In a move that surprised absolutely no one, the Washington Redskins released quarterback Robert Griffin III last week. But in a slightly more surprising turn of events, the former Heisman Trophy winner and 2012 Offensive Rookie of the Year has yet to sign on with a new team in free agency.
Now I know Griffin isn't everyone's cup of tea. The last three seasons have exposed him as a passer and subjected him to quite a few vicious hits and injuries. But you would have thought some QB-needy team would have come calling by now. Hello, Cleveland Browns, are you out there?
As it turns out, Griffin may not find a new home until San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick does. Recent reports suggest that potentially interested teams may not move on RGIII until the Kaep situation sorts itself out. Given how much Kaepernick has regressed over the last two years, the lack of interest in Griffin shows you how far public opinion of him has fallen.
Heading into free agency, Griffin was rumored to be interested in the 49ers, Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Rams as landing spots. However, the Rams "haven't reciprocated" any of Griffin's enthusiasm and the Broncos appear intent on prying Kaepernick away from the Bay area. Something's got to give sooner or later.
If San Fran does pull the trigger on a quarterback trade, perhaps new head coach Chip Kelly would entertain the possibility of adding a dual threat such as Griffin. Marcus Mariota filled that role in Kelly's offense pretty well back at Oregon. If the Broncos strike out on Kaepernick, Griffin may be the best available option given Ryan Fitzpatrick's contract demands. However, Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak is close with Mike Shanahan, complicating any potential Griffin signing as the two butted heads during their time together in Washington.
The 2012 No. 2 overall pick did meet with the New York Jets last week. However, that may have been New York's way of putting pressure on Fitzpatrick at the negotiating table. As of now, it's unclear how serious its interest is.
Kaepernick's 2016 salary becomes fully guaranteed on April 1, meaning we may have two more weeks of speculation before we get a definitive picture of either player's future. Eventually, someone is going sign RGIII, we just have no idea who it is yet.
For more, follow Brandon Katz on Twitter: @Great_Katzby
