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Robert Griffin III fit what Ravens needed: inexpensive insurance policy

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Baltimore Ravens delivered the most surprising NFL news on Wednesday, when they announced a one-year agreement with quarterback Robert Griffin III.

But this move shouldn’t come as that much of a shock. The Ravens have been looking for an inexpensive but experienced insurance policy at quarterback this offseason, and Griffin fits that profile as well as anyone remaining in free agency.

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“I’m really feeling like we got a steal,” coach John Harbaugh said.

Harbaugh has a point when looking at the alternatives. Some 22 quarterbacks have signed in the first three weeks of free agency, including the likes of David Fales, Tyler Bray and Matt McGloin.

Who’s left? Matt Cassel, Mark Sanchez, Austin Davis and Derek Anderson are among those unsigned. Colin Kaepernick would’ve been another option because he was out of the league last season, like Griffin. But Kaepernick carries more baggage: He is currently involved in a collusion lawsuit against the NFL, and last summer his girlfriend posted a tweet deemed “racist” by Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis, who was featured with Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti in the post.

All of a sudden, the addition of Griffin, 28, isn’t so off the wall when looking at the current quarterback landscape. Griffin is a strong-armed quarterback who can make plays with his feet. He has some semblance of a track record, particularly early in his career. The knocks on him have been his inability to stay healthy and a reputation for not being able to read defenses.

With limited cap space, Baltimore had limited choices when looking for a veteran passer. Harbaugh made the point last week that the team couldn’t spend $3 million on a backup, and even suggested that practice-squad quarterback Josh Woodrum could serve as the No. 2. It just would’ve been too much of a gamble to give that job to Woodrum, who has never thrown a regular-season pass.

There’s also no guarantee that Griffin is on Baltimore’s regular-season roster. The Ravens have repeatedly talked about wanting to develop a young passer, and they continued to rave about the depth of this year’s quarterback class. Assistant general manager Eric DeCosta believes eight to 10 quarterbacks in this draft could become starters by the time their rookie deals are over.

If the Ravens select a quarterback in the second or third round, Baltimore could decide to go with a rookie as the primary backup and cut Griffin at the end of the preseason. The Ravens made Tyrod Taylor their No. 2 quarterback in 2011 after drafting him in the sixth round.

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Where: Arlington, Texas
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Given how fast quarterbacks fly off the board, Baltimore understands there’s no guarantee the team will get a young passer in this draft. The Ravens haven’t drafted a quarterback the past three years.

Even if the Ravens draft a quarterback, they would still need a fallback plan if the rookie struggles in training camp and the preseason, proving he’s not ready to be the backup right away. This is why Baltimore needed to sign someone like Griffin.

The Ravens’ backup situation has been far from stellar in recent years. Ryan Mallett, who threw five interceptions during one training-camp practice last year, has yet to draw any interest in free agency.

With Joe Flacco’s recent injuries and struggles, the Ravens probably would’ve preferred to sign someone more proven like Chase Daniel, Chad Henne or Drew Stanton. But they all signed deals that averaged better than $3 million per season.

Baltimore didn’t have that luxury, needing to use its cap space to revamp the wide receiver group. The signing of Griffin should be considered one that comes with minimal risks and minimal expectations.

Soccer

Guardiola's gaffes assist Liverpool's comprehensive beating of City

Pep Guardiola’s tactical innovations have changed the landscape of English football in less than two years, and Manchester City in full flight presents a convincing case as the best side since the Premier League began in 1992.

But against Liverpool on Wednesday, the Spaniard got it drastically wrong.

With half an hour played, Nicolas Otamendi took it upon himself to surge up the park with the ball at his feet. There were colleagues available, and there should’ve been a nagging consideration that he isn’t Franz Beckenbauer, but the Argentinian let the ball bobble away and into James Milner’s reach. Around 15 seconds later, Sadio Mane headed past Ederson to make it 3-0.

The goal was emblematic of how City performed in the opening stanza; positional disarray, an inability to sensibly swipe space, and rushing in possession blighted the work of the visitor, and Guardiola’s tactics must take most of the blame for a considerable first-leg defeat in the Champions League quarter-finals.

The biggest omission was that of Raheem Sterling. The 23-year-old has scored 21 times this season – the same number as his previous two terms combined – but was sacrificed for Ilkay Gundogan. A popular assumption was that the change was intended to bulk up the midfield – something that should raise questions given the last time City started with Fernandinho, David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, and Gundogan in the middle was its awful beginning to the League Cup final against Arsenal in February. There could also be an argument that Sterling was left out because of how he flounders under the scrutiny of Reds fans following his controversial 2015 switch.

Whatever it was that encouraged Guardiola to shuffle his pack – a misguided tactical call or being overly concerned about protecting Sterling – it knocked everything off balance.

The midfield crumpled in on itself, with only Fernandinho assuming a distinct position and the other three ineffectually milling around in a shape that often resembled a distorted diamond. Gundogan was especially weak, making just 48 touches before he was substituted after 56 minutes.

With the 4-3-3 inexplicably set aside, Leroy Sane also cut a confused figure in a lopsided attack. He wasn’t a winger, a strike partner to Gabriel Jesus, or a No. 10, and his clear bewilderment facilitated Trent Alexander-Arnold’s best appearance for Liverpool in his young career. With only Sane struggling nearby and no support on his right, Jesus’ involvement was restricted to six passes in the first half – three of which were from kick-off – and he spearheaded a side that wasn’t able to record a shot on target throughout the tie.

If Bernardo Silva was Sterling’s replacement, the 4-3-3 schematic would have been maintained, and the latter would’ve been spared the abuse that he often cowers under. Instead, City’s unfamiliar formation was ruffled by Liverpool.

There were obviously issues in defence, and most of them centred around the decision to field Aymeric Laporte on the left of a back-four. Mohamed Salah is best dealt with by a right-footer at left-back; that way, he isn’t running onto the weaker side of a full-back when he cuts in. City had a ready-made player for that role in Danilo. With Danilo on the left-hand side, Laporte would’ve then been the go-to ball-playing centre-half, thereby culling Otamendi’s intermittent habit of spreading diagonal balls onto the laps of spectators in the first row. Few City representatives left Anfield with any credit, but Otamendi was handed too much trust and, as a result, challenged Gundogan and Sane as his team’s worst player.

There’s a slight hope that this tie is salvageable, but Guardiola’s plan will have to be exemplary in the reverse fixture next Tuesday. However, from the evidence of the opening tie between these two teams, Jurgen Klopp may have his counterpart’s number.