The St. Louis Rams have made no secret of the fact that the No. 2 overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft is on the auction block. In light of Robert Griffin III's dazzling performance at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, which team should spare no expense in moving up to take the Baylor quarterback in April?
The Manning sweepstakes will have something to do with this outcome, but to me it's a bold move the Washington Redskins must make.
The 'Skins need a QB and a personality and someone to be the future of the franchise. The malaise has gone on far too long and Mike Shanahan can't afford to go with retreads anymore. A mobile QB is a natural fit with all of his waggles and boots and can help make up for the lackluster offensive line and dearth of weapons. Drafting RGIII buys time for the coaching staff and engenders positive thoughts about the slow rebuild going on there.
Washington isn't a team on the cusp of greatness. It needs a young quarterback to develop and no one looks more dynamic in this class than Griffin.
The Redskins need to make the move. If they spend another year without investing in a quarterback, they'll get left at the back of the line again.
The defense is playoff-caliber. Add RGIII to a healthy offensive line, get a receiving weapon or two, and Washington will be a threat ASAP. The 'Skins should package everything they can to get to Griffin because he could give them a cornerstone player, which would then invigorate a franchise that has made moves toward progress, but not the move it needs to make -- getting the right quarterback.
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- Jason Smith NFL.com
Browns need RGIII to be the new face of the franchise
From a football standpoint, there are very few teams that couldn't use RGIII. But when you factor in everything else, there's one clear winner, and that's Cleveland. The Browns don't have anything close to a franchise player. They don't have anything close to anything right now. The Dolphins, for example, would love to get Griffin, but they have some nice complementary pieces in place and could contend with any number of upgrades at QB. The Browns need someone to be the face of the team. They also need to galvanize a fan base that spent last season realizing Peyton Hillis isn't their new hero. You can't have 50 anonymous guys on a roster. Get the star.
The price won't be nearly as big as it would be for other teams. The Browns could swap with St. Louis at 2 and 4, and throw in their other first-round pick (22) and that could be enough. Other teams would have to give up multiple first- and second-round selections, since they'll be picking later on in the draft. Cleveland, do whatever it takes to get "The Prosecutor."
You can make this argument for many teams. I am going to choose the Redskins. Mike Shanahan is entering his third year and doesn't have a QB. He and GM Bruce Allen have done a good job in the last year improving the roster. The defense performed at a playoff level last season and will be getting back 2011 second-round pick DL Jarvis Jenkins, who missed all of last year due to an injury.
On offense, the Redskins need help at the skill positions, but with plenty of cap room and wide receiver being a strong position in free agency, they can help themselves there. Washington's two young backs from last year (Roy Helu and Evan Royster) are talented enough to provide a running game that will at least be adequate if not better.
Robert Griffin III will fit Shanahan's offense perfectly. With natural running ability and deft throwing touch on the run, Griffin has the ideal tools to make the Redskins' bootleg game successful. He's also an accurate deep passer, which is another important part of Washington's passing game.
There are times with a franchise when you need to make a bold move to take the next step. This is the time for the Redskins.
Here are some of the quarterbacks who have called Cleveland home during the Browns 2.0 reboot: Tim Couch, Kelly Holcomb, Jeff Garcia, Trent Dilfer, Charlie Frye, Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn.
If the Browns don't use their resources to get RGIII, the team should be handed over to Art Modell so he can move it to Biloxi.
All right, that's a little harsh. But the time has come for the Browns to get their quarterback of the future. The great fans of Cleveland have been waiting a long time for a replacement to Bernie Kosar, and it seems like the Browns have the best resources to get it done. Cleveland holds two first round picks, including the No. 4 selection, which should allow St. Louis to grab highly coveted WR Justin Blackmon.
