Kirk Cousins: 'I’ve got to put other people ahead of me'

There has been great debate about the decision by the Washington Redskins to select Kirk Cousins in the fourth round after spending the second overall pick on Robert Griffin III.

With so many other pressing needs, how could the Redskins afford to spend another pick on a quarterback? Remember, they paid a king's ransom to get the No. 2 pick from the St. Louis Rams and this meant committing yet another selection to a quarterback. Their explanation was Cousins, the Michigan State product, was simply too good to pass up at that point.

It’s sparked a lot of criticism for the Redskins and some of it has merit. What hasn’t been tackled quite as much is the dead end that Cousins now appears to be in, forced into a position where there will be little opportunity to play unless disaster strikes.

“The cream always rises to the top, so if I’m as good as I hope to be some day, then I’m going to get that opportunity — whether here or somewhere else,” Cousins said, according to Mike Jones of the Washington Post. “But this is a great opportunity to learn and develop and to grow.”

That sounds easier and a bit more simplistic than it might be, right?

“At the end of the day, it’s not about me,” Cousins said. “I’ve got to put other people ahead of me. That’s not just on the football field as a quarterback, that’s in life. That’s just being a servant, and to me what it means to follow Jesus and be a Christian, so I’m going to put my teammates ahead of me.”

Redskins coach Mike Shanahan has already said Griffin will be the starter from Day 1. The guess here is veteran Rex Grossman will serve as the backup until Cousins is ready. Hopefully, he finds the chance to develop and grow.

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Brad Biggs covers the Bears for the Chicago Tribune