Cleveland Browns: Signing Robert Griffin III a smart move
The Cleveland Browns made a great decision by signing Robert Griffin III.
The Cleveland Browns made a major splash in free agency yesterday with the signing of Robert Griffin III.
Griffin is joining the Browns after four years with the Washington Redskins, in which he only started a total of 35 games. He did not play a snap in 2015 so he will come to Cleveland rested and ready to compete for the starting job.
A quick look at Browns Twitter following the announcement showed mixed reactions. There were some who were happy with the signing and ready to see if Griffin can turn around his career in Cleveland.
Then came the negativity. And when it flows, it flows fast.
The general anger came because Griffin has struggled since his rookie season in 2012, and he will just join the ever-growing list of Browns quarterbacks to start since 1999.
This same group wants the Browns to draft a quarterback with the second overall pick in the draft, whether that quarterback be Jared Goff or Carson Wentz.
But this anger is irrational in nature. Signing Griffin is a smart move and one that comes with no little to no risk.
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Griffin signed a two-year contract with the Browns. If he was given a long-term deal and set in stone as the starter for years to come, frustration would be understandable. But he was brought in, at least right now, to be a placeholder quarterback, unless he proves to be worthy of being the starter.
The other option for this spot was Josh McCown, who is not a drastic upgrade over Griffin.
Speaking of McCown, he still remains a member of the Browns as of right now. He may draw some trade interest from other teams, but the front office would be wise to keep him on the roster.
He can serve as a mentor to Griffin, who is still a young quarterback. After years of facing constant competition with Kirk Cousins, Griffin now has a shot to be the sure starter for a team. Keeping McCown around would benefit Griffin, thus benefitting the team as a whole.
Then comes the potential drafting of a quarterback with the second pick. This still remains a possibility, and something that is not a bad idea.
Griffin was brought in to start, but he is not at an elite level where he will automatically hold down the position for years to come, or even for the entire 2016 season.
Drafting a quarterback, and grooming him to start, would be a smart move. Fans may want a rookie to start right away, but teams who have success in the NFL often let rookies acclimate to the league before throwing them on the field to fail. This is not something Browns fans are used to, just as winning seasons are something that seem like a fantasy.
Drafting a rookie quarterback would also give Griffin some competition, which is always better as a motivating factor.
Even if the quarterback drafted is not Goff or Wentz, perhaps Kevin Hogan, the Browns will have a legitimate starting quarterback in Griffin, along with a mentor on the sidelines, while the rookie learns the ways of the NFL.