The Washington Redskins are widely expected to release quarterback Robert Griffin III at some point this offseason, but general manager Scot McCloughan isn’t rushing into any decision on the future of his polarizing quarterback.
“The thing that’s good about where we are right now is, we have until March 9,” McCloughan said, via the Washington Post. “That’s why I want to sit with the coaches – and not just the coordinators, position coaches; everybody – and get a feel for it, because (Griffin III) is a good football player, he’s a really good person, and he’s under contract. And that’s where we are right now.”
The Redskins won’t take a cap hit if they release Griffin III by March 9, the start of the new league year. He’s otherwise due over $16 million for the final year of his rookie contract next season.
McCloughan will almost certainly cut Griffin III, despite him being the only quarterback currently under contract in Washington. Kirk Cousins and Colt McCoy are scheduled to be free agents. The Redskins made Cousins the starter in 2015, and he produced 29 touchdowns and a passer rating of 101.6 for the NFC East champions. Washington has committed to Cousins as the team’s franchise quarterback moving forward, and having a cap hit as excessive as Griffin III’s doesn’t make sense when attempting to negotiate another quarterback contract.
Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported back in January that the Redskins will release Griffin III, calling the transaction a “matter of timing.” Washington is able to cut him on the Monday after the Super Bowl, or February 8.
Once released, Griffin III will likely have a number of teams interested in him to either compete for a starting job or backup the current starter.
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