Unless the Washington Redskins get blown away by an offer for a quarterback, the team will enter the 2015 season with Robert Griffin III and Kirk Cousins as their main quarterback rotation. Barring the addition of a third player, those two will be the rotation as both quarterbacks enter the final years of their contract. While most expect a quarterback competition entering training camp, head coach Jay Gruden makes it clear that Griffin is still the top option.
While addressing the media at the NFL scouting combine, Gruden made it clear that entering the 2015 season, Griffin was the starter over Cousins. This was a shock to some considering the lack of production Griffin put up the past two years, but Gruden is committed to the quarterback that was originally drafted as the franchise player.
"We'll go into the season with Robert as our No. 1 guy," Gruden said, via ESPN.com. "It's up to Robert to continue to grow and mature as a quarterback and as a person. Moving forward we want to see improvement. It's up to us as a staff to get more out of him."
The move is not a surprise considering the investment the Redskins have in Griffin. They sold the farm to draft the quarterback and the result was a 4-12 season last year while Griffin suffered another stretch of injuries. The Redskins might be committed to the quarterback as the starter, but the jury is still out on whether or not he gets a contract extension. The fifth-year option on Griffin is expensive. Right now the team is showing no signs of negotiations meaning this year could very well be an audition for the future.
According to the Tampa Bay Times, Cousins has been down in Florida working out with former NFL coach Jon Gruden as many expect he is vying for the starting job. However, trade interest could get high in the quarterback if these workouts go well. The Cleveland Browns and Chicago Bears have been linked to a deal for Cousins. At one point last season, it was reported the quarterback was seeking a trade. He has yet to be granted that, but teams could likely get him for a bargain price this year.
The Redskins are committed to Griffin. Some NFL mock drafts have the team trading up for Jameis Winston. However, the team will let the quarterback try for one more season as a starter before they replace him.
