Even the craziest rumors usually have basis in reality.
The Eagles were at the center of the storm last winter after it was reported that Robert Griffin III had a productive conversation with Andy Reid at the NFL Combine. Immediately, reports surfaced that the team was willing to package DeSean Jackson, Asante Samuel and draft picks to trade up and grab the athletic quarterback.
The move never happened. The Eagles signed Jackson long-term and dealt Samuel to Atlanta. But the conversation with Reid was very real.
“I met with the Eagles and Coach Reid told me they were very interested in me, that you never know what can happen,” Griffin III said on a conference call yesterday. “I really enjoyed my meeting with him. Obviously, things didn’t work out so I’m here with the Redskins and I’m proud to be here.”
Griffin III said that was the first time he had met with Reid. It was also the first time he had realized the Eagles had any interest in drafting him. After that meeting, he thought coming to Philadelphia was a legitimate scenario.
“I tried to keep an open mind, just because once you declare for the draft, there’s no telling what can happen,” Griffin III said. “When I met with the Eagles at the Combine, I think that was the first time I thought that they were even thinking about drafting me or moving up to pick me.”
If the Eagles had made that bold maneuver, it could have created a unique situation, with Mike Vick serving as a mentor to Griffin III. The two quarterbacks are often compared due to their supreme athleticism — although that may be where the similarities end. Griffin III looks more like a passer who can run, while Vick often looks more like a runner who can pass.
“You look at his [Vick’s] big-play ability and you see the big plays that he’s made with his arms and his legs, and you want to go out and make those big plays,” Griffin III said. “I don’t play exactly like Mike does and Mike doesn’t play exactly like I do. We each have our own game.”
