The previous NFL season saw a lot of drama break out especially in the quarterback role. These concerns started to unfold in the offseason with Tim Tebow dramatically failing to get in the Philadelphia Eagles and Tom Brady almost missing out on a lot of games for the New England Patriots. The San Francisco 49ers also had their fair share of issues with Colin Kaepernick while the Super Bowl 50 champions, the Denver Broncos, had to settle reported disputes between Peyton Manning and Brock Osweiler. Even the Dallas Cowboys faced quarterback woes with the repeated injuries of leader Tony Romo. However, the Cleveland Browns' problems with Johnny Manziel took the cake as Johnny Football managed to wreck not only his NFL career but also the chances of the team to successfully launch a Super Bowl campaign.
Months following a troubled stay with the Cleveland Browns, Manziel was eventually released due to his heavy partying and recent legal battle. This left the Joe Haden team without a leader - an opportunity that gave free agent Robert Griffin III a second chance. Coming off his own quarterback drama with the Washington Redskins, RG3 became one of the most valuable players in the NFL free agent market before the Cleveland Browns offered him a contract. While Griffin looks forward to moving ahead, the Baylor star takes a few moments to address his tumultuous stint with the Washington Redskins.
"What happened there would break a lot of people," said Griffin of his last year with the Washington Redskins. He added, "After not playing football for a year, I'm really appreciative of the Browns stepping up and giving me an opportunity to go out and grow with their team, compete on a daily basis and lead the team. I'm really excited about that."
Despite his fresh start with the Cleveland Browns, it looks like the issues that plagued Griffin in the Washington Redskins still follow him around. Some sports analysts believe that RG3 will bring more harm than good to his current football team. Citing his performance prior to the entry of Kirk Cousins into the Washington Redskins starting lineup, Hays Carlyon of Jacksonville.com expressed his concerns over Griffin's abilities.
"Since his brilliant rookie season in 2012, Griffin has regressed," said Carlyon. He addedn, "He accounted for 21 touchdowns and 22 turnovers in 2013-14. The Redskins didn't even play Griffin last year as Kirk Cousins won the job and then thrived. Griffin will likely be surpassed again soon. The Browns should select a quarterback, likely California's Jared Goff, with the second overall pick in the draft on April 28."
Athough the Cleveland Browns sound optimistic with the entry of RG3 into the roster, Carlyon might not be alone in his opinion. In recent interviews, Hue Jackson shared that Griffin's deal will not be indicative of their team's moves in the NFL Draft. That is, the signing of RG3 will not stop the Cleveland Browns from looking into a more stable and promising quarterback.
"I don't think signing Robert says anything about what we'll do in the draft," said Jackson. The Cleveland Browns head coach added, "You never know. You can never have enough good players."
What do you think? Is Robert Griffin III a step up from Johnny Manziel? Did the Cleveland Browns make the right decision when they signed RG3?
