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Robert Griffin III makes pitch to join 49ers as a mentor for Trey Lance
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Robert Griffin III is still looking for work after spending the past three seasons with the Baltimore Ravens. The 31-year-old recently made a pitch to one team during Bleacher Report's draft show. He'd love to reunite with San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan and work as a mentor for rookie quarterback Trey Lance.
There's one problem, though. The Niners now have a pretty crowded quarterback room. Jimmy Garoppolo figures to be the team's starter. Lance will learn behind him until he is ready to take over the reins. The team also signed Nate Sudfeld this offseason, offering him
a contract that signals he may be more than just a camp arm. San Francisco also has Josh Rosen and Josh Johnson on its roster.
Yet, Griffin feels he is better suited than any of those quarterbacks to mentor Lance and get him up to speed.
"To be honest with you, I don't think they have a guy on the roster that would be better situated than myself to come in and mentor the kid," Griffin said (h/t to
TMZ Sports). "So, who knows? Maybe there's a reunion in store with the Shanahans."
Griffin worked two seasons with Shanahan in Washington — the quarterback's first two seasons in the league. Shanahan was his offensive coordinator, working under head coach Mike Shanahan — his father. Griffin believes that experience will be invaluable to Lance.
"I remember one time Mike sat me down and had a 20-word play ready for me in the first practice," Griffin shared as an example of why he would be well-suited to be a mentor. "And they just sat there and wanted to see if I could spit put every single one of those words and then actually go run the play against a defense led by London Fletcher, one of the best linebackers ever."
The 49ers probably won't entertain the idea. Garoppolo has been in the offense since the team traded for him in 2017 and is experienced enough to serve as the rookie's mentor. San Francisco's offseason investments in quarterbacks are probably complete.
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