Update: RG3 signed a two-year deal with the Browns on Thursday.
Robert Griffin III lands 2-year deal with Browns
After visiting Cleveland last week, RG3 signed with the Browns Thursday.
Amber Searls-USA TODAY Sports
Robert Griffin III and Washington have had a long, rocky relationship that could only be described as "mutually assured destruction." Griffin joined the team in 2012 and should have left well before 2016, but the team exercised his fifth-year contract option last offseason. At the time, the move seemed to preempt the team giving Griffin a chance to regain the starting job he had off and on over the years.
But Griffin didn't start -- that honor went to Kirk Cousins -- and he was also buried further on the depth chart behind Colt McCoy. As the third string quarterback, he was inactive all season. His fifth-year contract option would have paid him an astronomical $16.155 million in 2016.
On Monday, March 7, Washington finally parted ways with Griffin before the start of the new league year and before his contract became guaranteed. Where Griffin ends up is the big question. He’s still just 26 years old and not that far removed from a productive season, and many of his issues with Washington can’t be blamed on him.
So what happens next?
The list of possible suitors is thinning. The Texans found their quarterback in Brock Osweiler. The Broncos traded for ark Sanchez on Friday, not that that would necessarily rule out Griffin. There are still the Browns and Rams, and now the Jets have emerged. The idea of Cleveland's new head coach, Hue Jackson, getting the chance to work with Griffin makes that potential marriage an intriguing one. The Chiefs and Eagles have been mentioned as potential destinations (see below), and so have the Cowboys.
The latest RG3 rumors:
March 24: The Browns officially sign RG3.
March 22: Gary Kubiak informed the media that the Broncos are considering going after RG3. "He's obviously been part of the conversation," Kubiak said, via ESPN.com. "We'll see what happens; he's a talented young man."
March 21: The homework done on RG3 has the Browns feeling pretty comfortable with the quarterback. Enough that the trade talks for Colin Kaepernick are through in Cleveland and the team is "moving forward" on Griffin, according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer.
March 20: A day after RG3’s visit to Cleveland, the Browns are making calls to gather more info about the quarterback, per Pro Football Talk.
March 19: Griffin visited the Cleveland Browns, according to FOX Sports’ Mike Garafolo. Ian Rapoport adds that there is “nothing imminent” as to a signing.
March 13: Griffin left the Jets without signing contract. The team’s top priority remains re-signing Ryan Fitzpatrick.
March 12: Griffin spent his Friday night having dinner with Jets officials and now he’s spending his Saturday with the team as well, according to Albert Breer of NFL Network.
March 11: Rumors of interest have finally turned into something tangible. Adam Schefter reported on Friday afternoon that Griffin was scheduled to visit the Jets.
March 11: A Colin Kaepernick trade seems inevitable and if it happens, RG3 is expected to be a top option for the Chip Kelly-led 49ers, according to Yahoo's Charles Robinson.
March 11: RG3 may "very much" want to play for the Rams, but Jeff Fisher is just fine with Case Keenum and Nick Foles, and is "sitting tight" at quarterback, according to Charles Robinson of Yahoo. Since then, the Rams have indicated that they're content with the quarterbacks they have, Nick Foles and Case Keenum.
March 10: RG3 “very much” wants to play for the Rams, according to Vinny Curry of the Los Angeles Daily News.
March 9: RG3 is reportedly on the Broncos radar now that Brock Osweiler is headed to the Houston Texans, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The Broncos are also reportedly interested in Colin Kaepernick, and if Kaepernick ends up in Denver, that could create the opportunity for RG3 to land in San Francisco.
March 8: Talk of RG3 to the 49ers isn’t going away. ESPN’s Ed Werder said on Tuesday on SportsCenter that San Francisco was still the most likely destination for Griffin, noting Chip Kelly’s interest in the former Washington quarterback. But it’s all going to depend on how the Kaepernick saga plays out.
March 7: The Cowboys are not interested in RG3, according to Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports. It's not a great fit for either side. He'd be a high-profile backup behind Tony Romo, whom Dallas is committed to for the foreseeable future. Plus, the Cowboys would have to spend more than would be reasonable for a backup.
March 7: After months of waiting, Washington finally did it, releasing RG3 on Monday. He’s officially a free agent now.
March 3: John Clayton thinks 49ers would be Robert Griffin III’s first choice if Colin Kaepernick was gone.
Feb. 24: The Chiefs and Eagles were both cited as potential destinations for RG3, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network.
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