Redskins’ GM Bruce Allen on RG3 Trade – ‘It’s a Quarterback Driven League’

This Sunday when the Washington Redskins and Cleveland Browns go head-to-head, there will be a ton of “hidden incentives” between the two teams. The Washington Redskins reshaped their offense through free agency and the draft in 2012 — stealing a few players from the Browns in the process. Joshua Morgan, Pierre Garcon and Robert Griffin III were all players that Cleveland coveted.

This is obviously a story-line that the players won’t pay attention to this week. But for the fans – specifically fans of the Cleveland Browns — this is huge. I’m sure it’s not easy being a fan of a Cleveland sports team. Professional athletes either opt not sign with a Cleveland sports club or choose to leave. Players like Lebron James. But anyway, this is more than just a player choosing not to sign with the Browns. The Washington Redskins completely beat Cleveland to the punch and it stung.

The Cleveland Browns’ fan base has not forgotten that Washington entered free agency and within seconds – signed Pierre Garcon. Then a few minutes later, Joshua Morgan. But of course, those signings came after the Washington Redskins outbid Cleveland for the right to select 2nd overall in the 2012 NFL Draft — giving two future first round picks and a 2012 second to the St. Louis Rams. So, signing Garcon and Morgan was essentially “rubbing salt in a wound.” Poor Browns.

With the Redskins popping up on the Browns schedule this week, ESPN Cleveland decided to reach out to Washington’s general manager Bruce Allen. The question was, did you mortgage the future for Robert Griffin III or secure the present?

“Obviously, we had been struggling at the position and we felt extremely confident (with Griffin),” Allen told ESPN Cleveland. “Once, we knew the person we were getting and that there was no doubt about his athletic talent. At the end of the day, it was about a grade on a player. We had as beautiful a grade as you can have on that athlete. We knew the talent and we were really comfortable with the person, a 10.”

Bruce Allen went on to say:

“Whether people — defensive coaches want to admit it or not, this is a quarterback-driven league. The rules of the game are made for the quarterbacks.  Yes, we gave up two future firsts for him, but we felt comfortable then and obviously now. You can’t tell me who those firsts will be. But I can tell you our quarterback will be Robert Griffin.”

Allen went on to say St. Louis set a deadline for the trade, which was before free agency. Of course, with Washington successfully orchestrating that monumental trade, it allowed them to sign Pierre Garcon and Joshua Morgan with ease.

Cleveland Browns’ fans circled this game on their calendars the day NFL schedules were released. This game means a lot to them. Crushing the Redskins’ hope of sliding into the post season is high on their Christmas lists, I’m sure.