Despite all the drama that surrounded the move, is it possible that the Washington Redskins could bump Robert Griffin III up from third string to first?
Head coach Jay Gruden anointed Kirk Cousins the starter following an RGIII concussion in preseason. Griffin hasn't dressed for a single game since. But he has continued to prepare dutifully in practice, you know, just in case.
That case could be here. Despite proclaiming that "it's Kirk's team" during the final roster cuts, Griffin remained on the squad. Despite Gruden clearly favoring Cousins to Griffin, owner Daniel Snyder still believes in the former No. 2 overall pick. There's a reason he's still around and helping the embattled QB's case is the fact that Cousins looks absolutely dreadful.
Cousins has thrown four interceptions already this season, giving him a grand total of 23 in just 17 career games (and only 514 career pass attempts). He now has eight career games with multiple picks (unsurprisingly, Washington is 0-8 in those games). His TD-to-INT ratio compares to that of draft bust Blaine Gabbert and JaMarcus Russell. That's bad company to be in and it could lead to another shot for Griffin.
"However, the quarterback's lingering presence has prompted league insiders to speculate that at some point, if Cousins falls flat, team brass could eventually force Gruden to go back to Griffin," Mike Jones of the Washington Post wrote. "They believed that it was only a matter of time before Griffin bumped his way up the depth chart to the No. 2 position, where he then would be poised to overtake a struggling Cousins."
Washington's meek performance against the New York Giants last Thursday's did nothing to assuage the doubts those in the organization still harbor about Cousins. Though the team's running game is decent, their passing offense ranks just 21st in the league.
Second-stringer Colt McCoy missed practice Monday with a foot injury, allowing Griffin to take second-team reps. Should McCoy be unable to go this Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles, RGIII would dress for the game and be waiting in the wings if Cousins has another multi-pick game.
"We should all know by now to never say never," Jones wrote. "One more Sunday that features a large number of opposing fans in the stands at FedEx Field, and another disconcerting defeat could position Griffin for yet another go around on this team's never ending quarterback carousel."
