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RG III and the Jets: Not the craziest idea
November, 27, 2014
NOV 27
2:00
PM ET
By Rich Cimini | ESPN.com
The drum beat is faint now, but it will grow progressively louder in the coming weeks and months:
RG III ... RG III ... RG III.
The New York Jets will be looking for a quarterback in the offseason, maybe two, and it appears that Robert Griffin III -- benched this week by the Washington Redskins -- will be available. Let's be clear: Several dominos have to fall before RG III-to-the-Jets can be considered anything more than fantasy-football chatter -- mainly, we don't know who will be calling the shots for the Jets -- but he could fit the profile for their 2015 plan.
Griffin
Griffin has only one year remaining on his contract (an affordable $3.3 million guaranteed), assuming the Redskins don't exercise the fifth-year option in the spring. For the Jets, it would be a Percy Harvin-like trade: not much downside in terms of financial risk. Essentially, a one-year audition.
Obviously, a lot would hinge on the Redskins' asking price. They surrendered three first-round picks for Griffin in the 2012 draft, but his value has gone down, down, down amid questions about his attitude, his mechanics and his surgically repaired knee. Chances are, they would have to settle for pennies on the dollar, maybe a middle-round conditional pick that would increase if he meets certain performance levels.
All bets are off for the Jets if they take Marcus Mariota or Jameis Winston or another quarterback with a high draft pick. They would have a new franchise quarterback, and there would be no point in trading for somebody else's tarnished franchise quarterback. Griffin-to-the-Jets only makes sense if they pick a quarterback in the later rounds or don't draft one at all, bringing back Geno Smith to compete for the starting job or, more likely, be a backup.
Griffin has accumulated a lot of baggage since his sensational rookie season, raising questions about whether he will ever fulfill his potential. He's a system quarterback, and we have no idea what type of system the Jets will be running next season. So, yes, this is a considerable projection on our part, but it's worth investigating if you are the Jets. They will be starting over at quarterback, so what is there to lose?
A look at other veterans who figure to be available in the offseason:
Bradford
Bradford
Sam Bradford, St. Louis Rams: The former No. 1 overall pick, coming off back-to-back knee surgeries, is a likely salary-cap casualty. He has a $16.6 million cap charge in 2015, the final year of his rookie contract. The Rams can clear close to $13 million by dumping him. Bradford didn't play well when he was healthy, so there would be considerable risk. At best, he would be a one-year stop gap.
Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears: He signed a seven-year extension at the end of last season (through 2020), but it's not a cap-crushing contract if the Bears decide to part ways with Cutler. There is a $15.5 million guarantee in 2015, but no guaranteed money beyond that. Cutler can sling it with anyone, but he's a turnover-prone quarterback with a prima-donna attitude -- and that wouldn't play well in New York.
Hoyer
Brian Hoyer, Cleveland Browns: Credit him for overcoming two phenomenons -- Johnny Football and the Browns' history of losing. Hoyer, one of the main reasons for the Browns' resurgence, will be the top free agent on the market. He probably wouldn't be a fit for the Jets. He's a complementary player -- read: game-manager -- who will command big bucks for the long term.
Johnny Manziel, Cleveland Browns: Johnny Football in the Big Apple? He would blow up the Internet and social media. He would sell tickets for Woody Johnson, that's for sure, but the deficiencies in his game, coupled with what the Browns would ask in a trade, wouldn't justify the risk-reward. The Browns invested a first-round pick in Manziel, so they won't give him away for nothing.
Josh McCown, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: He's under contract for 2015 (no guaranteed money), but he could be the odd-man out if the Bucs pick Mariota or Winston. The Jets were interested in McCown last offseason before signing Michael Vick. He wouldn't be a bad hold-the-fort guy.
Mark Sanchez, Philadelphia Eagles: Ha, ha.
November, 27, 2014
NOV 27
2:00
PM ET
By Rich Cimini | ESPN.com
The drum beat is faint now, but it will grow progressively louder in the coming weeks and months:
RG III ... RG III ... RG III.
The New York Jets will be looking for a quarterback in the offseason, maybe two, and it appears that Robert Griffin III -- benched this week by the Washington Redskins -- will be available. Let's be clear: Several dominos have to fall before RG III-to-the-Jets can be considered anything more than fantasy-football chatter -- mainly, we don't know who will be calling the shots for the Jets -- but he could fit the profile for their 2015 plan.
Griffin
Griffin has only one year remaining on his contract (an affordable $3.3 million guaranteed), assuming the Redskins don't exercise the fifth-year option in the spring. For the Jets, it would be a Percy Harvin-like trade: not much downside in terms of financial risk. Essentially, a one-year audition.
Obviously, a lot would hinge on the Redskins' asking price. They surrendered three first-round picks for Griffin in the 2012 draft, but his value has gone down, down, down amid questions about his attitude, his mechanics and his surgically repaired knee. Chances are, they would have to settle for pennies on the dollar, maybe a middle-round conditional pick that would increase if he meets certain performance levels.
All bets are off for the Jets if they take Marcus Mariota or Jameis Winston or another quarterback with a high draft pick. They would have a new franchise quarterback, and there would be no point in trading for somebody else's tarnished franchise quarterback. Griffin-to-the-Jets only makes sense if they pick a quarterback in the later rounds or don't draft one at all, bringing back Geno Smith to compete for the starting job or, more likely, be a backup.
Griffin has accumulated a lot of baggage since his sensational rookie season, raising questions about whether he will ever fulfill his potential. He's a system quarterback, and we have no idea what type of system the Jets will be running next season. So, yes, this is a considerable projection on our part, but it's worth investigating if you are the Jets. They will be starting over at quarterback, so what is there to lose?
A look at other veterans who figure to be available in the offseason:
Bradford
Bradford
Sam Bradford, St. Louis Rams: The former No. 1 overall pick, coming off back-to-back knee surgeries, is a likely salary-cap casualty. He has a $16.6 million cap charge in 2015, the final year of his rookie contract. The Rams can clear close to $13 million by dumping him. Bradford didn't play well when he was healthy, so there would be considerable risk. At best, he would be a one-year stop gap.
Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears: He signed a seven-year extension at the end of last season (through 2020), but it's not a cap-crushing contract if the Bears decide to part ways with Cutler. There is a $15.5 million guarantee in 2015, but no guaranteed money beyond that. Cutler can sling it with anyone, but he's a turnover-prone quarterback with a prima-donna attitude -- and that wouldn't play well in New York.
Hoyer
Brian Hoyer, Cleveland Browns: Credit him for overcoming two phenomenons -- Johnny Football and the Browns' history of losing. Hoyer, one of the main reasons for the Browns' resurgence, will be the top free agent on the market. He probably wouldn't be a fit for the Jets. He's a complementary player -- read: game-manager -- who will command big bucks for the long term.
Johnny Manziel, Cleveland Browns: Johnny Football in the Big Apple? He would blow up the Internet and social media. He would sell tickets for Woody Johnson, that's for sure, but the deficiencies in his game, coupled with what the Browns would ask in a trade, wouldn't justify the risk-reward. The Browns invested a first-round pick in Manziel, so they won't give him away for nothing.
Josh McCown, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: He's under contract for 2015 (no guaranteed money), but he could be the odd-man out if the Bucs pick Mariota or Winston. The Jets were interested in McCown last offseason before signing Michael Vick. He wouldn't be a bad hold-the-fort guy.
Mark Sanchez, Philadelphia Eagles: Ha, ha.
