Baltimore Ravens: Robert Griffin III Brings New Threat to AFC North
By Joe Serpico
The Baltimore Ravens should be mildly concerned that Robert Griffin III will be the new quarterback for the Cleveland Browns.
The Browns believe they have found their quarterback with the addition of Robert Griffin. They announced that they will sign him to a two-year deal worth $15 million. He will receive $6.75 million guaranteed.
Griffin, the No. 2 pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, brought Washington to the playoffs in his rookie season. He won nine games in fifteen starts, and threw for 3,200 yards and 20 touchdowns. He also ran for 815 yards and seven touchdowns.
The move makes sense for Cleveland. They have gone through 24 different quarterbacks since 1999, but Griffin might be the most gifted of them all. The Browns wasted a draft pick on Johnny Manziel, who many thought had a skill set similar to RG3 after winning the Heisman Trophy a year later.
The Ravens have seen Griffin in action before. In fact, they could be to blame for the downfall of his career. A blow to Griffin’s knee by former Raven Haloti Ngata changed his career for the worse. He was forced to leave the game and has not been the same since. In case you forgot about the devastating hit, here it is:
What is coincidental about that game is that by knocking out Griffin, Kirk Cousins took over at quarterback. He led the Redskins to a game-tying score and won the game in the overtime. Now Cousins is the man in Washington and Griffin is hoping to revive another franchise in his first year.
Griffin sat out all of 2015, but still brings a different dynamic than most quarterbacks. New head coach Hue Jackson used the read option to success even with a slow-footed Andy Dalton. With a quicker player at the helm, his offense could be even more effective.
He is the type of quarterback that franchises thought they could build their franchise around when he entered the 2013 draft. Many teams will try to emulate the success that the Carolina Panthers had with the dual threat of Cam Newton. RG3 does not have the same size as Newton to take hits, but has more speed to get downfield in a hurry. If he can stay healthy and get back to his play in his rookie year, he will be a menace in the AFC North.
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Another reason the Ravens should be angry with the Browns is that many thought Cleveland would draft a quarterback with the No. 2 pick. Now, they can take the top player on their board which is likely one of the defensive players the Ravens have been coveting.
Baltimore are in a division with three different types of quarterbacks to prepare for. Griffin’s legs are a threat on every play. Dalton is more of a pocket quarterback, while Ben Roethlisberger is a mix of both. Each presents their own problems on any given Sunday.
The Redskins gave up the farm to draft Griffin and it looked like a great move the first season. Since Ngata wrecked his knee, he has tried to get healthy and be a force once again in this league. He gets his chance to do so for a franchise starving for a leader.
The Ravens are hopeful that they see more of the 2014 RG3 than the 2013 version, and will do their part to keep the misery going in Cleveland.