As the Vikings continued a sudden run on quarterbacks Friday night, selecting Texas A&M's Kellen Mond in the third round, Bleacher Report was in the midst of a live draft show with guest commentators, ready to offer their takes on Minnesota drafting Kirk Cousins' potential successor.
And wouldn't you know it, sitting there smiling, eager to respond, was — of all people on planet earth — Cousins' former Washington teammate, Robert Griffin III.
In what universe does such a perfectly timed guest-booking exist?
"Yeah, I can tell you right now No. 8 in Minnesota's probably not real happy right now," Griffin said, glee in his eye. "Because Kellen Mond represents exactly what he doesn't do well. Kellen Mond's the big, physical quarterback. He can run it, throw it all over the field, and I don't think that that's something that No. 8 is able to do, in Cousins in Minnesota. But, I think that's what the coaching staff and the administration is looking for, or should I say the organization is looking for."
For those uninitiated into this storied drama, Washington selected Griffin second overall in 2012 and, three rounds later in that same draft, Cousins in the fourth round. Griffin's career took off like a rocket ship that season, but was derailed by a grisly knee injury in the 2012 playoffs. Griffin was never the same, and Cousins went on to win the starting job in Washington, eventually departing in free agency for Minnesota following the 2017 season, signing a first-of-its-kind fully guaranteed deal at three years, $84 million.
After re-upping with the Vikings last March, Cousins is currently under contract for two more seasons. That definitive endpoint lends credence to the idea that Minnesota just drafted his replacement, a third-round quarterback who could use some time to get his legs under him.
Griffin sees Mond as perfectly capable of replacing Cousins, who he sharply notes has been "collecting checks there in Minnesota for a long time."
"I will tell you this," Griffin said. "With great determination and great coaching, I think this is a guy that could be a real riser over the course of his career. And as you see, Cousins has been collecting checks there in Minnesota for a long time, taking them to 8-8 and 9-7 seasons. If he has a bad start to the year, like he did last year, I could see the fans and maybe the organization leaning towards Mond if he comes in and impresses."
Minnesota GM Rick Spielman has since come out to affirm that Cousins is their starter and "there's no competition," words that — as Washington fans are astutely aware — carry the weight of about a bag of air.
