Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
On Monday morning, the Washington Redskins announced that they would be picking up the fifth-year option for quarterback Robert Griffin III. While it was the move they needed to make, the Redskins will end up regretting it before all is said and done.
Redskins GM Scot McCloughan says the team is exercising the 2016 option on QB Robert Griffin III.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) April 27, 2015
Apart from his impressive rookie season, Griffin has been a train wreck in D.C. Between numerous injuries and inconsistent play, he’s become a sour grape for Redskins head coach Jay Gruden. So why would the Redskins want to invest $16.1 million in him for the 2016 season when the guy running the show doesn’t even want him under center?
Put simply, Washington made this move for owner Dan Snyder and his ego. The headstrong head honcho mortgaged the team’s future when the Redskins traded a king’s ransom to move up and draft Griffin in 2011. Not picking up his fifth-year option would essentially be admitting defeat, which Snyder never does – just look at how he’s handled the whole name-change situation.
Again, I’ll reiterate that it was the logical option, but it’ll come back to bite them.
By agreeing to pay Griffin so much money in 2016, the Redskins are forced to take two different courses of action. The first option is to just stick with him as the starter, regardless of results. There’s no way they’re going to pay him $16.1 million to ride the pine, so you know he’ll be getting the starts – if he can stay healthy.
The second option is trying to trade him. Picking up the option may have been an attempt to buy themselves more time, but now they also have to find a team willing to pick up his enormous salary for the 2016 season. Unless he suddenly returns to his 2011 form, no team in their right mind is going to give up anything significant to pick up his contract.
So one way or another, the Redskins are screwed. They either have to stick with Griffin as the starter or trade him (which won’t happen). Those aren’t exactly enticing options when it comes to a once-promising young gunslinger who can’t stay healthy or play with the same confidence he showed as a rookie.
It’s a sticky situation for the Redskins regardless, but by picking up Griffin’s fifth-year option, they’ve ensured themselves regret in the near future.
