Poll: Do you believe that drafting Cousins has placed excessive and unnecessary pressure on RG3?

[Riggo#44]

the skins are a rebuilding team and not a perennial contender. we needed to use that pick to fill more immediate needs. teams like the packers, steelers, patriots and eagles have had good management for a long time and have the luxury to make those kinds of gambles.

That's my point -- they're not gambles. If you're taking the highest-rated player on your board, you're taking the safest pick, regardless of the position. It's how good teams are built.

[jaybrant]

The pressure that Cousins is putting on Griffin is just inexcusable.

Shanahan is almost like that Archie Manning guy who had a son who would eventually become a QB in the NFL, only to turn around and have another son who would also become a QB in the NFL. The nerve!!! The pressure put on the older kid from always having to see his kid brother behind him, getting better and better was too much. The older Manning cracked under the pressure and disappeared. In and out of rehab and what not. Constantly trying to find his former self. Himself before the younger Manning was involved.

What?? That's not what happened. Oh... Well... Nevermind.

I vote no then.

[hiswadeness]

If drafting Cousins puts excessive pressure on RG III he dosen't have the makeup to be the franchise qb. I don't think it effects RG III at all.

[milapnow]

In a month, something else crazy is going to happen (hopefully to another team) and all this will become a non-factor. Cousins will then assume his rightful place on the team as back-up-in-training and all will be right again in Redskins nation.

[IrepDC]

Rex would have made a fine backup in my opinion, and I thought the plan was to groom and trade Cousins anyway. The debate should be whether we should be taking on projects while trying to groom our franchise QB simultaneously. If QB is the hardest position to learn in professional sports, the fact that we now have to teach two guys to be pros could become a detriment to the two QBs' development; especially since we're grooming Cousins to be starter quality elsewhere and not just a backup. That's a big side mission for our coaching staff to be juggling. Maybe they can do it, though.

[darrelgreenie]

The point wasn't to imply that we are "set". We're still working out the kinks. The point is that people keep bringing up several positions that we could've addressed with that draft pick, and I'm pointing out that we have addressed many of those concerns through other avenues.

If we're not all set then there's room for improvement or upgrade?

[KokoMike]

The Skins will win the Super Bowl with RG3 and Cousins. Grossman may even get a ring.

[KCClybun]

If we're not all set then there's room for improvement or upgrade?

*sigh*

Yes. And that's precisely what we did. Upgraded a position where we didn't have depth compared to upgrading a position where we did have depth, greenie.

[darrelgreenie]

There's a lot of jumping to conclusions going on in this thread.

Especially given that some people were actually responding to parameters laid out in the OP.

Thinking the pressure is unnecessary means they think the pressure is unnecessary.

It does not mean that Griffin can't handle the pressure or that the pressure bothers Griffin or that the pressure is even 'bad'.

Thinking the pressure is unnecessary means they think the pressure is unnecessary.

[SirClintonPortis]

Pressure only exists in the eye of the beholder.

[darrelgreenie]

If we're not all set then there's room for improvement or upgrade?

...Yes.

So how can you then jump on people that seek the same thing at a different position?

[KCClybun]

There is no pressure. RG3 is the franchise quarterback. Our head coach has said it multiple times. Kirk is the back-up and is competing with Rex to be the back-up, not with RG3 to be the starter. The only pressure being created is a media construct and the rampant paranoia that comes along with being part of a beaten down fanbase.

[SirClintonPortis]

There is no pressure. RG3 is the franchise quarterback. Our head coach has said it multiple times. Kirk is the back-up and is competing with Rex to be the back-up, not with RG3 to be the starter. The only pressure being created is a media construct and the rampant paranoia that comes along with being part of a beaten down fanbase.

And baseless psychology driven solely by "intuition".

[darrelgreenie]

Rex would have made a fine backup in my opinion, and I thought the plan was to groom and trade Cousins anyway. The debate should be whether we should be taking on projects while trying to groom our franchise QB simultaneously. If QB is the hardest position to learn in professional sports, the fact that we now have to teach two guys to be pros could become a detriment to the two QBs' development; especially since we're grooming Cousins to be starter quality elsewhere and not just a backup. That's a big side mission for our coaching staff to be juggling. Maybe they can do it, though.

My contention is that a successful pick of a back-up QB has less on the field benefit then an equally successful pick at another position.

[KokoMike]

The fans have spoken. RG3 can handle it. The next poll should be about whether Kirk Cousins can handle it. Kirk has no idea what he is in for.

[KCClybun]

So how can you then jump on people that seek the same thing at a different position?

I like how you cut out the second part of what I said. And the sigh before it. You're really good at creating circular arguments that assist you in making your original points.

I do not "jump" on anyone, and anyone who feels jumped on either needs to grow up or stop playing the martyr. My thing is that the people who unilaterally dismiss the move as a bad move because of perceived lack of depth at other positions often seem to ignore that we have addressed those problems elsewhere. And while we are still in the process of building a football team that can compete, and while we need help in some areas, our team is doing what so many have asked that they do---follow their draft board, and take the best player available on their board.

I keep seeing people repeat "we could've used that draft pick elsewhere on a position of need", ignoring the fact we added numerous people at a certain positions to fix that whole. And maybe it works and maybe it doesn't, but ultimately, people get too caught up in the "that draft pick could've been something else", much like people complained when we took two running backs last season.

Particularly, I remember people bagging on the Royster pick HARD, insisting that we had "other needs" elsewhere that would've been better served on something other than a guy like Royster, because he was a "Penn State running back" and didn't have a ton of speed. And then dude comes in and plays great and no one cares about any of that.

[Saqs]

My contention is that a successful pick of a back-up QB has less on the field benefit then an equally successful pick at another position.

Until you are 7-3 and your franchise QB goes down for the year....

[KCClybun]

My contention is that a successful pick of a back-up QB has less on the field benefit then an equally successful pick at another position.

There's absolutely no guarantee that another player at another position would be any more, less, or equally successful a pick than Kirk Cousins is. He could be a Perry Riley, or he could be a Selvish Capers.

[MattFancy]

Until you are 7-3 and your franchise QB goes down for the year....

Yup ask the Bears how that worked out for them last year. Think they wish they had a good back up behind Cutler. I read that only 14 teams used the same starting QB for every game last year. There is nothing wrong with having a competent back up. None of us trusted Rex last year, why would you want to go through that again?

[C26 Run]

Neither, this was a smart pick by Shanahan. If RG3 is worried about Cousins, then we have deeper issues going on. Quality QB competition will further help RG3 earn the respect of his teammates.

:helmet:

[Dah-Dee]

I voted no; RG3 is a mature and confident young man who has the express backing of his coach and GM. I don't think, however, the Skins should have used that pick on a backup QB this year, would rather have seen it used on one of the CBs that went soon after our pick, or one of the OTs that went soon after, or even on Phillip Blake, RG3's center from Baylor that went to the Broncos for Peyton Manning almost right after we took Cousins.

You all know what scares us the most: the possibility of history repeating itself. Skins fans are still scarred by it. We want Griffin to Be The Man, to be everything the Redskins need to compete for championships annually, to be what we thought we were getting the last time we took a quarterback this high. We took a second quarterback in that draft, too:

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Horse Race Nearly At The Finish Shuler, Frerotte Still Neck-and-neck, But 'skins Close To Decision Time On Starting Qb

August 15, 1996|by Paul Domowitch, Daily News Sports Writer

FROSTBURG, Md. — The Washington Redskins know they open the season Sept. 1 against the Eagles at RFK Stadium. What they don't know is who will start at quarterback.

Heath Shuler or Gus Frerotte?

The $19.25 million man or the seventh-round afterthought?

The third-year players are in an intense training-camp battle for the starting job that still is too close to call. The finish line is tomorrow night's preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals at RFK. After that, coach Norv Turner will decide on a once-and-for-now winner.

``I feel real good about what's happening with Heath and Gus,'' Turner said. ``The competition has brought out the best in them. We'll make a decision after the Cincinnati game and, hopefully, the one we pick can stay healthy and prosper in what we're doing offensively.''

Heath or Gus? This wasn't the plan in April 1994, when the Redskins took Shuler, the recordsetting quarterback from Tennessee, with the third overall pick in the draft and claimed Frerotte with the 197th selection.

There was no quarterback controversy. Shuler would lead the Redskins back to the NFL promised land. Frerotte? He was just a strong-armed, minimum-wage seventh-rounder out of Tulsa trying to win a roster spot.

Now, they are neck-and-neck on the depth chart, if not the salary chart. Slowed by injuries, Shuler struggled in his first two pro seasons, while Frerotte played far better than anyone imagined.

Read more

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The Colts hope their history is repeating itself. The Redskins hope theirs is not.

[darrelgreenie]

There's absolutely no guarantee that another player at another position would be any more, less, or equally successful a pick than Kirk Cousins is.

Right but who's saying there is?

Not me.

[Saqs]

The Colts hope their history is repeating itself. The Redskins hope theirs is not.

Well it would have to start with RG3 holding out and missing training camp allowing Cousins to get all of the reps and dooming himself ala Shuler. Safe to say, aint gonna happen.

[The Bounty Hunter #21]

The media can continue to spin this story all they want but as far as i'm concerned, this is a dead issue. RG3 is our guy, end of story.

[Commander PK]

Right but who's saying there is?

Not me.

greenie the Colts took two QB's in this draft as well. One in the first and one in the seventh. How do you feel about that? Do you think because they drafted Luck they shouldn't have taken another QB for depth in this draft?