Redskins have named Kirk Cousins starting QB for week 1 per source.
— Dianna Marie Russini (@diannaESPN) August 31, 2015
Russini first reported over the weekend that Washington was looking to move on from Griffin, either by cutting or possibly finding a way to trade the former Baylor star, but the front office was getting pushback from ownership. That report was quickly denied by other sources within the organization, but it's pretty clear something is off. This is easy: if RGIII is healthy and competent, he is your starter. But RGIII is not healthy. He has a concussion and has not yet been cleared to play again, and it seems obvious that coach Jay Gruden doesn't think he's very competent anyway. Why else would he be playing behind a garbage, second-rate offensive line in a meaningless preseason game? So all of these dueling reports over strife in the front office don't really make sense. But then there's Dan Snyder.Maybe Snyder is enamored with the promise of RGIII, from what feels like a decade ago. But more likely he's enamored with RGIII's marketability—assuming he still has any. Snyder put Griffin to work as soon as he traded several future drafts for him. Quickly the team sold Jerseys, shirts, and tickets based on Griffin joining the team.Washington believed they had a legitimate star in the making and Griffin's face (and Washington logo) was everywhere. If they also won some football games, that'd be cool, too. They did win some football games but now, more than ever, they are league-wide joke and Griffin is the punchline. It's eating away at the coach, and probably others, but we only regularly hear from Gruden.Following some confusion with Griffin's playing status—he was initially cleared to play on Saturday, but later "scrutiny…of the neuropsychology data" determined he would not be cleared—Gruden bristled at the idea that Washington is a disaster.Team was told by staff Cousins will start against the Dolphins this morning. #Redskins
— Dianna Marie Russini (@diannaESPN) August 31, 2015
There is tension between Griffin and Gruden, that is for sure. At this point Gruden likely just wants to move on without him, but he apparently can't bench him without it turning into a Whole Other Thing. And while Griffin's stock tanks, the organization is talking about wanting to get something in a trade for him, if they do in fact decide to go in that direction. This is the problem for Washington, and it will always be the problem as long as Dan Snyder is the owner. You can change the GM, quarterback, and coach and it won't matter; these bumbling things will just keep on happening."We're all as confused as you are," Gruden said. "People have to understand this has nothing to do with the Washington Redskins. I know people want to make it out that we're incompetent, but this had nothing to do with us. It was totally an independent doctor. A verbal [report] being said to our doctor, and then, all of a sudden, the written report is different. We followed proper course and did what we thought was right for Robert and what the report said. We followed everything by the book … This was all put on us at the last minute."