2012 NFL Draft: Trading Up for Robert Griffin III Is a Must for These 5 Teams

The 2012 NFL Draft talk has been dominated by Standford quarterback Andrew Luck.

However, several scouts are saying that Baylor quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III is just as good of a prospect as Luck.

There are rumors coming out that the Indianapolis Colts have already settled on taking Andrew Luck with the number one overall pick. However, that leaves the rest of the draft wide open for "RGIII."

We know that the St. Louis Rams are going to most likely draft anything but a quarterback with the number two overall pick. That leads us to the Minnesota Vikings at three, who have said they are willing to listen to any offers (via profootballtalk.com).

This leaves the door wide open for teams to jump up to three to grab the consensus number two quarterback in the draft.

Here are five teams that should be considering making that bold move.  

Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns have been struggling for many years to put together a winning football team. 

Two years ago when they drafted Colt McCoy in the in the third round of the draft, they were not banking on him becoming their full-time starter. McCoy didn't put up great numbers in his rookie season when he took over as a starter, but he did put together some impressive wins against the New Orleans Saints and the New England Patriots.

McCoy didn't take a huge step forward in 2011, but he was better than his rookie season. Still, it appears that he isn't destined to become an elite passer in this league.

The Browns need a playmaker that can really make a difference. The quarterback position is more important than ever in today's NFL and if the Browns want to compete, they will need someone better than McCoy.

Cleveland should have a great shot at Griffin at the fourth overall pick, but with the Vikings willingness to trade down, they should consider making the short jump to guarantee they grab him.

Washington Redskins

The Redskins are one of the most quarterback-desperate teams in the NFL right now.

They came in to this season with a quarterback battle going on between Rex Grossman and John Beck. Neither quarterback had Redskins fans excited, but they were optimistic that one of them could get the job done.

Well, it turns out that neither of them is the answer.

It is time for the Redskins to make a move at quarterback and start pushing their team in the right direction. The Redskins have some solid talent on that roster that would work well around a solid quarterback. 

They have been the favorites to take RGIII in most mock drafts I've seen so far, but as with Cleveland, if you really want a guy, you need to go get him.

If Washington wants to avoid another year of Rex Grossman at quarterback, they will need to make a big move for Griffin.

Kansas City Chiefs

Kansas City went all in on Matt Cassel a few years ago and I imagine that they are starting to regret it.

Cassel had one really strong season in 2010 when he threw for 3,116 yards and 27 touchdowns. He was a Pro Bowler and led the Chiefs to the AFC West division title. This year he was unable to match that performance, as he struggled all year long until he was knocked out for the season with a hand injury.

Some are concerned that Cassel will never be the same after this hand injury, while others question whether he can be the Chiefs starter, healthy or not.

Kansas City has some fantastic young talent on offense including Jamaal Charles and Dwayne Bowe. It would be the perfect place to grab a rookie like Robert Griffin III and start restructuring the offense.

The Chiefs have quite a bit of money invested in Cassel, but they need to recognize that the AFC West is wide open and the time is now to take advantage of it.

Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks are another team on the doorstep of taking the next step, but they are not going to get there with Tarvaris Jackson as their quarterback.

Seattle has a quite a few weapons on offense at their disposal, especially Marshawn Lynch at running back. Lynch was a workhorse for the Seahawks for the majority of the season and carried them to their 7-9 record.

The Seahawks defense has made great strides and they look like they could be well on their way to becoming one of the league's top squads.

However, they won't be able to get there without a legitimate quarterback. 

The Seahawks currently have the No. 12 pick and would need to give up quite a bit to make the jump to the three spot. While the price may be high, it could be worth it if RGIII pans out to be everything the scouts are telling us he can be.

It may scare fans to see their team give up a boatload for one player, but if he can make you competitive in your division, it is well worth it.

Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins had a strong finish to their season with Matt Moore at the helm.

Moore did a great job leading the Dolphins to some surprising upsets, but there is no way that the Dolphins are considering him as a long-term answer. We have already heard rumors that they would be interested in Peyton Manning if he became available, as well as Matt Flynn.

Manning comes with his own risks. He has had major neck surgery and some are saying he will never be the same. Even if he does come back well enough to play, one hit could put him right back on the sidelines. 

It is hard to invest a large sum of money in a risk like that.

Flynn has shown flashes of brilliance as the backup in Green Bay, but he is still unproven. Remember when everyone thought Kevin Kolb was a sure thing?

The Dolphins could jump up and take Robert Griffin III as their future quarterback. The benefit for them is they have Moore just in case Griffin struggles or isn't ready come the start of the season. 

Miami has a bright future with that roster, but they need the impact quarterback to turn them in to a legitimate contender.