On Friday, the Washington Redskins made a blockbuster trade with the St. Louis Rams for the second overall pick in April’s draft. The price paid to jump up four spots was three first round picks and a second round pick. All signs of what the Redskins will do with the pick point to Baylor’s Robert Griffin III. If that is indeed the case, Washington will be without any questions at quarterback for the first time since they traded for Donovan McNabb prior to the 2010 season.
Does this fact make the Redskins contenders in the NFC East?
Robert Griffin accounted for 47 touchdowns and over 5,000 total yards in his junior season at Baylor while completing 72.4 percent of his passes. Of his 47 touchdowns, 37 came through the air and 4,293 of his 5,007 yards were passing. The Baylor product also threw 18 of his touchdowns before throwing a single interception and finished the season with better than a 6:1 touchdown pass to interception ratio.
Needless to say, this guy is athletic. With a 4.38 40-yard dash, Griffin was the second fastest quarterback in combine history behind only Michael Vick. He also silenced his critics on his height when he measured in at almost 6’ 2 ½”, significantly taller than his 6’1” projected height (yes, 1 ½” can make a big difference in the NFL).
One question that lingers around Griffin as he prepares to enter the NFL is if he faced sufficient defenses. The answer to that question, to be blunt, is no. In his astonishing junior season, Griffin played only one team in the top 30 in points allowed. He also put up 40 or more points in 9 of his 13 games. However, five of those teams were ranked 82nd or worst in the nation in points allowed.
Regardless of how you put it or who you are playing against, 5,000 yards in a season is very impressive. Forty-seven total touchdowns, just three fewer than last year’s Rookie of the Year had in his last collegiate season, is also stunning.
Without weapons at the receiver and running back positions, a lot of pressure will be put solely on the shoulders of the Heisman winner. The Redskins will have a tough time pursuing a top tier free agent at those positions considering their $36 million salary cap hit (can be spread over the next two seasons) from illegally loading contracts into the NFL’s uncapped season last year. Thanks to this penalty, the ‘Skins have considerably less money to spend in a free agency heavy in the offensive skill positions.
Since the Redskins don’t have a pick until the third round after their second overall pick, it is unlikely that they can fill their needs in the draft. Not a single receiver or tight end in Washington accumulated more than 1,000 yards. Besides Jabar Gaffney (947 yards) and Fred Davis (796 yards) nobody passed the 600 yard mark. **UPDATE** With the addition of Pierre Garcon just 51 minutes into free agency, Washington has given RGIII this year’s third or fourth best free agency option.
In the backfield, it is often said that when a coach says that you have two or three starting running backs, it really means you have none. With Roy Helu, Ryan Torain, Tim Hightower (UFA), and Evan Royster splitting time last season, none were leaps and bounds ahead of the others.
When the Redskins draft RGIII with the second pick, it will take time to get the necessary weapons around him to reach his full potential of what he will become in the NFL. He will definitely give the Redskins a legitimate athlete at quarterback to compete with the likes of Michael Vick, Tony Romo, and 2-time Super Bowl Champion Eli Manning.
RG3 can do exactly what Cam Newton did for the Panthers…..and the Skins have a much better defense. The Skins signed 3 good receivers today and will challenge for the NFC East.
Agreed, we can only hope that he’s a bust. I hope that he sucks but we shall see.
WHO GIVES A CRAP!? I care about the Eagles!
True D but you know that today is the day you look at everybody’s moves just to see what the competition is doing.
Make no mistake, RB Ray Helu is the #1 RB in Washington coming into 2012
He really came on in his Rookie Season amd reminds a little like a Matt Forte..
Not real big, but runs, cathches and blocks well.. He isn’t as flashy or will make long TD runs like a MCCoy/Johnson, but he will get the tought yards and keep the chains moving.. Helu has a very bright future in my opinion..
Add QB RGIII with HElo, TE Fred DAvis, Deep Threat Pierre Garcon, Reliable intermediate WR’s like S Moss and J Gaffney and remember last Season high Draft Pick in WR Hankerson and then returnman, end around,bubble route smalle but fast WR in A Anderson.. They have the makings of a pretty good and very explosice Offense versus some shaky Defenses in the NFC East (Eagles/Cowboys and even the Giants) that give up big plays… Redksins will definitely be a contendor…
@Paulman – agree man…..the Skins now have some talent on offense to cause matchup problems with an already questionable Eagles defense…. let’s see whar “fantasy football GM” Roseman does over the next week to counter…. the latest I heard is the Eagles are trying to schedule Carl Nicks in to discuss a contract and they will let Evan Mathis walk.
They may let julian vandervelde take that guard spot. Don’t be surprised they will not pay top dollar for a guard. They are already paying watkins a very good rate.
Like I mentioned on other posts, I think the Eagles should Sign RT Eric WInston and slide Herremans back to LG leaving Mathis free to walk… Texans released Winston o free up $$$ to sign Super Mario & Center C Meyers…
Iamagine an OL of Peters, Herremans,Kelce,Watkins & Winston.. it would be one the best in the NFL..
Guard Nicks is a ALl-Pro, I am not so sure he fits Coaclh Mudd’s scheme though, he’s big and round & soft in the middle.. Mudd likes like them arms and lean with good fasts feet wchi Winston is 6-7 305 lbs and can move very well.. I think NIcks will sign a monster Deal with someone and maybe even the Redskins though rumors are that talking to Tampa Bay ..
I believe RG3 had 18 starts in College nad played for Baylor in a weak conference lets not get overboard him time will tell. Washington always do this in free agency and always suck in the end.
@turk – RG3 started since he was a freshman in college and produced at the highest level against the best competition.
@paulman – still shocked Winston got cut….he would be a perfect RT in this offense.
RG3 is going to get schooled by vick .. Vick loves rg3 though they play very similar .. paulman how can we let mathis walk he hasnt given up a sack in over 2 years
Same here Jott, I didn;t believe it when I first read it last evening.. .. He will end up on the Dolphins who need a RT desperately which is where he is from and played in College..
RGIII is light years ahead of where Vick was at QB when he came into the NFL.. RGIII can read and react and has a very nice Deep Ball, plus a lot better touch and accuracy then VIck still has to this day.. The Sky’s the limit for RGIII.. I thought Cam Newton was going to be good right away because he was hungry and not afraid of hard work, can take to coaching.. and I see a more humble version in RG III than Newton.. A real Leader and probably part of the next generation of exciting QB’s for the NFL and the fans .. . .
To Jott,
I didn’t realize that Herreman’s New Deal is as big as it is… Herremans is getting paid OT $$$ and he won’t be moving anywhere.. i am happy for him though and he deserves it..
I think RG3 makes the skins a contender and I think he’ll be a great QB in the league, however I think the Eagles are uniquely suited to formulate the blueprint for how to shut him down. When preparing for Michael Vick most teams have to use a wide out or return man or even a RB to simulate Vick’s speed and agility, but they can not simulate his ability to throw the ball so most teams can not adequately prepare for #7 because of the uniqueness of his skill set. I expect that the remaining 30 teams in the league will have the same problem when trying to adjust to RG3 because he has such a similar skill set to Vick. I say 30 instead of 31 because Philly will not have the same problem as the other teams when preparing for RG3. Our starter has the same intangibles and more. He still runs a sub 4.4 40 and has the same agility and arm strength if not greater. Philly will show the rest of the league how to play RG3 because they practice against the likes of him every day. Conversely, the skins now have a QB that can simulate Vick’s intangibles, but this is where Vick’s experience in the league and Andy Reid’s experience coaching this style of QB gives Philly the edge. RG3 is going to have to step his game up early because Shanahan drafted this guy to counter all the moves the Birds made in the last three seasons.
Vick is a bottom 3rd QB in the NFL…any “edge” he has won’t last long methinks.
“most teams can not adequately prepare for #7 because of the uniqueness of his skill set.” WTF were you watching this year? Seems like a lot of teams know exactly how to prepare for Vick.
Lionsden, (and lwrrrd) the Eagles’ do not practice against a guy with the same ability. The only thing these 2 have in common is that they’re both fast. You seem to be leaving out that RGIII was able to finish his college degree in 3 yrs. Every report says that he is a well spoken, mature, and very intelligent young man. All things Vick is/was not.
He is also well ahead of where Vick was in terms of quarterbacking, comp%…everything,
In college.
Vick 56% 21tds 11 ints 3200 yrds in 2 yrs
RGIII 70% 59tds 14 ints 7794 yrds in 2 yrs.
I’ll echo Paulman, RGIII is light years ahead of where Vick was….still, I expect it’ll take until yr 3 till he starts paying real dividens….it takes all new QBs 3 yrs.
vick is gifted rg3 is bright.. we’ll see this year
We won;t see this year…he’s still a rookie. We’ll see in 3 yrs. Only thing I’m worried about with RGIII is that no one was really talking about him at all last year,,,,don’t like the guys who come out of nowhere.
Still, it won’t be hard to surpass Vick’s accomplishments (or considerable lack thereof)
he plays just like vick just a taller right handed version.. also when vick was in college the running game was more prevalent .. but the redskins always get high profile guys and they never play well .. i like rg3 though i just hate the nfc east besides the eagles
Redskins a contender in 2012.? Too many holes, no depth. Too many new faces in key positions. (see 2011 Eagles). But maybe in 2013 or 14! The kid is going to be great, but not in year 1!
I love how people on here predict how RG3 has all these wepons now with these latest pickups and is gonna be the new Can Newton, these are the same people who say the Eagles can never win with Vick as our QB, RG3 is the same type of player, this goes to show a bunch of you guys on here dont have a clue.
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!
I like the kid just like I like and respect Cam Newton, but if he’s in our division, there’s nothing I like about him while he’s on the field playing us. Like andrew p and lionsden said, we got Vick and he’s a veteran with experience in the league. We practice against a better version of RGIII all the time which makes our D able to stop RGIII (provided our newly “Deflowered” Castillo will have enough sense to put a spy on him”).
This is the NFL, not college. Didn’t Vince Young have to learn that as well coming out of college with all that running around mess and where it got him? Also, i don’t believe a Shanny type offense is what a player like RGIII would thrive in; he’s a mobile Qb and Shannahan likes 5 and 7 step drop type Qb’s like Elway was. He’d try to turn him into the type of player he isn’t and that would cause friction between this coaching staff and RGIII, just like it did with Mcnabb – just sayin…
Also, I question some of you poster’s on here and your loyalty to the team. Vinnie, are you an Eagle fan? You seem like a Bigot who tries to smash and hope our Qb doesn’t succeed as an Eagle. Your discrimination is weak and you need to find another place to spew your venom – you stink baby diaper that hasn’t been changed all day. Paulman just comes on here to pretend to like the Eagles and write useless articles concerning moves he thinks he knows that every team will make, yet overtly down grades Vick’s talents by always hyping up and talking about how great another player is beyond Vick. You both stink and need to go on another website to spew your venom. i really believe that vinnie is really “cowboy ralphie” in disguise.
The Eagles are a 8-8 Team going into the 2012 Season, the Redksins were 6-10.. Cowboys and Giants were both 9-7.. Not a lot separates the NFC East if you ask me… There is no dominant team in the NFC even though the Giants are the Super Bowl Champs and that’s the thin line between average to good Teams .. The Eagles were one of the healthiest Teams in the NFL last Season so them coming back with the relatively same team is not going to be good enough in my opinion,,, I am a fan and will be pulling for them, but I still think and will say that they are an slighty better than average team like th erest of the NFC East..
Anything that forces Jeffie Loser to fire Andy Reid is good news to me.
I hope the Redskins blow past the Eagles just like the Giants did.
In the real world, if your competitor gets better you get better or you’re out of business.
Reading that the Eagles are still bargain basement shopping for linebackers is a joke.
The fact that Jeffie Loser told us he saw what we saw in Andy Reid and he is still keeping him, then winning is not his priority.
Winning enough is his priority.
Enough to sell tickets.
Enough to get tv ratings.
Enough to sell merchandise.
They may not be the sharpest knives in the drawer, but the Cowboys owner and the Redskins owner want to win a Superbowl bad.
They will continue to make adjustments and eventually the will get it.
The Redskins will now have the most important piece to the puzzle. If they are patient, they can suffer a little in the short term, for long term success, like we had with McNabb.
The Eagles will make the playoffs this year. They will beat the weak teams like they did at the end of the season. They will split with the good teams. Then they will win the opening playoff game and lose in the second round.
Once Andy mets an equal or greater coach he crumbles like a dry biscuit.
During Andy Reid’s administration we have had the best QB in Eagles history. The 2nd best RB. The 3rd best RB. The best pair of tackles in Eagles history, and the 2nd best defensive unit and Defensiver Coordinator. With all that, only 1 superbowl appearance.
What in the world do you think will change in the 14th season?
We also had the Best safety in Eagles history and the best CB tandem.
Just goes to show that not a lot of good Teams or great Players over the Eagles History.. Then Fact you can count the Great ones on 2 hands proves this..
bsm, so you are still treating the rumors as fact and letting them effect you even after many of them were proven false? Do you realize how foolish that sounds? Go ahead and root for the other teams in the division because your close minded outlook convinced you that you know the future. Sheesh, sorry to hear that your head is so clouded.
I feel bad for RG3. Kyle Shanahan has proven he has an ego problem by constantly talking to the press. If there was a stat for assistant coaches who talk to the press often it would be Kyle. RG3 will put up great numbers, but the Skins will still suck. In the end Kyle Shanahan may say to the media,”RG3 may have all of these degrees; however he lacks football smarts. If he worried more about athletics than academics then maybe he would have learned more about the position.” Insert Rex Grossman or whoever. Dan Snyder needs to understand that he must be insync with the head coach. Look at the situation with Jeff Fisher and Vince Young. Fisher really wanted Leinart (USC connection).
NFC East for 2012
#1) Redksins 9-7
#2) Giants 8-8
#3) Cowboys 7-9
#4) Eagles 6-10
Rocko… good point. Some of these guys aren’t Eagles fans at all. In fact I’d be willing to bet that in private they’d rather lose the SB with Peyton Manning as the Eagles QB than win the SB with Michael Vick as the Eagles QB. Have you ever seen them write anything positive about this team and its leaders? I sure haven’t. It’s as if they’re wish for the Eagles to fail this season. And you’re right about the bigot part that’s why I don’t respond to them. But, I hold to my claim, these guys are GIANTS fans making trouble on an Eagles fans website. Only Giants fans can be so bigoted and hateful… Let’s not forget what Andy Reid said not to long ago when addressing the Peyton Manning talk “We’re happy with Michael… you can as everyone around the league… except the Giants…”
Good stuff lionsden, you’re exactly correct; Ill “roar” to that post buddy!
Rocko, your last post was ridiculous. Call me all the `baby diaper`names you want….you are an idiot who clearly knows nothing about the game.
1) Comapre what RGIII will go through to Vince Young? “This is the NFL, not college. Didn’t Vince Young have to learn that as well coming out of college with all that running around mess and where it got him?” Vince Young can barely read. He scored a 6 on the wonderlick and they spot you 8 points for picking up the pencil. Vince Young struggled because he is dumb, I don“t see that in RGIII.
2) “Also, i don’t believe a Shanny type offense is what a player like RGIII would thrive in; he’s a mobile Qb and Shannahan likes 5 and 7 step drop type Qb’s like Elway was.” What?? Have you ever watched an NFL game prior to 2008É Elway was the prototypical “mobile QB.” Now he wasn`t a running QB like Vick, but the man could move, and move well. He was perfect for Shanahan’s bootlegs and roll-outs.
Lwwrd, Andrew, Lions – “he plays just like Vick” The comparisons between RGIII and Vick are ridiculous.
Out of college Mike VIck was a running QB (ratio of runs/pass attempts about 1:1.5), In his college career he ran for 212x for 1300yrds and threw only 342x for a measly 3300yrds (again about 1:1.5) When he threw was innacurate (56%), and had less than a 2:1 ratio of TDs to Ints (21 to 11). He threw ints on 3.2% of his throws (amazing that that’s exactly the same as last year – in 10 years he’s learned….NOTHING!)
In college, Mike Vick was an innacurate, turnover lovin’, running QB, who could occasionally throw a deep ball. (basically the exact same as today)
Out of college RG was a passing QB who ran for yrds, but his bread and butter was his passing ability. RGs ratio of runs/pass attempts is about 1:3 (2x better than Vick). In his college career he ran 328x for 1334yrds and passed 856x for 7794 yrds (a ratio of 1:6 4x better than Vick). He is very accurate, at 69.5% comp (almost 15% better than Vick). He has a 4:1 ratio of TDs to Ints (twice as good as Vick) In fact, he doesn’t like interceptions, throwing them a measly 1.6% of the time. (that’s right, half as much as Vick)
RGIII is a polished, accurate, turnover avoiding college QB who can run for yards when he has to. Add to his amazing college passing stats we have the fact that he’s a 3 year, intelligent, well-spoken graduate.
Any comparison between these two QBs is ridiculous. They are not the same player. They do not have the same passing abilities. They do not have the same level of maturity. They do not have the same intelligence.
In no way are-were these two guys the same at all. Ìn fact, they couldnt be more different.` So I have to wonder….why do you guys keep haprping about how the 2 of them are the same…..`cause they`re both fast…. I doubt that`s it. Who are the ones stereotyping now Rocko…..
6-10 paulman??? really?? you have the redskins winning the division with a rookie qb and a feature receiver who has a serious history of drops?? wow
Am I the only one that thinks that Garcon is really really overrated. He had Manning at first and then last year he had Wayne being double covered all year. Now he is the number 1 and we will see how it turns out. He got more money than Colston? What has this guy ever done to deserve that? RG3 may be good, but he will still be the 4th best qb in this division next year. And they need to fill the huge hole that London Fletcher may leave with a lot less money, since the commish took so much away. This team will be 6-10 or 7-9 tops.
Yes Reed,
QB Vick gets knocked out by the Steelers Defense in Week #1 Separating his Shoulder and knocking him out for 6 weeks..You can do the math from there..
Redskins added Josh Morgan who is a very underrated WR who will go on and lead the Team in Reciving and not Garcon and still have other weapons
Santana Moss, Jabar Gaffney & Hankerson to go along with TE F Davis and maybe Chris Cooley..
whatever you say Paulman… can’t wait to see your posts following that bold prediction..
I do not understand the Garcon signing for the $$ he got Bugsy. I don;t see him as a 1. Though he should be able to catch some bombs from Griffin.
Again, I don#t see the skins competing this year. Rookie QBs no matter how good they might be (and I still think its 50-50 whether RG becomes a superstar or not, but 90-10 that he will be better than Vick) usually struggle.
The diff between Skins and Birds is Skins now have hope. If RG has a good rook season then the fanbase excited for the next decade…knowing he#ll improve over the first 4 yrs, then get him at top of his game for another 5 or 6.
Meanwhile, we#ve seen the best of Vick….to hope for magical improvement at this point is just whimsical thinking…no basis in actual historical production…..so in that sense….downer…..
Even with their signings, they still have the 4th best offense in the division as well. They have the 4th best set of WRs. I don’t think that Helu is better than McCoy, Bradshaw at this point. Maybe on the same level with Murray. Maybe. Davis is a good TE, but he isn’t better than Whitten and Celek had better numbers than he did last year. You really think that RG3 is gonna elevate that whole team’s game that much? You have a lot of faith in this guy Pman.
Yeah, they could contend in a couple of years, but not next year.
And Josh Morgan???? What has he ever done to be excited about? He missed almost all of last season and in he has never had more than 700 yards in a season. He has 2 career td catches in 4 seasons.
He’s a chain mover and a good intermediate WR who runs good routes and would be that reliable option on 3rd Downs for RGIII to keep drives moving..
I think Morgain will end up with 60-70 Recetpions and a ton of 1st Downs for the Redskin Offense..
Redskin has the last place schedule so besides 6 NFC East Games and the Entire NFC South & AFC North Divisions, they will play the Vikings & Rams while the Eagles get the Bears (W/Marshall) & Cardinals (W/Manning)
This is why I downgrade the Eagles to a 6-10 Season
(I see them splitting in the NFC East for 3-3, then beating the Browns,Bucs and maybe the Falcons or Panthers, but that’s about it ..
Of course I was kidding Reed-Richards and do not wish any injury for any player .. Honestly, I think the Eagles will be in the mix for a playoff spot and
will come into the last couple of weeks battling with other Teams and could finish with 9-10 Wins or finish with 9-10 Losses.. Lots of tough match-ups this Season with Baltimore,Steelers,Bengals,Saints,Falcons,Bears to go along with their dvisional games..