The-Hogs.net - Washington Football Discussion, Redskins to Commanders Era

Jon Gruden has been a Kirk Cousins fan for years.

“Maybe one of these days I can get back in the game and coach you,” the ESPN analyst told Cousins in the run-up to the 2012 draft.

“If I were a coach, I’d offer a first-round pick to the Redskins to get Kirk Cousins on my team,” Gruden said before the 2013 season.

“I like Kirk Cousins,” Gruden said late in the 2013 season. “And I obviously like Robert Griffin, too. Now, I think being 3-8, at some point here in the next five weeks, you probably want to see what Kirk Cousins has. He came off the bench in a dire situation last year and beat the world champion Ravens. He went on the road and threw for 300 yards against the Cleveland Browns. And I think his style of offense is probably a little different than Robert Griffin’s, for sure. So I do think in the next month or five weeks, you’re gonna want to probably see what you have in Kirk Cousins.”

By the end of the 2014 season — with his brother Jay now coaching the Redskins — Jon Gruden was enthusiastically praising Colt McCoy. And he’s certainly praised Robert Griffin III, as well. But it’s hard not to think of his affection for Cousins when you read this, from the Tampa Tribune:

Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach and ESPN “Monday Night Football” analyst Jon Gruden will again be a volunteer coach at Carrollwood Day School this spring, CDS head football coach Lane McLaughlin said.

McLaughlin said Gruden was at the school Wednesday leading drills with the high school players and Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins, former Tampa Bay quarterback Josh Freeman and Washington Redskins running back Alfred Morris.

Or this, from ESPN 980′s Chris Russell:

ESPN 980 has learned from multiple sources that Kirk Cousins spent several days very recently with former Raiders and Buccaneers head coach, Jon Gruden. Wait, say what?….Cousins apparently wanted to give himself every edge possible and either chose or was strongly encouraged to go spend several days, working from about 8 am to 6 pm, with Gruden, who has worked with many young quarterbacks in Tampa leading up to the annual draft.

Now, maybe Jay Gruden had no idea that his brother, a former Super Bowl winning coach, was working out with one of his two quarterbacks who are under contract. Maybe he didn’t have any suggestions for what Cousins needs to be working on with his brother, and maybe he didn’t hear any progress reports from these workouts. Yeah. Maybe.

Turns out, though, that Cousins has been spreading himself around Florida. The News-Press of Southwest Florida reported that Cousins spent two days working out with Estero High and throwing to the Wildcats’s wide receivers, none of whom have the last name of Gruden. Cousins told the paper they have family friends in the community.

Via the paper:

Jeff Christensen, a freelance NFL quarterback coach, flew to Fort Myers from Chicago in order to work with Cousins at Estero. Christensen has 18 NFL quarterbacks as clients, including Drew Stanton of the Arizona Cardinals and New England Patriots backup Jimmy Garoppolo….

In six starts last season filling in for the injured Robert Griffin III, the 6-foot-3 Cousins completed 126-of-204 passes (62.8 percent) for 1,710 yards, 10 touchdowns and nine interceptions…..”That’s why I’m here, to get rid of those nine interceptions,” Christensen said. “He had some ups and downs, things we’re addressing right now.”

DEHog wrote:Que the RG II tweet...

SkinsJock wrote:I hope we do see a QB competition & that both Cousins & Griffin get a chance to show who could be the better QB here going forward

Two weeks after the Washington Redskins snubbed Robert Griffin III in a letter to "premium" fans, coach Jay Gruden surprisingly acknowledged the erstwhile face of the franchise as his No. 1 quarterback.

"Robert ended the season as our starter and we anticipate that going forward," Gruden said at the NFL Scouting Combine on Wednesday. "He'll be the No. 1 guy."

Gruden cited the 2014 game film, which apparently looks quite a bit different in the cold light of February than it did in October and November.

The major shift in Gruden's attitude toward Griffin suggests the decision might have come from above.

The real shock is that it appears Griffin is being handed the job after Gruden repeatedly emphasized the value of competition in 2014.

That stance is indicative of the Redskins' large-scale investment in RGIII, as well as a tacit acknowledgment that there are no viable alternatives in-house or on the open market.

Gruden became disillusioned with Kirk Cousins by mid-season and understands impending free agent Colt McCoy lacks size, arm strength and durability.

As new general manager Scot McCloughan hinted upon his arrival in Washington, Griffin will be under center in Week 1, barring the unexpected curve ball.

There was a story earlier this week that Redskins backup quarterback Kirk Cousins was working with Jay Gruden's brother, Monday Night Football commentator and former NFL coach Jon Gruden. Jay was asked if Jon was also working with Griffin.

"Jon does his own thing with those quarterback camps so that's totally on their own nickel," Jay Gruden said. ... "So it's something that I don't push on anybody. If they want to try to pursue Jon, and Jon's open to it, I think any quarterback in the NFL or college Jon is open to talking to."

So did Did Jay know that Cousins was working with Jon?

"No. I didn't know about it," he admitted. "Obviously, Jon's my brother and I knew after the fact that (Cousins) went down there -- as do a lot of quarterbacks. ... He just loves to be part of working with players. ... Who he works with is his business."

Deadskins wrote:There may be a trade in the works.

SkinsJock wrote:You've gotta love the thought of what we're going to get for Cousins - he get's 'endorsed' by Shanahan and now we get reports of some 'coaching' from Jon Gruden - we could be up to a first round pick come draft day

oh boy - this is just fantastic ....


this stuff really is a shame and what's worse is that so many here buy into this BS

DEHog wrote:LOL...What's your take?? I see no reason for Gruden to say this other than preparing Skins fans for Robert to be the only guy here..ie...Cousins traded??

riggofan wrote:

DEHog wrote:LOL...What's your take?? I see no reason for Gruden to say this other than preparing Skins fans for Robert to be the only guy here..ie...Cousins traded??

Maybe Gruden just actually prefers RGIII over Cousins. That's certainly just as likely as there being a trade in the works.

DEHog wrote:

riggofan wrote:

DEHog wrote:LOL...What's your take?? I see no reason for Gruden to say this other than preparing Skins fans for Robert to be the only guy here..ie...Cousins traded??

Maybe Gruden just actually prefers RGIII over Cousins. That's certainly just as likely as there being a trade in the works.

Yea but I don't see the need for him to say this in Feb....when just a month ago he said it was an open competition??? I can't see this
helping ticket sales either??

DEHog wrote:

riggofan wrote:

DEHog wrote:LOL...What's your take?? I see no reason for Gruden to say this other than preparing Skins fans for Robert to be the only guy here..ie...Cousins traded??

Maybe Gruden just actually prefers RGIII over Cousins. That's certainly just as likely as there being a trade in the works.

Yea but I don't see the need for him to say this in Feb....when just a month ago he said it was an open competition??? I can't see this
helping ticket sales either??

markshark84 wrote:As far as Riggo's comment --- if Jay actually prefers RGIII over Cousins based on last year's performances from each respective QB, then we have MUCH MUCH bigger problems on our hands than merely a bad QB situation.....

riggofan wrote:Its hard to know what Gruden really thinks of those QBs.

StorminMormon86 wrote:Why would naming Griffin the starter motivate Cousins in any way? Gruden did not mention a open competition, he specifically said they were going to start the season with Griffin as the #1 guy. Really, really stupid if you ask me.

SkinsJock wrote:

StorminMormon86 wrote:Why would naming Griffin the starter motivate Cousins in any way? Gruden did not mention a open competition, he specifically said they were going to start the season with Griffin as the #1 guy. Really, really stupid if you ask me.

I understand that Gruden stating "starting the season" as going to OTAs and maybe camp with RG3 as the #1 QB

Gruden was not saying that RG3 was his opening day QB