The Washington Redskins have issues at the quarterback position whether Robert Griffin III returns as starter or not. With Jay Gruden returning as head coach, the team need to try and find quarterback stability and quick before they start a habit of churning out 4-12 seasons. With two quarterbacks working on expiring contracts, competition will be high to earn the starting job.
Both Kirk Cousins and Griffin are facing a heavy amount of trade rumors this offseason. Both players are preparing to enter the final year of their contracts and the Redskins are showing no signs of seeking to extend the deals of either player. That means they are primed for trades while they compete for the starting jobs. Right now, Cousins is not thinking about a trade and instead focused on trying to start at quarterback for Washington.
According to Chris Russell of ESPN 980, Cousins has been down in Tampa working out with ESPN analyst Jon Gruden, the brother of the Redskins' head coach. The Tampa Bay Tribune reports that Gruden is in the area working as a volunteer coach at a school where several quarterbacks are including Josh Freeman and running back Alfred Morris. This is clearly a step in the right direction for Cousins who struggled in his brief time as a starting quarterback in place of the injured Griffin.
It was reported early in the season that Cousins was actually favored for Gruden's offense than Griffin was. The former Michigan State star is more of a pocket passer who can move when needed instead of Griffin who runs first and passes later. However, Cousins never looked comfortable in his time on the field last year throwing more interceptions than touchdowns. He intends to change that this season.
There is still the chance someone gets traded. Deals for Griffin will not happen simply because no one wants his contract. However, Cousins is primed for the taking. Reports have surfaced that the Cleveland Browns attempted to trade for the backup by offering a fourth-round draft pick before the 2014 season began. The Redskins turned it down. Cousins is only worth a late-round pick at this point, but teams could still take a look. Anyone that misses out on Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota could favor him including the New York Jets, Houston Texans and Cleveland Browns again.
