Should Robert Griffin III Be on the Cowboys' Radar?

A lot of folks have been wondering if disgraced Pro Bowl running back Adrian Peterson could find his way back to his home state of Texas to restart his stalled career with the Dallas Cowboys. But an argument can be made that a Pro Bowl quarterback who also has Texas roots and has also fallen from grace—albeit in much less severe and damaging fashion—could be a more viable option for a career restart in Big D. 

Three years after putting together one of the greatest rookie seasons in NFL history, is it possible that the oft-maligned Robert Griffin III could become Jerry Jones' latest poster child? I wouldn't rule it out. 

After being benched for a second year in a row, it does seem as though the 2012 No. 2 overall pick and Offensive Rookie of the Year has run out of rope with the Washington Redskins. 

Soon after Griffin was benched in favor of Colt McCoy last week, sources told Jason Reid of The Washington Post that it had become "highly unlikely" the quarterback would return to the team in 2015. He remains under contract for one more year, but it appears bridges have been burned beyond repair. 

If that's the case, the Redskins could be prepared to cut their losses and flip Griffin to a quarterback-needy team in exchange for some mid-round draft picks. And it wouldn't surprise me if Dallas were to be part of those sweepstakes. 

Factors to consider: 

Jerry Jones would view it as a brand investment 

Steve Dykes/Getty Images

RG3 is—quite literally—a brand. Dude has his own logo. Per Forbes, a year-old poll from Nielsen/E-Poll Market Research found him to be the seventh-most likable player in the league. As a rookie, he had the highest-selling single-season jersey in NFL history, according to ESPN's Darren Rovell. 

If he were to jump from D.C. to Dallas, those No. 10 shirts would become football hotcakes. 

It's the same reason Jones reportedly had a draft card ready with the intention of picking Johnny Manziel in the first round of this year's draft. 

Manziel and Griffin are flat-out marketable, which might not matter to your average fan in Fort Worth, but it is a factor for Jones the businessman. When Jones wears that hat, when he views this franchise as an entertainment company, Manziel's or Griffin's popularity matters. And the fact that both of those players are major question marks also means that, with either on board, the Cowboys—and Jerry's brand—would continue to dominate ESPN's fodder-filled programming for years to come.

Jones has a thing for Griffin

Based on what you just read, that shouldn't be surprising. But it's still worth noting that even as Griffin's career in Washington has spiraled downward, Jones has heaped praise on Griffin. 

His words on NFL Network just last week: 

"

Well, I'm a fan of RG3. Right on this field two years ago, or maybe it was three seasons ago, he put on a show and had a game that just floored me. And they won, and they won in large part because of his play at quarterback. I thought "my goodness, and we're going to have to be playing this guy for years and years." And so he's got it. Once you see a player do it, especially if you see him do it two or three times, you know he can do it. And of course he's a driven young man. I'm a big admirer of RGIII.

"

This wouldn't be the first time Jones has gambled on a player in the spotlight. He reportedly wanted Manziel this year and Randy Moss in 1998, and don't think that wasn't a factor when this organization brought in guys like Dez Bryant, Roy Williams and Morris Claiborne. 

Tony Romo is 34 and is dealing with more back issues

To be clear, Romo's latest back injury hasn't affected his play. The man has had the best season of his career and would be a prime MVP candidate if Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers wasn't putting together an All-Galaxy campaign. 

Quarterback	Age
1. Peyton Manning	38
2. Tom Brady	37
3. Drew Brees	35
4. Shaun Hill	35
5. Tony Romo	34
6. Eli Manning	33
7. Philip Rivers	33

But Romo can't be expected to last another half-decade. He'll be 35 in the spring, and his career could be derailed at any given moment. The clock is ticking on Romo, and guessing as to when midnight will arrive is an undoubtedly a roll of the dice. Griffin might not be the answer, but fresh scenery could be all he requires to fix his game.

Considering that the draft is a crapshoot and Dallas shouldn't be expected to pick early anytime soon, as well as the fact that franchise-caliber quarterbacks rarely if ever hit the open market, it's not unreasonable to believe that Griffin could be the best hope they've got.  

On the field, it's a good fit

Not only would Griffin be well-supported by head coach and quarterback guru Jason Garrett, but the Cowboys have a good thing going right across the board on offense.

Even if we call a transition from DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon, Jordan Reed and Alfred Morris to Bryant, Terrance Williams, Jason Witten and DeMarco Murray a wash, Griffin would still benefit from a massive upgrade when it comes to pass protection. 

Line	Sacks allowed	Pressures allowed	PBE
Redskins	20	115	80.3
Cowboys	9	87	83.0

It's simple. The Redskins have one of the least reliable offensive lines in the NFL, while the Dallas line is one of the best. Imagine how high the ceiling would be for a 25-year-old Griffin working with a line led by three 24-year-old recent first-round picks. The margin for error would become significantly larger, which could be a career-changer for RG3. 

Valley Ranch could do more harm than good

It is fair, however, to wonder whether Griffin could handle the media crush in the football capital of the world. D.C. is tough, but Dallas would be tougher. He's media-savvy, but there are indications he's sensitive. Brighter lights probably aren't what the doctor would prescribe when diagnosing his career, so the Cowboys would be taking a large risk. 

Then again, Bryant has survived. 

But would it ever happen?

Of course, it's unlikely the Redskins would trade Griffin within the division. But I wouldn't go so far as to say that's an impossibility. If the Cowboys offer compensation that greatly exceeds anything on the table from the rest of the league, it'd be downright irresponsible of the Redskins to turn it down. 

Besides, if you're willing to part ways with a guy, you have to possess the fortitude and the confidence that the player in question isn't going to come back to haunt you. The Redskins only play the Cowboys twice a year, and if they truly believe RG3 isn't cut out to become a superstar—why else would they be trading him?—then they shouldn't fear the prospect of having to compete against him. 

Of course, it's also possible they release Griffin and this becomes a waivers game. If that unlikely scenario comes to fruition, it might only boost Dallas' chances of landing him. 

On the surface, the whole thing feels a little outlandish. But break it down and you begin to realize that, while not perfect, a potential marriage between Robert Griffin III and America's Team makes a lot of sense. 

Brad Gagnon has covered the NFC East for Bleacher Report since 2012.

Follow @Brad_Gagnon