Robert Griffin III
After four seasons as a Redskin, quarterback Robert Griffin III appears to be on his way out of DC. Getty

Following the Washington Redskins’ wild-card playoff loss, sources close to the team said on Monday that the team has decided to release quarterback Robert Griffin III. NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport says it’s only a matter of time until it becomes official.

Griffin’s exit from Washington will end a well-chronicled and tumultuous four-year stretch that began with Washington making one of the largest pre-draft trades in NFL history, giving up three first-round picks and a second-round pick to move up from the No. 6 pick to the No. 2 pick. The saga will conclude this offseason with Washington cutting trade bait instead of shelling out over $16 million for Griffin’s fifth-year contract. The Redskins have until March to make their decision official.

Griffin, labeled the new face of the franchise, enjoyed a stellar rookie season, being named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and leading Washington to the playoffs. However, the handling of Griffin’s injuries late in that season sparked contentious issues with coach Mike Shanahan, who would eventually be fired after an unsuccessful 2013 campaign in which Griffin was benched for the final three games.

Initially the starter under new head coach Jay Gruden, Griffin dislocated his ankle during Week 2 of the 2014 season. He was immediately given the starting job upon his Week-9 return, although he was benched several weeks later for poor performance. He finished the season after an injury to then-starter Colt McCoy, but it would be the last regular-season action he would see as a member of the Redskins.

Griffin suffered a concussion during preseason in 2015 and in the wake of Gruden choosing to go with Kirk Cousins regardless of Griffin’s health status, the 25-year-old quarterback was inactive for all but one game this season. Owner Dan Snyder chose to have Griffin remain with the team all season, even if he didn’t have a chance to play.

As tensions and injury totals rose, the productivity from Griffin fell off the table a bit after a rookie season in which he threw 20 touchdowns and only five interceptions in 15 games. In 2014, Griffin threw 16 touchdowns and 12 picks in 13 games while completing 5.5 percent less of his passes than his rookie season. In just nine games in 2014, Griffin tossed just four scores and six interceptions to go with four lost fumbles.

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Though it's unclear what the future holds for Griffin, he is expected to draw interest from several teams around the league due to versatility and his relative young age. Many teams may regard Griffin as a worthwhile reclamation project.
The Redskins' lone backup is veteran Colt McCoy, who attempted 11 passes in 2015, and 128 passes in 2014. Paxton Lynch, Jared Goff, Connor Cook and Cardale Jones are expected to be among the first quarterbacks taken in the upcoming NFL draft.
Griffin didn't talk to reporters after Sunday's game, but did leave a note at his locker.
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