With the start of the NFL regular season just a week away, the debate rages on over why Colin Kaepernick remains a free agent. One name we have heard hardly anything about, however, is Robert Griffin III. Many NFL executives wonder why that is the case.
Albert Breer of The MMQB spoke with several NFL executives and coaches — all of whom remained anonymous — about whether or not Kaepernick is being blackballed by NFL teams. A number of them disputed the notion that Kaepernick remains unsigned because of his political beliefs. They think it is more about football, and they believe Robert Griffin III’s lack of contract offers helps prove as much.
“Certainly he’s good enough to be a backup. … But we have a good No. 2, a guy that fits our system that we have familiarity with,” one executive told Breer. “He’s here for the same reason that (Dolphins coach) Adam Gase goes back to (Jay) Cutler. We know exactly what we’re going to get from the guy. Physically, Kaepernick’s more talented, but familiarity with a backup at that position, knowing exactly what you’re going to get, is more important than the ‘wow’ factor. … It’s like with (Griffin); you had him playing a certain way, and he was a hell of a player. But as soon as defenses figured out what they were, and a specific way to play them, that’s where they had to be able to start to win from the pocket. If you can’t do that in this league, it’s tough.”
When the executives were discussing Kaepernick, Griffin’s name kept coming up.
“To me, the protests, all that, it wasn’t even a factor for us. It was the ability to fit within our offense. He doesn’t throw the ball great, he’s more of an on-the-move, zone-read type of quarterback. He needs to be in a specific system,” another exec said. “For us, it was a system thing. What he does well is totally outside what most teams do. And so here’s my question: I understand the Kaepernick deal, why it’s news, but nobody’s talking about RG3? I know since it’s Kaepernick, it’s what sells, but the problem that RG3 has getting a job is the same as Kaepernick for a lot of teams.”
And another:
“I don’t like the guy as a player. I don’t think he can play. I didn’t think he could play at Reno, I don’t think he can play now. … You don’t think if he was a good player, 20 teams would be lining up? … He’s inaccurate, inconsistent reading defenses. He needs everything to be perfect around him, and he needs to run a certain offense. When he was rolling, they had an unbelievable defense and a great running game with an amazing offensive line. Everything was perfect. And you consider that, why isn’t there a debate about RG3? He just wasn’t a consideration.”
Of course, there was no mention of Griffin’s injury history. Kaepernick has dealt with a variety of minor injuries, but none have affected his mobility. RG3, on the other hand, has suffered multiple torn ACLs. While you could argue that he is a better pocket passer than Kaepernick, both quarterbacks are known for making plays with their legs. If Griffin can’t do that, his value is virtually nonexistent.
For what it’s worth, one of the best quarterback’s in the NFL disagrees with all of the execs Breer spoke with. Many others do, as well. In reality, it has become obvious that both football and political stances are factors in why Kaepernick has not found a job. To say one or the other is irrelevant would be simplifying the situation far too much.
