Robert Griffin III Could Make The Cleveland Browns A Playoff Team
Robert Griffin III has been exploring free agency this offseason and there have been a few teams that have shown interest in him. While a few teams have had interest, the Cleveland Browns appear intent on signing him. Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reported that there is mounting buzz about the Browns’ intent to sign Griffin.
Continue to hear a mounting buzz about the Browns intent to sign RG3. Wouldn't be surprised at all if that came together this week
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) March 21, 2016
Cleveland has been needing a legitimate long-term quarterback for quite some time. Whether they view Griffin as a player that could be a long-term quarterback or not is another question.
Throughout his 37 career games with the Washington Redskins, Griffin completed 63.9 percent of his pass attempts for 8,097 yards, 40 touchdowns, and 23 interceptions. He also picked up 1,480 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground. Those numbers show that when Griffin stays healthy he can be a very dangerous quarterback.
If the Browns do end up signing Griffin, there is a good chance that he could be the quarterback to help take them back to the NFL playoffs.
First of all, he is a dual-threat quarterback which would give Hue Jackson and the Browns’ offense a ton of options. He cannot afford to be reckless with his running, but he is capable of getting outside the pocket and making throws on the run or picking up yards on the ground. Couple that with the fact that he has a solid NFL arm and he can be a dangerous player in the right offense.
All of the negativity surrounding Griffin has been largely unwarranted. He has had his ups and downs, but health has been the only thing holding him back.
Looking back at his problems with Jay Gruden in Washington, the blame cannot be all placed on Griffin. Gruden was going out of his way to talk his quarterback down. That is unacceptable behavior from a head coach and it is understandable why Griffin was frustrated and talking back to his coach.
Giving Griffin a fresh start could be all that the former Baylor Bears star needs to get things on track.
One thing that the Browns do not have to offer is a dangerous wide receiving corps. Josh Gordon could be back after a suspension from the NFL, but Travis Benjamin left in free agency. They still have some time to add some pieces in free agency or the draft.
There is never any guarantee that a free agent will work out when they are signed, but taking risks is something a struggling franchise has to do. Griffin is about as big of a risk as the Browns could take. His character hasn’t been called into question outside of the issues with Gruden, which makes taking a risk easier for Cleveland.
That being said, it will be very intriguing to see what ends up happening with Griffin and the Browns. It certainly appears that there is a good chance a deal gets done, but nothing is set in stone.
Cleveland has been slowly building to get back to a competitive point and they are ready to make some bigger moves. Passing on a quarterback with the talent and potential that Griffin still possesses would be a big mistake.
Do you think that Robert Griffin III can help lead the Cleveland Browns back to the playoffs? Would he turn his career around with a fresh start?
[Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images]
