Even With Robert Griffin III On Board, Cleveland Browns Must Draft A QB In First Round

Robert Griffin III made it official on Thursday, signing a two-year contract with the Cleveland Browns. While some believe the Browns have found their starting quarterback, I think it’s imperative that the franchise still select a signal-caller in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft.

Simply put, Griffin is no longer the guy he was during his rookie season. When he hasn’t been sidelined by injuries he has been no better than average under center. There is some hope that RG3 could rediscover some of his ability working with new Browns head coach Hue Jackson and quarterbacks coach Pep Hamilton, but that is leaving a lot to chance. Cleveland needs to move on from Josh McCown (via trade or release) and plan for Griffin being the team’s veteran backup. He has given zero indication he can serve a more important role than that since an impressive rookie campaign.

Griffin opened his career in brilliant fashion in 2012, playing in 15 games and completing 65.6 percent of his passes for 3,200 yards, with 20 touchdowns and five interceptions. He posted an impressive QBR of 75.6 and a passer rating of 102.4, while also rushing for 815 yards and seven touchdowns. He hasn’t come close to repeating that production.

In 2013 he played in 13 games, completed 60.1 percent of his passes for 3,203 yards, with 16 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. His QBR dropped to a woeful 42.2 and his passer rating was down to 82.2, while he rushed for just 489 yards and no scores. Then in 2014 he appeared in nine games, completed an excellent 68.1 percent of his passes, but threw for just 1,694 yards, with only four touchdowns and six interceptions. His QBR continued to nosedive, falling to 33.5, while he rushed for just 176 yards and one touchdown. He was was on the inactive list for all of 2015.

The 26-year-old Griffin has dealt with two tears to his right ACL (one while still at Baylor) a dislocated left ankle and a severe concussion. Calling him an “injury risk” would be akin to calling Miranda Kerr “mildly attractive.” The guy should be encased in bubble wrap at all times.

The Browns have the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft, and with North Dakota State’s Carson Wentz and Cal’s Jared Goff both almost certain to be available, Cleveland needs to take one of them. Unless they are completely unimpressed with both prospects, the Browns must add a franchise-type quarterback in this year’s draft.

Let’s face it, Cleveland isn’t going to be good in 2016. It will be the start of what should be a long rebuilding process. Stockpiling assets is essential. If the Browns bring in a young signal-caller and Griffin beats him out and plays well, they would have two valuable pieces, one of which they could move to a quarterback-needy team. If Griffin fails and the young guy wins the job, all the better. Griffin would be the veteran backup, while Goff or Wentz took ownership of the team and became the face of the franchise.

There will be those who argue that Griffin should be allowed to take over as a franchise quarterback and that Cleveland should select the best player available at No. 2. Personally, I don’t see how anyone could trust Griffin to run a team given how things turned out in Washington. With Laremy Tunsil likely going off the board to the Tennessee Titans at No. 1, that would leave the Browns with Jalen Ramsey, Joey Bosa, DeForest Buckner and Myles Jack in the “best available” category. While those are guys all solid options, the value of a quarterback is so much higher than a linebacker, defensive back or defensive end that the choice should be easy. None of those players could really impact the franchise in a deeply meaningful way if the situation under center remains unsettled.

The Browns have pushed chips in on the quarterback draft craps table three times in the last decade and rolled snake-eyes each time. Brady Quinn, Brandon Weeden and Johnny Manziel all failed, but not because trying to fix the team’s woes at the position was a bad idea. Those guys failed because none of them were every going to be good NFL players. Goff and Wentz are light-years better than any of those guys. Are they sure things? Of course not, but nothing in the NFL Draft ever is.

Signing Griffin is a gamble by the Browns, and drafting a quarterback at No. 2 would be the best way to hedge on that bet.

The Browns need to find a long-term solution under center, they didn’t do that by signing Griffin.