Why wouldn't they is the question? The Redskins need a franchise QB so bad that this move made a heck of a lot of sense. Sure, trading three first round picks and a 2nd round pick seems like a lot, but when it comes to trading up for a franchise QB especially one with the talent and ability of Baylor's Robert Griffin III, it makes total sense. Consider the fact that teams no longer have to shell out $50 million guaranteed for a guy who never played a snap in the NFL and it's even more likely for teams to gamble and trade up. It's a no-brainer. There are very few times a team can trade up to #1 or #2 and take one of the top-2 QBs in the draft because generally teams drafting in that spot will almost always take the QB. In this instance, St. Louis traded down because they still have a young QB they took #1 two years ago in Sam Bradford. Jeff Fisher wants to see if they young QB can play after a down sophomore year as well as grab 3 firsts and a second.
If you are bothered by the Redskins trading 3 first round picks, the reality is that they are swapping this year's first (6th overall) with the Rams' first. Hopefully for the Redskins, they won't have to be drafting too high in the next couple of years and they figure they won't with the addition of Griffin. Griffin has all the tools and ability to be a starting QB in this league and be a good one. Some even think Griffin could go #1 ahead of Andrew Luck, but more likely he will go #2. Griffin is fast and can throw on the run. He has a strong arm and can make many of the throws. If you look at Griffin's number or even watch him play at Baylor, you see a QB that throws the ball down the field and is not a check down quarterback. He is also very smart as he would be going to Law School if he weren't going into the NFL. Griffin can make a huge impact much like Cam Newton did for Carolina last year. Newton only had a couple of months to learn the playbook as he missed time in OTA's and Mini Camps during the NFL Lockout and look what he did breaking many of Peyton Manning's rookie records. What would Griffin do with more time to get accustomed to the playbook and learn the offense? He seems to be the ideal candidate in Mike Shanahan's offense that has really struggled the last two years with Donovan McNabb, Rex Grossman, and John Beck under center.
Speaking of Shanahan and his struggles, he needed to make this deal as he is in his 3rd and could very well be his final year as Redskins' head coach. He is 11-21 in two years despite being a success in Denver. If things don't go well this year he could be gone. He could not afford another year with Grossman or Beck at QB, he needed to make the big splash. Shanahan has not won a Super Bowl without John Elway, which has hurt his legacy of being a really good head coach and has won only one playoff game since Elway retired in 1998. He needs this for his ego. Griffin can take Shanahan and the Redskins to the promise land. Who was the last great QB for the Redskins? Was it Joe Theismann? They won Super Bowls with Doug Williams and Mark Rypien since Theismann but it was more of a system as both have been one-year wonder. The Redskins have not been relevant for two decades since the first time Joe Gibbs coached there. Even though for the past decade or so when Daniel Snyder became owner of the Redskins, they have been irrelevant despite making big splashes in free agency and in the off season each and every year. Those big splashes usually ended up in failure and the Redskins usually finish at the bottom of their division. They have only made the playoffs twice since 1999 and three times since 1992 with only one division title.
The Redskins lacked in one thing and that was getting the QB. Now they will finally have the guy. who could lead them to the playoffs for the next decade or so and hopefully the Super Bowl. Time will tell if this is the right deal and who will win this trade: Washington or St. Louis. But it was a deal Washington needed to make win or lose and I believe they will win.
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