Redskins Go For It with RG III
The Philadelphia Daily News - Eagletarian
Redskins Go For It with RG III
Les Bowen, Daily News Staff Writer
Still reeling more than 12 hours after the Redskins traded three first round picks and a second for the Rams' No. 2 overall selection in the draft -- for all intents and purposes, Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III.
The knee-jerk reaction is to predict this will end badly for Washington, beacuse everything Daniel Snyder does ends badly, and the price to get RG III was really, really steep. Some people are likening the move to the 1989 Herschel Walker trade between the Vikings and the Cowboys, which set Dallas up for multiple Super Bowls.
I think that's an imperfect analogy. RG III is not a mid-career running back, he figures to be a much rarer commodity, a franchise quarterback. Of course, Griffin hasn't played in the NFL yet and if he ISN'T REALLY a franchise quarterback, well, the Redskins are going to flail around and miss the playoffs for at least another half a decade, if not more.
But I really like what I've seen of RG III. I think he is a franchise quarterback. There is nothing more precious, nothing harder to obtain in the NFL. The Redskins haven't really had one since Joe Theismann. (Yeah, they won a Super Bowl with Doug Williams, at the end of a career mostly wasted on horrible Tampa teams. Williams was not really a franchise quarterback, for the Redskins, anyway.)
Still scratching your head over how the Giants have managed to win two of the last five Super Bowls despite never really having a dominant team during that period? They have a franchise quarterback, Eli Manning. You have that, you're always in the conversation, and if you can put the right elements around him, and he comes up big at crunch time, you win it all.
To me, that part about putting the right things around him is the biggest question for the Redskins, going forward. They need young weapons who can grow with Griffin. They need a secondary. They don't have a first-round draft pick for the next three years. Generally, free agency is not a panacea in the NFL, as the Eagles just proved. Washington will need to draft at least some of those complementary pieces, will have to find bargains and be a little smarter at draft time than rivals. The Redskins have never been that team under Snyder. In fact, they have pretty much been the opposite.
The Rams, meanwhile, ought to become contenders again. That Walker trade netted the Cowboys Emmitt Smith and Darren Woodson, among many other assets. But obviously, the key is in how you use the picks. Having high picks doesn't guarantee anything. As many kudos as new Rams GM Les Snead is getting this morning, I'm not sure I wouldn't have just drafted RG III and found a new home for Sam Bradford.
What does all this mean for the Eagles? Well, we can cross off all those farfetched scenarios that had them moving up from 15th overall to second to draft Griffin, a player Andy Reid definitely found intriguing. For 2012, this probably doesn't make the Redskins a real power or anything, but you can sure see them getting there in a few years.
The clock was already ticking for Reid and his quarterback, Michael Vick, who turns 32 in a few months. Now it's ticking a little louder.
There can no longer be any debate that Dan Snyder is an alien from Mars.— Sam Crow- Yea, he probably raised the value of his franchise 50-100 million dollars...Dumb move. — bearsfriend
- That is an excellent point, bearsfriend. McNabb certainly helped to raise the value of the Eagles.
- Jeffrey and I weren't totally convinced that Robert was worth making a major move. We are confident in Howie's ability to find the talent we need to remain one of the elite organizations in the NFL.
Joe— Joe Banner - Eagles President 
This team is cooked- Very rare that two franchise quarterbacks are picked in the top five. One of these two wil probably be a bust. I'm putting my money on RG3. Bad organization, bad coaching, bad owner.— Corey301
- And Bad Luck for RGIII. — dmanphilly
- 3 First round Picks for RGIII?? thats insane but you have to compete. Grossman will not bring you a championship. Guess you have to start somewhere. I support what ever the eagles decide to do. If we grab a DT round 1, or a MLB or WR. I feel like our offense puts more pressure on our defense so i would strengthen our WR core with Michael floyd. Maybe pick up TE dallas clark from the colts so we can have two dominate TE's. Thats all we need offensively in my opinion.— Yes_General
- It's 2 first rounders and a second rounder. not three first rounders. This years first rounder was swapped; they give up No. 6 to get the No. 2 — jrbarry9198
- Two firsts and a second to move up four spots...classic Snyder. Another decade at the bottom for the skins.
- i'm wholeheartedly glad the eagles braintrust didnt trade 3 1RD and a 2RD pick on a completly unknown commodity. not sayin griffin wont be a good player, but its a total crapshoot. plus he ran the same screwy offense that made kevin kolb look like a passing god.— AndyReidsMustache
- It SHOULD make them a contender...but then again nothing is Dan Snyder-proof.— p-diddy
- the redskins will probably end up drafting ryan tannehill haha— HDemetriou
- Looks like a good deal for the Skins to me. The NFL is a quarterback league and when you have a chance to get one, you go for it. At the very least it guarantees last place finishes for the Cowgirls.
— Boy Howdie - They will be better and unless the Birds find some linebackers and safties they will be fighting the Skins for the cellar...— nuggett
- Ryan Leaf, Tim Couch, Reggie Bush... Can't-miss NFL stars miss all the time. If anything this is more of the same for the Redskins; vastly overpaying for nothing more than a gamble. How's that worked out for them so far? Also, minor note: "They don't have a first-round draft pick for the next three years." I know what you're trying to say, but of course they have a first round pick in the next 3 years. In fact they have one this year. That would be the one they plan to use for RG3.
— commenter1111 - RG3 looks like a talented young QB who will only struggle when faced with a superior defense and defensive scheme. Fortunately, we have that outstanding mastermind Castillo to save the day for us.— Bobby G
- I would have stayed at #2 and drafted RG111 and traded Bradford as you mention. They would have picked up another 1st rd pick and maybe a 3rd for Bradford. Although, if RG111 struggles and the Redskins do not fix any of their other big holes(Secondary, WR) then the Rams may have picked up 3 top ten choices plus a high 2nd! maybe even an additional Top 5.— UncleStosh
- In Today's NFL Linebackers aren't the game breakers they used to be when you lined up a running back or two to send into the line. Teams don't win a Superbowl on the ground, but through the Air. You can surrender yards on the ground and still win. The Super Bowl showed the epitome of how teams win, neither the Giants or the Patriots were good line-backing or quality defensive teams. The Eagles will do well with a quality defensive tackle that take up space and guards on the interior shutting down the running lanes. Another year's experience for the current crop of linebackers should tell a world of difference for the Philly Defense. It is more important to obtain a quality Safety and, Tackle to stiffen the middle of that defense.
With pick 15, I would feel a lot better with the Eagles targeting a big speedy receiver. Andy's offense needs a speedy receiver to stretch the defense and make the safety play off further. The Eagles don't have a lot of confidence in DJax no matter what they say, and without DJax or someone just as comparable speed wise, the game changes for Shady McCoy and Maclin. In my opinion this is the last year waiting on Celek to develop. To this point Celek has not proven to be reliable catching the ball.
Don't play Washington's Coach cheap. With a solid quarterback he can be deadly. Maybe not this year, but soon he's going to make a difference in this division. Now he has a Quarterback he's drafted himself. That's not good for the rest of the division.
— Dexter 
Comment removed.- Since when does Pee Wee Roseman work for the Redskins? Clearly, he is the only person dumb enough to make this move.— kelprod2
- Birds will have to stick with the DogTorturer this year, SUCK, get a high draft pick for 2013, fire Andy and the DogTorturer, probably trade up a few picks and pick Barkley at Q.B.— techdiver
- He may improve the Skins, but the formula to win a Super Bowl still seems to be the classic, pocket QB. A fast time in the 40 doesn't matter.— watsonmr
- Well, is he is a dropback passer...with a strong arm, soft touch on the long ball, and a very high passing IQ...He has great escape dimension, and can throw on the run, but only runs when he has to...Obviously, you have never seen RGIII in action. — bearsfriend
- To be honest not really, just some film. However, every time I read something about him, its always a great arm with unbelievable speed. To me, that sounds like Vick, and he hasn't won any championships. But I also read that he is intelligent and comes from a good family, so he probably has some great leadership qualities to go along with his talent. We shall see. The Skins have made a huge investment in him. — watsonmr
- The Redskins are doomed. Forget RBGII taking them to the promised land. It ain't gonna happen. This kid hasn't suited up yet but the deadskins will find a way to ruin this fine athlete.— billtfla
- Big deal........another Afro American QB who won't do much in the NFL......I have not seen this guy play who cares......its all about peeking at the right time, running the ball and solid D and a head coach who can look down and see his shoes......Andy Reid...times yours....they will never ever win with Vick or Reid or both. That is why the falcons let him go to any team, he is very injury prone.
good luck skins......— merchandiser - WHO CARES— 658012
- @AndyReidsMustache, big difference between he and Kolb is RG3 is the Heisman trophy winner.— realtruth
- @ProFan1, Given the ratio of white QBs (most have been duds) to the handful of african american QBs drafted and actually been given the chance to play their original position, the numbers would be skewed in the favor of white QBs. Many of you keep throwing that ridiculous question out there but for ALL the white QBs drafted over the years; Why have there been so few to win Championships, there seems to be a repeat of the same QBs winning.— realtruth
- Short-term: Danny's going to have people come to the stadium, which has been a problem lately. Long-term is pretty questionable. VY is the only run/passing QB to win National Championship. Haven't seen him play so can't really say. This doesn't fix Birds draft problems, however. We still have Howie and Joe, who just don't know what they're doing. Grigson is making some pretty significant moves in Indy. Seems like a man with a plan.— casehop
- If the Eagles had something like this, you would be killing them Les. The Deadskins do it and it is pure genius. You, and your whole pack of bit pulls called reporters, are so predictable.— EPC FAN
- That's a ridiculous steep price. That would be like us giving up Broderick Bunkley, Brandon Graham, Danny Watkins and Jaquawn Jarrett.— bv2st
- On second thought...— bv2st
- RG3 is doomed. good luck kid.
— Tyrone Biggums - Mike Vick will be the worst QB in the NFC East this year.— jbruder02
- The fact that RG3 wasn't on anyone's radar until this year makes me wonder about his longterm potential and skins haven't exactly been good at developing offensive playmakers in recent years either that they need to surround a qb with.— camtheman
- Yeahhh but does he have a "high Motor".........that is the question......lol lol lol lol lol lol.....— hflu123
- To suggest the color of someone's skin is actually a factor in how well someone can play QB is so mind-numbingly ignorant I can't even come up with an insult powerful enough to accurately represent my level of disgust. Lol Hands-down the most ignorant thing I've ever read. You should be flat-out ashamed to share air with the rest of us.— KannonWired965
- These GMs and so called experts kill me. Akili Smith, Michael Vick, Donovan McNabb, Dante Culpepper, Vince Young. All were sure fire QBs in the NFL and what have they accomplished????????? Now we have these gem, right out of the same mold. As I did with those, I make my prediction again, this kid will be average at best, play his 10 years and have zero SuperBowl wins! Bank It!— paris4053
- Who cares. Fat Andy will be here as long as he wants.— Pete60
- have not seen much of griffin but I do know this he is no weakling and stiff like kolb..griffin ran a 4.36 40 can kolb do that? griffin has a strong arm can throw any pass required in the nfl can kolb do that? the only thing kolb has on griffin is that he makes over 12 million a year being a weak arm non mobile cant take a hit injury prone hog killer..washington has a 1st round pick THIS YEAR, 2013 and 2014 are the years they don't have one get your numbers straight.— only 9
- Comment removed.
- — KannonWired965
Thanks, well said.— Warhound - They gave up too much for RG3. They should have signed Matt Flynn and kept all their draft picks. If RG3 gets hurt or is a bust than the Redskins are doomed to years of failure.— MUADDIB
- This guy will end up somewhere between Vince Young and Jason Campbell.— fmMD
- I hate when uninformed commentators say that the Redskins will not have their first round picks for the next THREE years. They are SWAPPING from 6 to 2 this year, giving up a 2012 2nd, 2013 1st, and 2014 1st. They did not give up three future first rounders. Anyways, if RG3 pans out to even a Pro-Bowl QB, it was a worthy trade for the Skins. Even 1st round picks are not guarantees anyways (for the Rams, and all teams)— jrbarry9198
- The Redskins went for maximum instant impact with this trade. They are gambling big time for this kid RGIII. I have seen many of his tapes and quite frankly I am not impressed. He may be a scrambling QB but his foot work is sloppy and slow. He will get his head knocked off by guyz like T. Cole, Babin, Tuck, D. Ware.
He looks like the next Vince Young, who caught few teams offguard in his rookie season but amounted to not much after that. If I remember correctly, Vince Young was supposed to "revolutionize" the game prior to the draft, what happened? He can't even hold down the backup spot from an alreay inept starter. Snyder is fool for allowing Shanahan to mortgage the house knowning his job is on the line this season. Total foolishess and that means the Eagles will own them again for the next decade. E.A.G.L.E.S.— Canadalovesphilly
