Browns to release Robert Griffin III

[Swashy]

I'm cool with RG III coming here if it happened. I seriously doubt that it will happen and I doubt even more that he sees himself as a backup to anyone. I certainly wouldn't give up in his position. But if this actually happened and RG III fully understood that Winston is the man then I'd be happy to have him as backup because I know that despite everything he has gone through he is skilled enough and capable enough to win multiple games in Winston's stead.

I can't say the same for Ryan Griffin, who as far as I know hasn't even taken a snap in regular season NFL competition

[MJW]

If Winston is injured we are done anyway. RG3 would not fix that.

This reminds me of a line I heard from old Colts OC Tom Moore. Peter King (I think) asked him why the #2 QB behind Peyton Manning didn't get more reps in practice. Moore replied, "If Peyton goes down, we're f***ed either way, and we don't have time to practice f***ed."

[terrytate]

If Winston is injured we are done anyway. RG3 would not fix that.

This reminds me of a line I heard from old Colts OC Tom Moore. Peter King (I think) asked him why the #2 QB behind Peyton Manning didn't get more reps in practice. Moore replied, "If Peyton goes down, we're f***ed either way, and we don't have time to practice f***ed."

I disagree, a little. If Winston went down for the year, then it's time to start looking at our free agents and the draft. If Winston goes down for 2 to 4 games, Having a backup that can keep us in those games is critical. After all, we missed the playoffs by one game this year. Who is to say that one game wouldn't cost us a home playoff game in the future, or even a bye one day.

That's why I favor the old hand as a backup. A guy who knows what's what and can step in and perform with minimal practice reps.

[MJW]

This reminds me of a line I heard from old Colts OC Tom Moore. Peter King (I think) asked him why the #2 QB behind Peyton Manning didn't get more reps in practice. Moore replied, "If Peyton goes down, we're f***ed either way, and we don't have time to practice f***ed."

I disagree, a little. If Winston went down for the year, then it's time to start looking at our free agents and the draft. If Winston goes down for 2 to 4 games, Having a backup that can keep us in those games is critical. After all, we missed the playoffs by one game this year. Who is to say that one game wouldn't cost us a home playoff game in the future, or even a bye one day.

That's why I favor the old hand as a backup. A guy who knows what's what and can step in and perform with minimal practice reps.

I don't particularly agree myself, at least until Jameis is putting up 5,000 yards and 50 TDs a year and we're winning 13 games a year. I'd love to have a solid backup quarterback in house. I wish Mike Glennon had gone insane and accepted our offer to stay. I hope we make a play for Jay Cutler, who has some similar traits to Winston and has won 70 games in this league. I'd be horrified of going into the season with Ryan Griffin a hit away from QB1. I don't think OBP is up for it either. I think they're going to wait until the dominoes fall with the projected starters and sign someone affordable who can play. I'm NOT an RGIII fan but someone like Nick Foles would make sense with that in mind.

[terrytate]

I disagree, a little. If Winston went down for the year, then it's time to start looking at our free agents and the draft. If Winston goes down for 2 to 4 games, Having a backup that can keep us in those games is critical. After all, we missed the playoffs by one game this year. Who is to say that one game wouldn't cost us a home playoff game in the future, or even a bye one day.

That's why I favor the old hand as a backup. A guy who knows what's what and can step in and perform with minimal practice reps.

I don't particularly agree myself, at least until Jameis is putting up 5,000 yards and 50 TDs a year and we're winning 13 games a year. I'd love to have a solid backup quarterback in house. I wish Mike Glennon had gone insane and accepted our offer to stay. I hope we make a play for Jay Cutler, who has some similar traits to Winston and has won 70 games in this league. I'd be horrified of going into the season with Ryan Griffin a hit away from QB1. I don't think OBP is up for it either. I think they're going to wait until the dominoes fall with the projected starters and sign someone affordable who can play. I'm NOT an RGIII fan but someone like Nick Foles would make sense with that in mind.

Foles would be a fantastic backup. As for Cutler, I think he'd retire before taking a backup job but I also believe he gets another starting gig. I just hope they aren't looking at Kaepernick. I'd be happier with Manziel or a 35yo Vince Young over Kap.

[sanka]

What a sad end to promising career!

[sanka]

I disagree, a little. If Winston went down for the year, then it's time to start looking at our free agents and the draft. If Winston goes down for 2 to 4 games, Having a backup that can keep us in those games is critical. After all, we missed the playoffs by one game this year. Who is to say that one game wouldn't cost us a home playoff game in the future, or even a bye one day.

That's why I favor the old hand as a backup. A guy who knows what's what and can step in and perform with minimal practice reps.

I don't particularly agree myself, at least until Jameis is putting up 5,000 yards and 50 TDs a year and we're winning 13 games a year. I'd love to have a solid backup quarterback in house. I wish Mike Glennon had gone insane and accepted our offer to stay. I hope we make a play for Jay Cutler, who has some similar traits to Winston and has won 70 games in this league. I'd be horrified of going into the season with Ryan Griffin a hit away from QB1. I don't think OBP is up for it either. I think they're going to wait until the dominoes fall with the projected starters and sign someone affordable who can play. I'm NOT an RGIII fan but someone like Nick Foles would make sense with that in mind.

Do not insult the great Winston by putting Cutler in the same sentence as him.

[MJW]

I don't particularly agree myself, at least until Jameis is putting up 5,000 yards and 50 TDs a year and we're winning 13 games a year. I'd love to have a solid backup quarterback in house. I wish Mike Glennon had gone insane and accepted our offer to stay. I hope we make a play for Jay Cutler, who has some similar traits to Winston and has won 70 games in this league. I'd be horrified of going into the season with Ryan Griffin a hit away from QB1. I don't think OBP is up for it either. I think they're going to wait until the dominoes fall with the projected starters and sign someone affordable who can play. I'm NOT an RGIII fan but someone like Nick Foles would make sense with that in mind.

Do not insult the great Winston by putting Cutler in the same sentence as him.

Still waiting to hear about how you're the one enlightened liberal who defends Jameis's (accused) sexism unquestionably. You keep disappearing when I ask. Come, wise Hillary voter, telling me. Or go back to ****ing off. Either/Or.

[Heisenberg]

If Winston is injured we are done anyway.

False.. A qb with experience would most likely win more than griffin who has zero. Not rg3...but there's several backups better than griffin

[Kress]

Why is it that I know squadoosh about Ryan Griffin? Oh yeah, that's why....

I'm not advocating for RGIII here, but damn. We at least need to shop around.

[Bootz2004]

If Winston is injured we are done anyway.

False.. A qb with experience would most likely win more than griffin who has zero. Not rg3...but there's several backups better than griffin

Okay I'm not in favor of spending money on RG3...but your point is absolutely ridiculous. Any other QB with experience can win but not him? I love the contradiction here.

[Bootz2004]

This thread tells me the fan base still isn't there yet. They still have a losing mindset. No way in hell should there be this much discussion about who the backup QB is when we have a QB like Jameis Winston leading the way.

[Teitan]

Yeah I was thinking that the other day. This organization and because of it, the fans, put SO much concern into the back up QB position. Seems like more so than other teams. Obviously it is important, but man does it get harped on here and in the local media/by the team.

And my comments about if Jameis gets hurt.. I'm obviously referring to a long term injury. If it's a game or two, I would hope that the team has built a defense and run game to carry a lesser QB through that time. Regardless of who the QB is. Griffin knows the system, if we can support him with great D and a solid run game, why can't he hold the clip board? I'm not opposed to going and getting someone with a bit more experience but I don't think it's something that should be causing a panic. The coaching staff sees enough in Griffin to keep him around. If they don't see it working I trust that they will address it.

With that, I'm done talking about QB2 unless Jameis is hurt.

[Super K]

This thread tells me the fan base still isn't there yet. They still have a losing mindset. No way in hell should there be this much discussion about who the backup QB is when we have a QB like Jameis Winston leading the way.

I'd tend to agree with that thought process..

Fans of the Pats, Steelers, Packers, Colts (present team and Manning teams) don't even discuss the QB2 position (unless of course there is a KNOWN absence coming ie Brady's suspension)..

All those fanbase know the team's season and success is hitched to their QB...if one of those QB'S go down, season is over...

We are now in the same boat..

[Super K]

If Winston is injured we are done anyway. RG3 would not fix that.

This reminds me of a line I heard from old Colts OC Tom Moore. Peter King (I think) asked him why the #2 QB behind Peyton Manning didn't get more reps in practice. Moore replied, "If Peyton goes down, we're f***ed either way, and we don't have time to practice f***ed."

MJW, that quote is absolutely, ****ing perfect..

Bucs fans..read it..absorb it..

[Kress]

The only reason that this is a thing is because #1 is set. Are we going to talk about drafting a potential franchise? Of course not. We have Winston.

We thus move on to the "what if" scenario because, well, it is important at the qb position, and more important, it's the off-season and what the hell else are we going to do. If Jameis goes down, and which scares me because he takes risks that way, who can keep us afloat? Valid conversation.

[Kress]

But still no on RGIII.

[Swashy]

Kaepernick needs to stay as far the hell away from the Bucs as he can. I can't imagine anyone giving him a chance after all the **** he's pulled and how poorly he's played

[Super K]

The only reason that this is a thing is because #1 is set. Are we going to talk about drafting a potential franchise? Of course not. We have Winston.

We thus move on to the "what if" scenario because, well, it is important at the qb position, and more important, it's the off-season and what the hell else are we going to do. If Jameis goes down, and which scares me because he takes risks that way, who can keep us afloat? Valid conversation.

I look at it this way Kress...if JW were to "go down" for say, 1-3 games, it's up to Licht and DK to build and develop a "team" that gives us a chance in those games..opposed to having a QB2 whom can come in and win them for us..that's what the good teams in the league do/have going for them...their backups just have to come in and not completely **** the bed/manage the game etc..however you want to put it...

If JW is out for more than 1-3 games, our season is fucked..there is no "keeping us afloat"..

Now, that being said, I think Griffin is trash and I'd rather draft a rookie because our vet options are trash too... (RG3 and Foles included)

[Kress]

The only reason that this is a thing is because #1 is set. Are we going to talk about drafting a potential franchise? Of course not. We have Winston.

We thus move on to the "what if" scenario because, well, it is important at the qb position, and more important, it's the off-season and what the hell else are we going to do. If Jameis goes down, and which scares me because he takes risks that way, who can keep us afloat? Valid conversation.

I look at it this way Kress...if JW were to "go down" for say, 1-3 games, it's up to Licht and DK to build and develop a "team" that gives us a chance in those games..opposed to having a QB2 whom can come in and win them for us..that's what the good teams in the league do/have going for them...their backups just have to come in and not completely **** the bed/manage the game etc..however you want to put it...

If JW is out for more than 1-3 games, our season is fucked..there is no "keeping us afloat"..

Now, that being said, I think Griffin is trash and I'd rather draft a rookie because our vet options are trash too... (RG3 and Foles included)

Tom Brady was a qb who came in as a sub for a guy who went down. We just can't predict this stuff. Amass talent when you can.

[Swashy]

This thread tells me the fan base still isn't there yet. They still have a losing mindset. No way in hell should there be this much discussion about who the backup QB is when we have a QB like Jameis Winston leading the way.

I agree with you about 85% of the time on just about everything but I absolutely do not see how this is a losing mindset. When Brian Griese went down 6 games into the 2005 season we finished that game he got hurt against Miami with a 5-1 record. From then on it got a little bit ugly at times and it was far from perfect but backup Chris Simms managed to get the job done well enough for us to finish the year with an 11-5 record AND won the division due to no small part in his play and due no small part to that defense we had. Now I'd like to say in the end Simms turned out to be not a very good QB after all but everyone got lucky when he managed to play as well as he did. But the point is it mattered who was taking snaps under center. I don't think we finish 11-5 under Luke McCown, Tim Rattay or someone else

If the Bucs are 5-1 to start the year and Winston has sustained a season ending injury are we really supposed to throw up our hands say, "OH NO THE GODS HAVE FORESAKEN US! BURN THE BOATS!! BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES! THE SEASON'S FUCKED!! IT'S OVER!!!! WHY DAMMIT WHY??!??!" because there's an understanding amongst the fanbases of elite NFL teams that as soon as they lose their QB that's the situation they are in?

Dude **** that.... THAT'S a loser's mentality.

I'd rather say, "Well we've lost Winston and we're gonna have to do it without him. No matter what that's the situation we are in. We have insert name here who should be a capable backup (and preferably) because has played a few years and has won some games. It's not perfect but I think he knows what he's doing. Hopefully he can "Alex Smith" this the rest of the season and we can get this young nucleus into the playoffs so they know what it's like."

If we don't talk about who that guy is right now nor does our organization consider such a scenario then everyone involved had better to pray that he's the second coming of Matt Cassel otherwise we probably finish a year we start 5-1 with an 8-8 record if we are lucky.

Edit: ****ing typos

[Swashy]

Long story short it matters who your backup is. If Winston went down I'd have trusted Glennon to have at least gone .500 or close to it the rest of the way regardless of whatever point it was in the season. But he left because he wants to be a starter. I don't blame the guy. Get paid and play football. Free world. Now that Glennon is gone our backup depth consists of a guy who (as far as I know) hasn't taken a snap in the regular season. I don't give a **** what the Colts did. It's their own fault for hinging everything on Manning how they did. I'm not watching this Bucs team go 0-13 like they did because "they don't have time to practice fucked." It's 6 months until the season starts to prepare ourselves for a scenario in which we are without Jameis Winston and 6 months to find a guy who can actually play football if it happens. To do absolutely nothing about this is not acceptable.

Failure is NOT an option

[Super K]

I look at it this way Kress...if JW were to "go down" for say, 1-3 games, it's up to Licht and DK to build and develop a "team" that gives us a chance in those games..opposed to having a QB2 whom can come in and win them for us..that's what the good teams in the league do/have going for them...their backups just have to come in and not completely **** the bed/manage the game etc..however you want to put it...

If JW is out for more than 1-3 games, our season is fucked..there is no "keeping us afloat"..

Now, that being said, I think Griffin is trash and I'd rather draft a rookie because our vet options are trash too... (RG3 and Foles included)

Tom Brady was a qb who came in as a sub for a guy who went down. We just can't predict this stuff. Amass talent when you can.

Agreed, but the Brady example proves my point...

He was a draft pick...a pretty late one too..not some overpriced, overrated, journeyman, vet QB whom had been cast off from (x) amount of teams..

We should draft our QB2 as I stated above..

[Super K]

Swash, I appreciate your optimistic outlook...the never say die thing resonates with me at my core..

But in all seriousness...if we are 5-1 and JW goes down with a season ending injury, we are done..

Just like any other team that has a franchise QB:

Pats
Saints
Steelers
Raiders
Packers
Falcons
Titans
Chargers
Seahawks
Lions

Etc...

QB is THE most important position, in ANY sport..let's not act like it isn't...

You can't make having a franchise guy a non-negotiable, must have aspect of being a successful team and then try and play off losing said guy won't destroy a season..

Edit: an example of an elite/franchise QBs importance using an analogy...

If LBJ goes down, the Cavs are toast, no? No title run. .even if they make the playoffs they're are joke right?

Same thing in the NFL if your franchise QB goes down..

[Swashy]

Swash, I appreciate your optimistic outlook...the never say die thing resonates with me at my core..

But in all seriousness...if we are 5-1 and JW goes down with a season ending injury, we are done..

Just like any other team that has a franchise QB:

Pats
Saints
Steelers
Raiders
Packers
Falcons
Titans
Chargers
Seahawks
Lions

Etc...

QB is THE most important position, in ANY sport..let's not act like it isn't...

You can't make having a franchise guy a non-negotiable, must have aspect of being a successful team and then try and play off losing said guy won't destroy a season..

All that is true but sometimes surviving is just as difficult as surviving. How difficult that will be is entirely up to us. One cannot equivocate the talent of a Jameis Winston to "any old player" but if you come prepared with a guy who knows what he's doing in Winston's stead then you've got a fair shot. The advent of Matt Cassel is something we hadn't seen since Tom Brady and probably won't see again for several more years. I'm not saying that's what needs to happen to us in order to be successful, I'm saying that if you come prepared good things happen. And Lord knows the Pats prepare for every possible contingency.

No offense to Ryan Griffin but I think we can do better than him and all it's gonna take is someone who is not an un-drafted 27 year old that hasn't played a meaningful game since he was in college 4 or 5 years ago. The hill we have to climb in order to do that is about as steep as walking my almost flat driveway.

[RedLeader]

Swash, I appreciate your optimistic outlook...the never say die thing resonates with me at my core..

But in all seriousness...if we are 5-1 and JW goes down with a season ending injury, we are done..

Just like any other team that has a franchise QB:

Pats
Saints
Steelers
Raiders
Packers
Falcons
Titans
Chargers
Seahawks
Lions

Etc...

QB is THE most important position, in ANY sport..let's not act like it isn't...

You can't make having a franchise guy a non-negotiable, must have aspect of being a successful team and then try and play off losing said guy won't destroy a season..

Edit: an example of an elite/franchise QBs importance using an analogy...

If LBJ goes down, the Cavs are toast, no? No title run. .even if they make the playoffs they're are joke right?

Same thing in the NFL if your franchise QB goes down..

Not sure I'd have the Pats on that list... they've been more the exception in this scenario than anyone.

Heck, the Pats are still winning with their 'backup". And almost did it again with HIS backup, once... lol

Just sayin.


Fuckin Pats.

[NYBF]

Still waiting to hear about how you're the one enlightened liberal who defends Jameis's (accused) sexism unquestionably. You keep disappearing when I ask. Come, wise Hillary voter, telling me. Or go back to ****ing off. Either/Or.

You know what would be great?

[terrytate]

This thread tells me the fan base still isn't there yet. They still have a losing mindset. No way in hell should there be this much discussion about who the backup QB is when we have a QB like Jameis Winston leading the way.

This is a football board, you sputtering idiot. We'd talk about the backup punter if we had one.

[MJW]

This thread tells me the fan base still isn't there yet. They still have a losing mindset. No way in hell should there be this much discussion about who the backup QB is when we have a QB like Jameis Winston leading the way.

This is a football board, you sputtering idiot. We'd talk about the backup punter if we had one.

"What do you mean, car insurance? I guess you're still not there yet. You have a losing mindset. No way in hell should there be this much discussion about car insurance when we have an awesome car like this to drive!"

It's like Bootz worries we'll start to take him TOO seriously and he tries to set us straight.

[MJW]

BTW, a reminder for everyone:

Tom Brady missed 15 1/2 games due to injury in his career.

On one hit. Wiping out basically the entire 2008 season.

No damn reason the same thing couldn't happen to Jameis.

Not preparing for that possibility is the act of a willful idiot.

Think about Jameis getting drilled in the knee in Q2 of the first game of the season. Picture who you'd want coming in to play the next 15+ games.

If you have someone you'd like to see more than anyone else, you get it. If you don't, you're a fool.