The Redskins’ Fourth Round Selection of Kirk Cousins is Bizarre
The Washington Redskins never keep things simple. The Redskins traded up to draft Robert Griffin with the No. 2 overall pick. With their third pick in the fourth round, they drafted another quarterback Kirk Cousins. It’s the first time since 1967 a team has drafted two quarterbacks in the first four rounds, because it makes little sense.
Washington perhaps has a paper justification. Say they had Cousins graded out to the second round and he was far and away the best player on the board. There’s ample evidence the optimal strategy is drafting talent over need. He would provide a viable option if Griffin gets hurt. If he develops he could be flipped for far more than a fourth-round draft pick.
That said, Washington is not exactly stockpiled with talent. They had just one of the first 70 draft picks. They could have used an additional player who could contribute, especially someone with the potential to help out Griffin. There were still decent receivers and tight ends on the board.
Blonde hair. Mesmerizing eyes. Articulate. A winner. It’s sort of like adding Tebow-lite into the equation. The Redskins might be a play away from relying on Cousins. They are also a slow start from Griffin away from a quarterback controversy that completely undermines the kid worth fourth draft picks. The Redskins seem to be risking a lot of potential trouble for minimal reward. It would have been odd for the Browns to burn a mid-round pick on another running back after drafting Richardson. That would have made more sense.
Though he’ll never let it on, Cousins has to be pissed. Ideally, he would want to go somewhere to be in the mix immediately. Excepting that, he would have wanted to be groomed under an established quarterback. The absolute last situation he’d want is to be on the same team as the No. 2 overall pick at the same position.
[Photo via Getty]

- The Kansas City Royals Are Becoming the Royals Again, and Fans Have Been Far Too Patient
- Champions League: Bayern Munich a Legacy of Losing at Stake
- Teddy Bridgewater Declined Heisman Promotion, But Louisville May Need That Attention
- Champions League: Borussia Dortmund’s Chance to Turn from Hipster Darlings to European Champions
- Jeff Goodman Has Left CBS Sports for ESPN

- starkweather on The Kansas City Royals Are Becoming the Royals Again, and Fans Have Been Far Too Patient
- biffpocaroba on The Kansas City Royals Are Becoming the Royals Again, and Fans Have Been Far Too Patient
- rdot on The Kansas City Royals Are Becoming the Royals Again, and Fans Have Been Far Too Patient
- Dawgfather on The Kansas City Royals Are Becoming the Royals Again, and Fans Have Been Far Too Patient
- A.P. on Teddy Bridgewater Declined Heisman Promotion, But Louisville May Need That Attention
15 Responses to “The Redskins’ Fourth Round Selection of Kirk Cousins is Bizarre”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.






April 28th, 2012 at 4:20 PM
Not totally unprecedented, the Cowboys drafting Steve Walsh in the supplemental draft the same year they took Aikman #1 overall is the closest example I can think of. Still it’s odd considering all they gave up to get Griffin. Their draft picks are even more precious than most teams’ given they don’t have a #1 pick until 2015.
April 28th, 2012 at 4:40 PM
Between the actual and the traded picks they just spent like 6 picks on qbs, despite having plenty of other needs. Well done.
Wouldnt surprise me one bit if Kirk had a longer, better career than RGIII.
April 28th, 2012 at 4:42 PM
I think the Jags taking a punter in the third round is slightly more odd. But this is a puzzling choice for a team that needs a better o-line.
April 28th, 2012 at 4:48 PM
Steelers took Chris “time to die” Rainey and Mike “Toke n Tat” Adams and I couldn’t be happier. Being an NFL fan is so simple compared to college.
April 28th, 2012 at 4:51 PM
I love the Steelers and Texans drafts.
April 28th, 2012 at 4:57 PM
It won’t surprise anyone, because it won’t be happening.
April 28th, 2012 at 5:24 PM
I think the Jags taking a punter in the third round is slightly more odd. But this is a puzzling choice for a team that needs a better o-line.
Saints drafted a punter back in ’09 in the fourth round when they only had five or six picks to begin with. That turned out okay…
/ambush’d
April 28th, 2012 at 5:37 PM
Saints drafted a punter back in ’09 in the fourth round when they only had five or six picks to begin with. That turned out okay…
That was Thomas Morstead of SMU. And yes it has worked out well for them. Morstead is also handling kickoffs (including the onside kick in the Super Bowl) and could do field goals if he had to.
But you’re still wrong. Morstead was actually drafted in the 5th round and he was being drafted by a Saints team that dreadfully needed a punter. Jacksonville has a lot of needs, but a punter was not the biggest one.
April 28th, 2012 at 5:42 PM
But you’re still wrong.
Forgot it was the fifth round. Even still, many of us (myself included) were all like, “WTF?” Yes, we have gladly eaten our words since then.
Point I was making is that sometimes these ridiculous picks like that can work out. Does this punter the Jaguars drafted have the ability to do kickoffs and maybe field goals?
April 28th, 2012 at 5:44 PM
Point I was making is that sometimes these ridiculous picks like that can work out. Does this punter the Jaguars drafted have the ability to do kickoffs and maybe field goals?
You’re right, but even if this guy can do kickoffs, punt, field goals and juggle, it’s difficult to justify a third round pick…did they think someone was going to take him if they didn’t? I just don’t see it. Kickers are generally safe until the 4-5th rounds.
April 28th, 2012 at 5:48 PM
You’re right, but even if this guy can do kickoffs, punt, field goals and juggle, it’s difficult to justify a third round pick…did they think someone was going to take him if they didn’t? I just don’t see it. Kickers are generally safe until the 4-5th rounds.
Fair enough. With a pick like that, it’s “WTF” until the guy actually proves his worth.
April 28th, 2012 at 6:18 PM
Taking him has to be an acknowledgement that the John Beck experiment is dead and buried.
April 29th, 2012 at 1:56 PM
Where is the post talking about the nontroversy by the Colts drafting another QB with the last pick of the seventh round?!?!?
April 30th, 2012 at 5:06 PM
where are the RG3 defenders?
April 30th, 2012 at 5:10 PM
where are the RG3 defenders?
In the NFC East?