After a season of complete silence in Washington, Robert Griffin III finds himself poised to become one of the most talked about free agents in the NFL this spring.
Outwardly, he looks healthy and has had the benefit of sitting for the better part of two seasons to rest a dislocated ankle and torn ACL, which never seemed to fully heal after his dominant rookie season in 2012.
To some, he represents a treasure trove of untapped talent: A 26-year-old player who was worth the No. 2 pick in the draft, before simply washing away due to injuries and a turbulent carousel of head coaches. To others, he is an exposed player who never rebounded from the loss of his quickness.
We'll soon find out who is right. Teams can officially begin speaking to Griffin now.
Where might he land? Let us take a look.
1-2. Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs
NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport linked Griffin to both the Chiefs and Eagles thanks to Andy Reid's ability to "prop up" quarterbacks with his system. If his strategy is to sign a short-term deal at first, being in a system that fosters pocket ability while accentuating timely mobility could help. Theoretically, Griffin would not get a chance to start in either place unless there is an injury to either Sam Bradford or Alex Smith. Both are locked up for the foreseeable future and both are on teams that could be ready to compete for a division title in 2016.
3. San Francisco 49ers
For many reasons, this will be looked at as a simple assumption. If Colin Kaepernick moves on from the 49ers, Griffin III would be another quarterback who fits the profile of an ideal Chip Kelly quarterback. We're thinking about it from a different perspective. Kelly's system rewards athleticism, sure, but it also rewards a big arm and a risk-taking mentality. We talk about Griffin also getting his confidence back, and there are advantages to playing in an offense that presents those opportunities. Did it work out for Sam Bradford? No. But the Eagles were the No. 1 chunk-play (20 and 40-plus yards) passing offense in football back in 2013 and were in the top five in 2014.
4. Dallas Cowboys
This option is waning a bit in popularity, though owner Jerry Jones is dead set on getting an above-average backup quarterback for Tony Romo after last season's debacle. A Dallas signing would return Griffin to Texas and place him in the care of a former NFL quarterback in Jason Garrett. When it comes to second-chance players, Jones can actually be quite uplifting and encouraging. If Griffin was looking for a friendly place to spend a year, Dallas would not be the worst option and with Romo's status secure, it would not place any pressure on either party.
Bonus teams
Cleveland Browns
Why: Hue Jackson is a brilliant play-caller and works well with young talent on both sides of the ball. The Browns likely will be selecting their quarterback of the future at No. 2, but what if they admire a quarterback who could slide deeper into the draft? Yes it's unlikely, but any team needing a potential starting quarterback will do their homework on Griffin and ask the right questions. The Browns are wary of the past and could hesitate to spill from the Johnny Manziel era into another quarterback tenure, but they would be foolish not to make some phone calls and find out if he's worth bringing in for a meeting.
Buffalo Bills
Why: It's Rex Ryan, and Ryan is a fantastic motivator and uplifting spirit. Tyrod Taylor has been a fantastic option for Buffalo, though it seems the entire staff and front office is not sold on his ability to be a long-term starter. Pairing Griffin with minds like offensive coordinator Greg Roman and run game coordinator Anthony Lynn would be smart, and could inject the team's next-gen style with some new life. Ryan does not shy away from the 'media frenzy' either, which could scare off a few teams worried that Griffin would bring unwanted attention.
