Report: Robert Griffin III benched; Colt McCoy to start vs. Colts

Washington head coach Jay Gruden hinted that he could bench starting quarterback Robert Griffin III, and it looks like he'll do just that.

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, Griffin will be benched this week in favor of backup Colt McCoy. To say the QB situation in Washington has been like a game of musical chairs is quite the understatement.

After RG3 was lost to an ankle injury in Week 2, Kirk Cousins replaced him and played well in his first few starts, but began playing so badly that third-stringer Colt McCoy got the start and led the team to victory vs. the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football in Week 8. This, after coming off the bench to rally the team past the titans in Week 7.

Here is the report by Schefter:

Washington is planning to start Colt McCoy over Robert Griffin III on Sunday at Indianapolis, per a team source.

While Griffin is not a part of Washington's plan for Sunday's game, he still appears to be a significant part of the Redskins' long-term plan, per another source.

Yet right now, Washington is hitting the reset button, though it might not last long, a source cautioned. Washington has high hopes for the coming off-season.

For the first time since it surrendered three first-round picks and one second-round pick for the right to draft Griffin III, the Redskins will have their full allotment of picks in addition to room under the salary cap.

Behind owner Dan Snyder and general manager Bruce Allen, the team will be positioned to strike this off-season, spend big-time dollars and improve its roster.

Plus Washington hired Jay Gruden in large part for his stellar work with quarterbacks, and the team is convinced coaching, cash and patience can help turn Griffin back into the player who won the Heisman Trophy and Offensive Rookie of the Year in back-to-back seasons.

But for now, it has been a battle. Griffin III is coming off his most challenging NFL outing at San Francisco, where he was battered in the pocket and struggled when he did have time to throw.

It forced Washington to consider a change that is expected to become official Wednesday, when Gruden meets with reporters. On Monday, Gruden said he intended to start Griffin III vs. the Colts, but he never fully committed to it.