The Curious Case of Kirk Cousins

By Michael Schneid

Many analysts and folks on tv and fans are up in arms about the Redskins drafting Kirk Cousins in round four. The move is a curious one because the team took Robert Griffin III second overall. They invested a ton to move up and draft Griffin and he is the QB of the present and future. There is no competition, as some on ESPN suggested Saturday during the draft.

 

Cousins, if he develops into the QB everyone thinks he can be, will follow the career path of Matt Schaub, Kevin Kolb, and Matt Flynn - guys who were drafted despite having a QB entrenched as the starter on the depth chart. Ultimately all those guys were traded and are starting elsehwere. Schaub was the backup to Mike Vick and was very impressive in limited action and was ultimately traded to the Texans. Kolb was expected to replace Donovan McNabb but was replaced by Mick Vick (ironically). And Matt Flynn started two games in four years in Green Bay and is now the projected starter in Seattle.

 

Both Griffin and Cousins will sign four year contracts under the new rookie scale in the new CBA. In four years, Cousins can go start somewhere. In the meantime, he has no pressure and can develop and learn how to play QB in the NFL at a good pace. If Griffin is banged up, Cousins can pick up extra reps in practice and perhaps a spot start here and there. Cousins will get a chance but will never be the man in Washington.

 

Adam Schefter even reported over the weekend the Redskins had Cousins as their third ranked QB in the draft and hope to develop him and trade him.

 

Hopefully that is the case and Cousins gets a chance to shine one day. His fall to day three, round four, had to be disappointing and being entrenched as a back up must also be disappointing but Cousins is a hard worker and a great leader and will find a way to grow and develop and make the best of the situation.