The Redskins Twitterverse has moved on from Robert Griffin 3rd…to Peyton Manning as the object of their quarterback affection.
Um, well, ok. There’s really no point in commenting until after March 8. That’s when the Indianapolis Colts must fish or cut bait on Peyton. They owe him $28 million by that date and the only way to avoid it is to release him or renegotiate the contract that gives all the advantage to Manning.
To understand the leverage, see Andrew Brandt’s excellent two-part write up on the National Football Post. That deal may have something to do with Bill Polian’s dismissal from the Colts.
The Washington Redskins figure in Peyton-mongering. It’s the Redskins. Everybody links them to big-name stars from other teams coming to save the Redskins. Why? Because it’s the Redskins. But, playing all the scenarios is a GM’s job. Bruce Allen and his counterparts from in 22 other NFL teams would be derelict in their duty if they were not trying to figure out if the elder Manning makes sense for their team.
Allen should be working through all the scenarios to acquire players who can help the team. Yes, Redskins fans, that could mean another year of Rex Grossman even though the universe agrees that anyone, even an aging lazer rocket arm, would be better than Sexy Rexy.
The alternate reality
That’s why I liked the mock draft put together by Russ Lande. We summarize the Redskins’ moves here and show the link below.
Lande sees the St. Louis Rams keeping their Draft pick (second overall) and the Seattle Seahawks leapfrogging everyone in a Trade with Minnesota to snatch RG3.
Lande thinks the Redskins will select CB Morris Claiborne (LSU) with the sixth pick and then giving up their second and maybe third round pick to move back in the first round to select QB Brandon Weeden (Ok State).
I LOVE THIS; not that I advocate it, but because I know the front office is working through their Plan B if they cannot get Griffin III. Make that Plan C if the Redskins are serious about Manning.
Go to russlande.com to see his guess at all the first round selections, or trades, for all the teams. Here’s the link: http://www.russlande.com/2012-mock-draft/.
Go take a look. We will be here when you get back.
This should caution everyone that anything could happen on Draft Day. The Redskins cannot just “trade up” and get Griffin. They have to have a willing trade partner and a competing offer.
The Cleveland Browns are playing with free money, thanks to all the Draft picks received from Atlanta who moved up to take Julio Jones. Nobody is going to outbid Cleveland if the Browns really want Griffin.
The Jones trade is also instructive. The Falcons mortgaged the future to get a wide receiver playmaker—the last piece of the puzzle—to make the Super Bowl. Jones was a strong performer in his rookie year. Yet, Atlanta could not defend its division title.
Lessons from the Julio Jones trade:
- There is no one player that can save the Redskins and there is no such thing as a “must have” player.
- There is no such thing as instant results. Players need a season to jell with their team. (See the 2011 Philadelphia Eagles who will have a monster 2012 season)
- Even if the Redskins get their man, it may not work any better than Julion Jones worked for the Falcons.
Thirty NFL teams are in their thinking, plotting, planning stage. Brainstorms and trial baloons escape to the world of Tweets. Don’t believe any of it. At this point, all teams lie.
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