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During the 2012 NFL Draft, many people questioned why Washington Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan would draft former Michigan State quarterback Kirk Cousins after taking quarterback Robert Griffin with the second overall pick.
They just invested their franchise in a quarterback, so why use another pick on the same position?
Well, those days have passed, and now Shanahan is looking like a genius. Cousins has been nothing short of excellent in his role as Griffin’s backup, using each and every opportunity he has been given to display his skill set to future employers.
Shanahan, as well as Cousins, know that this preseason will be crucial for the future of not only Cousins but the Redskins as well. Cousins is in full-on audition mode for every franchise around the league, because nobody knows when the situation will arise where you desperately need a quarterback.
Analysts all over the country have been raving about the the ability of the second year quarterback. Cousins played only two drives in the Redskins’ preseason opener against the Tennessee Titans, but he managed to go 6-for-7 with 52 yards and a touchdown pass.
Last season, Cousins got the start against the Cleveland Browns after Griffin went down with an injury. Cousins went 26-of-37 for 329 yards and two touchdown passes. He also appeared late in the game versus the Baltimore Ravens the week before, leading them on a game winning touchdown drive.
With Cousins performing so well when called upon, his trade value is through the roof. The Redskins are heavily invested in Robert Griffin and gave up quite a bit to get him. If the right situation were to present itself, the Redskins could trade Cousins for multiple draft picks and make up for some of what they gave up.
A starting position is certainly in the future of Cousins, and he will eventually get his shot with a franchise to be their quarterback. According to ESPN’s Mark Schlereth, he thinks Cousins is better than roughly 10 franchises’ current starting quarterbacks. That is extremely high praise for Cousins, but only time will tell where he ends up.
Erik Sargent is a football writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @Erik_Sargent, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
