Washington Redskins Reportedly Had Bounty System: Could This Cost Them RGIII?

Former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams allegedly ran a bounty system for defensive players with the Washington Redskins as well, according to a report from Mike Maske of the Washington Post.

Shortly after news broke out that the New Orleans Saints had been participating in a bounty system from 2009-11, which is illegal in the NFL, news broke out that Washington had a secret payout of their own.

The Saints players rewarded one another $1,000 for a knockout hit to another player, and $1,500  if the player had to be carted off. The payouts increased during the playoffs.

According to the the Post's sources, Williams, as well as defensive players in Washington were paying sums up to $8,000 in Washington.

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Of the four players interviewed, only Philip Daniels, a former defensive lineman, was willing to be quoted on the record. He defended Williams’s coaching. Daniels now serves as the team’s director of player development. [...]

“I never took it for anything [but] just incentive to make good, hard plays,” said a current player, who requested anonymity. “But I’m pretty sure it did entice some guys to do more to a player than normal when it came to taking them out. I mean, that’s cash. Let’s just be honest about it.

“If you took the star player out, he’d hook you up a little bit.”

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The story is still developing, but if true, it could hurt Washington substantially more than the Saints.

The Redskins are currently in the hunt to trade up for the rights to draft Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III in this April’s draft. With many analysts believing the penalties for these “bounty systems” will be higher than the prices paid by New England for Spygate (they lost a first-round pick) it’s not crazy to think they may lose a lot of bargaining power with this latest scandal.

Williams is the current defensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams and will most likely be facing a suspension for his role in the bounty programs.