ReutersThe 2012 trade that sent Robert Griffin III to Washington and sent a bounty of draft picks to St. Louis still looms large over both franchises. So much so that the Rams’ general manager keeps a reminder of that trade in his office.
According to Peter King of TheMMQB.com, written on the whiteboard in Rams G.M. Les Snead’s office is the phrase, “Build to dominate using Redskin picks!”
The Rams certainly have built a substantial portion of their roster with Washington’s picks: St. Louis got three first-round picks and one second-round pick out of the deal, and in some cases used those picks to trade down and get more picks. The Rams now have eight players on their roster — Greg Robinson, Alec Ogletree, Stedman Bailey, Zac Stacy, Michael Brockers, Janoris Jenkins, Isaiah Pead and Rokevious Watkins — who were acquired as a result of the Griffin trade.
What the Rams may not have, however, is a franchise quarterback. Sam Bradford, the quarterback whose presence made the Rams feel confident that they didn’t need to draft Griffin, just suffered his second torn ACL and will cost the Rams $17.6 million on this year’s salary cap while he rehabs his knee. If the Rams want to bring Bradford back on his current deal in 2015, he’ll cost $16.5 million against their salary cap in 2015.
At those contract numbers, the Rams may wish they had just drafted Griffin, who went to Washington with the much more affordable rookie contract of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. If Griffin’s own injured knee holds up better than Bradford’s, the Rams may one day wish they hadn’t taken the deal that gave them all those picks.
Redskins picks used on every position except QB.
How’d that work out for you?
Cool story bro
Maybe, but let’s wait to see what RGIII is this year first. The fact some are claiming Cousins is a better option for a Gruden offense is quite troubling.
Except Watkins hasn’t been on the team for over a year now…
Yes, but the redskins don’t have a franchise QB either.
Isaiah Pead and Rokevious Watkins are no longer on the roster.
Politically Correct Correction (I used Wite-Out on the motto.):
“Built to dominate using Washington picks.”
Rams do not wish they drafted RG3 no matter how you spin it. Would any GM trade those 8 players for RG3?? Absolutely not.
Well, look at it this way; the Rams may not have a franchise QB, but the Redskins also lack a franchise QB, but they are also missing a bunch of draft picks.
Anyone would have to be crazy not to trade that list of players for RG3 no matter how it played out with Bradford
I’m a huge skins fan but at the moment (it may change – verdict should be in by end of year but right this second it’s looking very grim) I’m pretty sure the Rams have zero regrets about the trade
Steal for the Rams People auctually thought RG3 was better than Luck????
actually
Manifest destiny.
How un-PC in a work environment…
What`s this? A positive Skins post.
Looking more and more like a lose-lose trade, although Washington is definitely a bigger loser.
blitzman67 says: Aug 25, 2014 7:29 PM
Steal for the Rams People auctually thought RG3 was better than Luck????
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Only the racist ones like Tony Dungy.
Yeah,
Just don’t ever pick a QB to groom because Bradford NEVER misses a start….
Blank Stare
Actually they wish they had used a third round pick on Nick Foles.
Yeah but what hit cap would the Rams take if they cut Bradford next year?
I can’t believe they spun this article to favor the Redskins…. wow….
The Rams made out better I think…
the best will be when washington trades RGIII to the rams for michael sam
It should have said “we support dumb people especially the ones that live in Washington”. If the Rams suffer through a bad year which they now will they will they draft one of the top QB’s coming this year out like Marcus Mariota. They already have a very strong defense and are only a couple players away on offense from being a very good team.
So the Rams got 8 average or below average players for RG3? Way to go boys. Another 7-9 Jeff Fisher special coming right up…
Poor Rams. Great defense and no QB. And they have to play in the toughest division in the NFL.
Do they have another whiteboard that say “our QB is Shaun Hill and we may lose our jobs in 6 months”?
That’s embarrassing, the Rams got all that talent for one guy and they are still in between a rock and a hard place. Simply put, poor management and leadership.
what have the rams dominated so far?
😜
photo lol
How’s that motto working for ya! We won a division off that “bust” draft pick and win the division again now that he is healthy.
HTTR
Hows rgme working for the redskins?
andreweac says: Aug 25, 2014 7:21 PM
Maybe, but let’s wait to see what RGIII is this year first. The fact some are claiming Cousins is a better option for a Gruden offense is quite troubling.
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Yeah, it would be an issue but not an issue preventing the Redskins from being successful. Because we have a good backup QB, something the Rams wished they had. As the saying goes, you’re only as good as your backup QB.
How’s RGlll working out? A division championship in 2 years. Not bad. Win any divisions lately Rams?
Thought so.
The Rams only mistake was the contract money. Bradford’s injuries don’t make him a bust, that’s for guys whose talents or attitude don’t transfer to the league. When healthy, he’s a serviceable QB. STL was not counting on a string of injuries when making that draft deal. Now we’ll assume Griffin doesn’t injure his knee IF he’s drafted by the Rams, but what guarantee is there that his development is any different. The Rams needed those picks a lot more than a QB and as is demonstrated, you can draft a franchise or quality signal caller at many points in the draft.
Just a matter of time before rgme starts blaming everyone else for his poor play again.
Wouldn’t matter if they hosed the Redskins for 53 draft picks. They draft horribly and they play in the same division with SF and Seattle. Not sure what they will be dominating.
I think half these commenters rode the short bus to school. Griffin isn’t a bust yet. He’s had one great year and one terrible year. If he pans out and is a franchise qb, it’s clear who got the best deal. It’s too early to tell.
they didnt trade 8 players for one. what the rams do after the trade doesnt count as part of the trade. like where they essentially traded alshon jeffery for pead .thats on them.
They draft pretty well. They can grab a 2nd round qb to be serviceable with that defense. Just like Seattle, San Fran, Cincy have done.
The days of having to get a top 5 pick at qb are over. When you have a defense you have options.
I would call Minnesota immediately and offer all those players for Teddy Bridgewater. …………
iamdinguskhan says:
Aug 25, 2014 8:13 PM
How’s RGlll working out? A division championship in 2 years. Not bad.
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One division championship in a weak division and one and done in the playoffs two seasons ago then a second knee blown out for 8 draft picks is a win?
He can take it down when they send pics for Cousins. And oh by the way didn’t they pass up a better deal with the Browns that year?
Gotta figure those comments will come back to haunt Snead. When he gets fired it will be because he didn’t use those picks very well.
As the Rams continue to flounder, the finger-pointing between Fisher and Snead will begin.
Actually, it was a good trade for both teams. The Redskins thought they were a quarterback away fromtitles. The Rams knew their roster had been depleted by years of poor drafting and they needed many quality picks. RG3 s/b ok once he learns the new system. The Rams picks on balance look to be quite good (or more than that) and like all picks don’t always provide immediate returns.
Shouldn’t he have written ” “Build to dominate using picks from The NFL Team Franchise Representing the District of Columbia!” Or does he get a pass because the media was too busy covering the Kardashians at the time?
‘Skins fan here….
Shaun Hill is going to make a lot of you commenters eat crow. He’s better than Bradford and should have been a starter years ago.
Houston, Oakland, Buffalo come to mind….
Oh hell no.
RGIII will be a back up or even likely gone in four years…. the Ram’s were more than smart enough to stay away from a guy like RGIII
Bradford got hurt in the pocket!! Imagine how those odds go up with what RGII does.
Not drafting Griffin is the best move by the Rams in ten years
tim tebow
Hey Rams. You’ve had a Top 10 pick every year for a decade. You truly won the lottery by having the #2 pick in a year that Mike Shanahan was willing to mortgage 3 drafts to get that pick. And YOU STILL SUCK. Sorry, you should have already won the SB. Maybe look to that team in your division who rebuilt in 3 seasons using late round picks and UFAs and won the whole thing and then take a hard look at Fisher and Snead.
The Rams definitely got the better deal.
There is plenty of doubts surrounding the Redskins QB.
With all those picks the Rams got, there is only one word for their results “underachievers”.
I’m a diehard redskin fan, but I always believed that the RG3 trade was a disaster for my team. If the picks had been for Luck then I might feel different, but you don’t give up that many picks for a Heisman winning quarterback (all the recent QBs have sucked!), a running QB (It’s a pocket passing league) and that many picks could have gone to picking up a standard QB, a RT and a CB in the last three drafts! This will go down with the Walker trade as the two worst trades ever! Take your punishment and put in Kirk and see what he can do in a season. If we really stink it up, then we will have a very high draft pick toward a pocket QB in the next draft. If Kirk does great then at least we did find a QB in the 2012 draft after all!
I thought Bradford would be permanently knocked out at some point this season but wow preseason?
Verdict is out on griff still. Rookie of the year year 1, team implodes year 2, year three still to be written. Seems skins still ahead in this trade
Pro Bowlers Redskins earned from the trade: 1
Pro Bowlers Rams earned from the trade: 0
Redskin Playoff Appearances Since the trade:1
Rams Playoff Appearances Since the trade:0
Sam Bradford’s Record as a Starter: 18-30-1
RG3’s Record as a Starter: 12-16
Numbers Don’t Lie…
Yea St. Louis will regret it just as much as Washington regretted not drafting Ricky Williams and getting all those draft picks..
People are acting like Bradford is good and the Rams are doomed now that he’s gone. Bradford has always sucked and Hill is a much better QB. Just watch the Lions games where Stafford was out and you’ll find out everything you need to know
Of course the rams won that deal. RG me is a one dimensional and the rams got players who can actually play.
LesSnead for boasting, more need for winning..
they said nobody in their right mind would make that deal. hmmmmm
This was still a good trade for the Rams. Would you trade all of those players the Rams drafted for Griffin straight up? Absolutely not!
Neither team has a franchise QB.
Maybe by the end of this year they’ll both be in the same position to make the same trade again.
It’s a little late…
Just get Ryan Mallett for a second round pick.
All those draft picks for a wannabe quarterback. In my day a guy like Bob Griffin would be playing running back!
I’m not a Rams fan but I don’t see where anyone has really benefitted from this deal. In a division where you need some semblance of an offense they did not pick up any difference makers with those picks. I love defense but you cant win without scoring any points. In Washington’s case they got an overhyped QB that may never live up to his potential. I’m calling it a lose, lose wash at this point.
did Peter King violate MMQB rules by positing the Quote ?
@insket29 –
Is it your point that it may very well be lose-lose but at least Griffin was instrumental player in his 1st year going to the playoffs?
If so I agree – at this point (and it is way too early to tell) Washington has the edge in the trade for no other reason then they got a playoff appearance out of the deal.
What has RG3 done that’s been selfish, and who did he blame for any of his bad plays?
Bradford was “rookie of the year”..? When was the last time the Rams won their division..?..ummmm
Whole lot of talk about a QB who has a 12-16 starting record.
And unless Washington also got Alfred Morris in that trade, they did not win a division with that trade.