams
6. Seahawks
7. Niners
The Word 