Redskins pick up fifth-year option on Robert Griffin III

Redskins pick up $16.1 million fifth-year option on quarterback Robert Griffin III

The Washington Redskins picked up the fifth-year option on the contract of quarterback Robert Griffin III, the team announced Monday.

NFL.com’s Albert Breer first reported the move earlier in the day. 

Washington had until May 3 to pick up the option, which will pay Griffin $16.1 million for the 2016 season. He is scheduled to make $3.27 million in base salary next season.

Griffin, the team’s first-round selection in the 2012 NFL draft, was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year after winning 10 games and leading the team to the playoffs.

He had surgery to repair the LCL and ACL in his right knee after being re-injured during the team’s playoff loss to the Seattle Seahawks. This past season, Griffin missed six games after dislocating his ankle in a Sept. 14 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

He returned in Week 9 but was benched for the Redskins game against the Indianapolis Colts on Nov. 30, before starting the team's final three regular season games. Griffin completed 68.7 percent of his passes for 1,694 yards with four touchdowns and six interceptions.

Griffin admitted he wasn’t fully healthy throughout last season, saying the 2014 campaign “sucked.”

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“I could have sat out the rest of last year with as bad as the ankle was, but I felt like I could play, and I wanted to get out there and play with my guys and help them win games,” Griffin said on ESPN Radio last year.

Griffin has a 14-21 record in three seasons as a starting quarterback with Washington, completing 64 percent of his passes for 8,097 yards with 40 touchdowns and 23 interceptions.

- Scooby Axson

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