Redskins HC Mike Shanahan considering shutting down RG3 for season
By Josh Sanchez
It seems all but certain that the Washington Redskins will be parting ways with head coach Mike Shanahan after the season, but he may be looking to make a power move before he leaves. There are plenty of reports about the poor relationship between Shanahan and star quarterback Robert Griffin III and now Shanahan is saying he will consider shutting Griffin down for the rest of the year.
At his Monday press conference, the Redskins head coach pointed to the amount of hits and sacks that Griffin has been taken over recent weeks. Because of that, Shanahan says it may be smart to shut Griffin down because he needs to be healthy for next year.
Where was that thought process near the end of his rookie season?
Regardless, shutting down Griffin would likely upset owner Daniel Snyder, but it is a move that could work out for Washington.
By shutting Griffin down for the final three weeks of the season, the team would get a good look at back up quarterback Kirk Cousins. By allowing Cousins to show off his talent, the team could watch his trade value soar and potentially get back some of the picks they lost in the trade for RG3.
If Cousins proves to be too good to let go, they may realize that their quarterback of the future has been riding the pine all along while Griffin was out on the field getting punished and hurting his team.