Washington Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan explains selection of Kirk Cousins – NFL News
Even before the start of the 2012 National Football League (NFL) draft, it was anticipated that Washington Redskins are going to select a top quarterback.
They had traded up their pick to get the second overall pick and former Baylor’s quarterback Robert Griffin III (RG3) was expected to land in Washington.
The same happened and RG3 was selected as the second overall pick. However, a startling move from the Redskins came when they selected another quarterback during the draft.
In the fourth round, they acquired Kirk Cousins as 102nd overall pick and the move seemed uncalled for because RG3 had just been selected and Rex Grossman was also there on the roster.
Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan, however, believes that the move was neither unplanned nor uncalled for.
He is of the view that Kirk’s selection was aimed at adding depth to the roster so the team would not face any problem in the upcoming season.
RG3 is going to assume the starting role in the 2012 season and Grossman will serve as his backup. Cousins is going to be the third-string quarterback, but Shanahan thinks that backups are just one or two moves away from becoming the starter.
Defending Cousins’ selection, the head coach told WGFX-FM this week:
“We had him ranked very high. For me what I am trying to do as a head football coach is you want to put the best football team you can possibly put together and you have to have depth. Robert Griffin III or Kirk Cousins or Rex Grossman or whoever your second,
third or fourth quarterback is he is one or two plays away from being the starter.”
Shanahan added:
“I believe that if you got a guy who you think is an excellent football player that you can get in the 4th round and improve your football team then you go do it.”
Meanwhile, when asked about RG3 and the players around him, the head coach said that the offence has been designed keeping in view RG3’s strengths.
Redskins finished the last season at the bottom of the National Football Conference (NFC) East division and with RG3 leading the offence the team is expected to display a better show this year.
Tags: