Former Washington Redskins QB Robert Griffin III is expected to reach an agreement with the Cleveland Browns today, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Cleveland is expected to reach agreement with former Redskins' QB Robert Griffin III today, per team source. Griffin III to be a Brown.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 24, 2016
This is important to the San Francisco 49ers for a number of reasons. As he was possibly expected to be, Griffin is no longer an option for the team should they decide to deal away QB Colin Kaepernick. It also takes the Browns, who are still expected to draft a quarterback with the second overall selection in next month's draft, out of the bidding for a possible Kaepernick trade.
Earlier this week, it was reported from the NFL owners meeting that Browns executive Sashi Brown said that the team's interest in Kaepernick was overblown. The 49ers reached out to the Browns about making a trade, but the talks never became serious. "So and so is reporting we've got into contract negotiations and draft-pick negotiations with San Francisco that just weren't happening," said Brown.
Other teams that were having discussions about bringing Griffin in were the Denver Broncos and the New York Jets. "[Griffin] is one of the free guys out there," Broncos coach Gary Kubiak said. "He's obviously been part of the conversation. We'll see what happens. He's a talented young man."
Griffin did not play a snap during the 2015 season. He lost his starting job to Kirk Cousins. Since being drafted with the second overall selection in 2012, Griffin has posted 8,097 passing yards, 40 touchdowns, 23 interceptions, 1,480 rushing yards, eight rushing touchdowns, and a 91.0 passer rating.