RG3 Injury Will Not Force Cleveland Browns Trade

Another major injury has struck an NFL team, but their head coach has decided to stick to the plan that he initially drew up when he took the job. According to NFL, the Cleveland Browns will not be forced into making a trade because starting quarterback Robert Griffin III has suffered a shoulder injury.

In the season opening game for the Cleveland Browns, Robert Griffin III lowered his shoulders into Philadelphia Eagles rookie corner back Jalen Mills as he attempted to get out of bounds. That ended up being a huge mistake, as Griffin III ended up injuring his shoulder.

Robert Griffin III has received some criticism for being injured again. However, Cleveland Browns head coach Hue Jackson made it a point to remind people in the media, and NFL fans that Griffin III did not intentionally get injured. Jackson wants to let Griffin III know that he is in his corner.

Robert Griffin III is running out of chances https://t.co/AbZb7CYULm

— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) September 12, 2016

Regardless of how it happened, this is a pretty bad blow to the Cleveland Browns, a franchise that has had trouble winning games over the years. Some in the NFL felt that Robert Griffin III had a good chance of being the starting quarterback that the franchise has failed to find for the longest time.

The natural reaction whenever an NFL loses their starting quarterback to an injury is to speculate that a trade is imminent. That happened when Tony Romo went down with an injury during pre-season, as reported by SB Nation. Many wondered whom the Dallas Cowboys would try to acquire as a replacement.

Interestingly enough, the Dallas Cowboys reportedly had discussions with the Cleveland Browns about acquiring backup quarterback Josh McCown. The Browns wanted a really high draft pick, so the Cowboys opted to go with fourth-round rookie Dak Prescott instead. That has looked like a wise move.

Fortunately for the Cleveland Browns, that trade did not happen. Josh McCown is now penciled in as their new starting quarterback in place of Robert Griffin III. At 37 years of age, McCown obviously is not the long term solution for the Browns. However, he is a reliable veteran that can help them get through this season.

Behind Josh McCown is Cody Kessler, a 23-year-old quarterback that the Cleveland Browns drafted in the third round. The former USC Trojans star is considered a project that Hue Jackson was hoping would remain on the sidelines for his rookie season. Kessler might need to speed up his education in the NFL.

Since the Cleveland Browns are expected to do their due diligence, management and the coaching staff is more likely going to bring in some free agent quarterbacks to see if someone might be a good fit and a potential backup for Josh McCown. The player would need to learn the playbook first, though.

According to ESPN, Hue Jackson does not want to make the mistake of giving up a lot of draft assets to acquire a quarterback like he did when he was the head coach of the Oakland Raiders. There, he gave up a first and second round draft pick to acquire Carson Palmer. It did not work out well.

Robert Griffin III is required to miss at least eight weeks of the regular season. It is not out of the realms of possibility that he makes a return during the season and recaptures his starting spot. However, it is just hard to imagine that the Cleveland Browns would wait that long. They need a plan now.

There are those that believe that this is the end of the road for Robert Griffin III in the NFL. He needs to use that as motivation while he is rehabbing from his injury.

[Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images]