The Washington Redskins reportedly plan to pick up the fifth-year option on Robert Griffin III, an indication first-year general manager Scot McCloughan has at least $16.1 million worth of faith in the beleaguered quarterback.
UPDATE (12:20 p.m. ET): Team announces it will exercise fifth-year option on Griffin.
Griffin's future in Washington has been up in the air, with reports ranging from he's finished in D.C. to the team wants to replace him with Marcus Mariota in the draft. Whatever the case, few if any league reporters thought Washington would pick up its fifth-year option on Griffin. But according to NFL insider Albert Breer, the team plans to do just that.
"NFL Media's Albert Breer reported Monday that Griffin, the Washington Redskins' No. 2 overall pick in the 2012 draft, will likely have his fifth-year option picked up by the club ahead of next Monday's deadline," NFL.com's Conor Orr wrote Monday. "The cost - $16.1 million - is viewed by the club as a discount version of the franchise tag and may give them one more season to make a clear evaluation."
The growing thought has been coach Jay Gruden doesn't see Griffin as his "guy," leading to a bevy of rumors from drafting Mariota to trading Griffin. The arrival of McCloughan, though, appears to bode well for Griffin's future in Washington. McCloughan seemingly believes Griffin's career, which has gone downhill since his rookie season, can be salvaged and, according to Griffin, has said he plans to build the offense around the fourth-year signal caller.
For Griffin's part, he is focused only on this season and is still optimistic about his future with the team.
"The way I look at it is as long as I'm here with the Washington Redskins and they say I'm the guy, then I'm the guy," Griffin told Fox News in April, according to the Washington Post. "I'm ready to go."
Washington has until May 3 to pick up Griffin's option.
