http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/15058201/cleveland-browns-sign-robert-griffin-iii
The Cleveland Browns appear to have found one piece of their quarterback puzzle, announcing they have signed Robert Griffin III on Thursday.
Griffin, 26, was released by the Washington Redskins on March 7, two days before his 2016 option, worth $16,155,000, would have become guaranteed.
He heads to Cleveland with a chance to revive his career for a coach who thinks highly of him.
Griffin visited Cleveland on March 18 and 19, and coach Hue Jackson raved about what he heard. That was enough for the Browns to be willing to take a chance on a guy who did not play a down in 2015.
"Our visit was very informative, a lot of dialogue back and forth," Jackson said Tuesday at the NFL owners meetings. "A lot of tough questions asked, a lot of tough questions answered. I don't baby people. I'm sorry. That's just not who I am. I ask the tough questions and I expect to get the tough answers, and he handled all that extremely well."
Griffin was the second overall pick in the 2012 draft, after the Redskins traded two first-round picks and a second and swapping first-rounders with the Rams. The Heisman Trophy winner hasn't lived up to the success he enjoyed as a rookie, when he guided the Redskins to an NFC East title and was named the offensive rookie of the year after setting an NFL record for rookies with a 102.4 passer rating.
However, he partially tore the posterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in December of that season and then tore the ACL in that knee in a playoff loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Friction with the coaching staff came to light that offseason, and 2013 was the last season he was a full-time starter before he was shut down with three games to go by then-coach Mike Shanahan due to the high number of sacks Griffin was taking.