While it may not necessarily mean Washington Redskins coaches have seen all they've needed to see of the offensive ineptitude the team puts forth with Robert Griffin III under center, it certainly doesn't seem to bode well for the man they call RGIII's future with the team that Skins coaches have reportedly named Kirk Cousins the starter for the team's season-opener against the Miami Dolphins. Cousins, 2-7 as a starter thus far in the NFL, will be the opening day signal-caller for the NFL's D.C.-based franchise, according to a report from Dianna Marie Russini of ESPN.
Russini added that the team was informed by staff members on Monday that Cousins will take the reins against the Dolphins. Cousins, a fourth-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft - the same draft in which the Skins surrendered three first-round picks and a second-round pick in order to trade up to No. 2 overall and select RGIII - has proven both, at times, highly effective, but more often than not, highly erratic as a starter for Washington.
UPDATE, 12:45 PM: "It's Kirk's team," Redskins head coach Jay Gruden said at his Monday press conference, via ProFootballTalk.com. Gruden announced that Cousins will be the team's starter for the entire season, not just Week One.
In 14 games of NFL action, Cousins has completed 240 passes for 3,030 yards, a 59.0 completion percentage, 18 touchdowns, 19 interceptions and six fumbles. He's been something of a tease for fans of the Redskins already ready to move on from RGIII. At times last season Cousins very much looked the part of a starter, but he'd seemingly follow every good throw, every quality performance with an absolute dud that kept the team from ever really taking any meaningful steps forward. Now, with Griffin awaiting the results of a concussion test which, per Tom Pelissero of USA Today, won't come until next week, it seems Cousins will be the man in charge for the time being.
Cousins is still young at 27 and seems at this point like he may have a higher ceiling than the clearly rattled and no longer self-assured Griffin. He was reportedly incensed this offseason when he found out that Griffin would enter the season as the unquestioned starter, though he denied reports that he asked for a trade. It seems he'll finally be given the opportunity to prove that he can be a No. 1 quarterback in this league.
