Kiper: Cousins pick 'can divide a team'

One of if not the main post-NFL Draft water cooler topics centers on the Redskins quarterbacking situation - but not simply Robert Griffin III. Rather, how the drafting of Michigan State's Kirk Cousins impacts the start of the RG3 era.

I weighed in here, offering my take on the puzzling other quarterback pick. Some like Sports Illustrated's Peter King and Don Banks have set up camp on my side of the aisle, others go the other way.

During his post-draft conference call on Monday, ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper voiced his opinion.

It's not favorable. We're talking the pick for the Redskins on the heels of going all in for Robert Griffin III, not the upside of Cousins.

As anyone who has listened to Kiper knows, he talks fast and he talks a lot. I transcribed it all. Here are the raw quotes, followed by his thoughts on the Redskins non-QB picks.

"I wouldn’t have taken Cousins in the fourth round if I’m the Redskins. I would have loved to have had him for a team that needed a young quarterback that could be the starter in a year or so. I would have loved him in the fourth round. He could have been a second-round pick. We could have been sitting here saying he was a decent second-round pick. No problem with them saying we had him rated as the third quarterback, we had to take him.

"But does this cause any problems? It’s easy to say he understands [Cousins] role, RG3 is the starter. [Cousins is] coming into compete, he’s not coming into understand a role. How can you tell someone to be a backup? You can’t tell a kid, coming in the fourth round you just be satisfied to be the backup. No matter what you do you’re our backup. He’s not going to buy into that.

RG3 Era Begins With Confusing Quarterback Pick (Patch.com)

Addressing the receiving corps in free agency and drafting multiple guards count as positive steps in the new Robert Griffin III (RG3) era.

Passing on a needed tackle, running back or safety in the fourth round for another quarterback – Michigan State’s Kirk Cousins - in RG3’s first season does not.

From the moment the Washington Redskins shipped three first-round picks plus a second-round selection to the St. Louis Rams last month, the plan should have been — and in the eyes of the staff, presumably is — to maximize their new asset’s potential.

I am stumped how adding another passer does that.

As always, team comes first and smart organizations draft talent over need, but within reason. In this case, special consideration should have gone to enhancing the new guy with the power arm, dynamic speed and movie star charisma.

Though RG3’s cool vibe might not suggest a player under pressure, he is. By adding Cousins, the Redskins may have unnecessarily turned up the stress level.

Let’s me make this very clear — without question RG3 is the Redskins’ future.

His present includes joining an offense with a leaky line and a backfield lacking depth. Fourth rounders can help those areas and elsewhere.

The choice certainly will not keep RG3 upright in the pocket, give him a supportive ground game or fix a beatable secondary so he does not have to throw on every down just to keep pace.

Perennial playoff teams with fewer depth chart gaps can take such a luxury pick. The Redskins are still in trying to build a roster. That did not stop Washington from becoming the first team since 1989 to select two quarterbacks in the first four rounds.

Check out the rest of my column here - http://georgetown.patch.com/articles/redskins-open-door-for-confusing-start-to-rg3-era

Terps Notebook - Scrimmage, Pe'Shon, Cleare, Len

Maryland opened Saturday's men’s basketball practice to the media and a smattering of fans to watch drills and a 20-minute scrimmage. Quotes and my observations below…

* Neither Pe’Shon Howard (broken foot) nor coach Mark Turgeon ruled out the possibility of a medical redshirt season for the sophomore guard. The school announced on Thursday that Howard had sustained an injury – specifically a fractured bone in his right foot - and could miss 10-12 weeks. Turgeon said it was unclear if surgery was required and the point guard underwent an MRI on Saturday.

Howard, who was rather chipper when speaking with the media, said pain in his foot lingered for about a week and he continued practicing until the ache went from “annoying” to something more.

“It wasn’t too bad and then one day I was walking to class and I was like I can’t take it,” said Howard, who made his way around the Comcast Center with the aid of crutches.

If Howard is back after 10 weeks, he is back on the court just prior to start of ACC play. Maryland’s conference opener is at NC State on January 8.

Should he be out the full 12 weeks out, Howard would sit out 3-4 ACC games and 16-17 games overall. The longer he sits, the more sitting out the season comes into play.

Jake Locker = Kyle Boller = Redskins should pass

*My pal Evan Silva from Rotoworld knows his stuff, but I’d wish he’d get off this Jake Locker-to-the-Redskins at No. 10 talk. I contend that Locker will indeed go in the first round, but to a different team and one a bit closer to where the former University of Washington quarterback starred.

Silva' first sentence about the Washington quarterback reminds me of what draft-niks thought of another Pac 10 quarterback a few years back.

- Silva, on Locker: “Statistically, Locker grades out as an undrafted free agent with a 53.9 career completion rate, 15-25 record, and 6.65 yards-per-attempt average. Athletically, Locker is a picturesque fit for the Shanahans' scheme, which relies heavily on its quarterback making throws outside the pocket.

-Pro Football Weekly, circa 2003, pre-draft report on Kyle Boller. “Had poor stats on a poor team for his first three years, never completing 50 percent of his passes... Played for different offensive coordinators at Cal, but in '02 got to play for a new head coach, Jeff Tedford… putting him in a truly QB-friendly offense that generally required him to read only half the field. The result was Boller completed 225-421-2,815-28-10 (53.4 percent) and Cal had a winning season… Good size, speed and outstanding athletic ability for the position."

Could Wizards Kids Save Flip, Ernie?

As the Washington Wizards near a third straight demoralizing season with an unsightly record, the buzz has grown locally for coaching changes to be made, front office heads to roll.

But at the same time, the franchise's future with John Wall looks hopeful, perhaps deliriously so. Fellow rookie Jordan Crawford has been a scoring machine since entering the starting lineup and now has tacked on a triple-double while running the point in the suspended Wall's absence. The rebounding numbers generated by Trevor Booker's springy legs and work ethic stood out before his injured foot made him sit down.

So, is it possible that the Wizards kids could save coach Flip Saunders and general manager Ernie Grunfeld from being shown the door?