Ashburn, VA (SportsNetwork.com) – Washington Redskins quarterback Robert
Griffin III will likely start Sunday’s game against Minnesota after taking a
majority of the first-team reps in practice on Thursday.
Griffin hasn’t played since suffering a dislocated ankle in Week 2 against
Jacksonville, but coach Jay Gruden said Griffin would be his starter for
Sunday barring any issues the rest of the week.
“The progress that he’s made has made us prepare him to be the starter,” said
Gruden on Thursday. “We wouldn’t put him with the (first-team) if we didn’t
feel he was 100 percent physically. Every intent right now is to prepare him
to be the starting quarterback.”
Gruden maintained that Griffin must still get through practice on Friday, or
Colt McCoy would get his second straight start. McCoy led the Redskins to an
overtime victory over Dallas on Monday.
“If there’s a fallback, if there’s a drawback, or if he’s sore at all, then
we’ll go back to Colt,” Gruden added. “His ankle looks great. Robert’s the
starter … but he’s got to be 100 percent No. 1. We feel like he’s 100
percent physically right now, but we still have another day left to make sure
that’s the case.”
McCoy played well in the victory over Dallas, completing 25-of-30 passes for
229 yards while rushing for a touchdown. If the Redskins wanted to give McCoy
the start, Griffin would have an additional two weeks of rest with the club’s
bye after Sunday’s game.
However, it appears that Griffin is ready to return.
