What's a Franchise Quarterback Worth?

With the NFL Draft coming up in less than two months and the mass amounts of speculation continues to build on not only what the Indianapolis Colts are going to do with Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck, but also what the St. Louis Rams will be doing with the second overall pick in the 2012 draft. It seems to be nothing but a lock that this pick will be Robert Griffin III, the 2011 Heisman Trophy winner form Baylor. The Rams announced earlier this week that they will be trading away the pick and hence, the speculation. You look across the league and there a handful of teams that are looking for that guy; a franchise quarterback. The names that seem to continuously get mentioned in these trade talks are the Washington Redskins, Cleveland Browns, and Miami Dolphins. I could talk all day about which team needs RG3 the most, but that's not what this is about, this is about how much they should give up to get him.

That is, and will continue to be, the biggest question that faces any and every team that wants to trade up and try to acquire RG3. What would you give up? Think about it, when is the last time a team that didn't have a franchise quarterback win a Super Bowl? The answer to that question is Brad Johnson of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl XXXVII in 2003. That's right; there have been nine Super Bowls since the last time a team has won without a franchise quarterback. So this raises the question that so many try to answer, how much is a franchise quarterback worth?

The end goal of every season is to be the last one standing, the Super Bowl champions. How can you explain to your fans that you are trying to achieve that goal if you don't have a franchise quarterback? The statistics are there and they show that you have to have one if you want a good shot at winning the whole thing. The three teams mentioned above (Browns, Dolphins, Redskins) have not had a franchise quarterback in a decade! Every single one of these franchise has tried numerous experiments, and they have all failed. Robert Griffin III represents much more for these franchises than just another player; he represents hope, a future, and an icon that will make fans want to come to the stadium. He is a player that will change a franchise, and I think all three of these franchises can see that.

There have been talks about what these teams are willing to give up. Some people say that it will take at least two first rounders to get the Rams' pick, but I strongly beg to differ. I strongly believe on draft day, as more teams fight for the pick and the pressure begins to reach its pick, it will take a MINIMUM of three first round picks. The Rams could not ask to be a better position, and this is something that they need to continue to let develop. There is not one team in the NFL that can say that they plan on winning without a franchise quarterback, and the Rams hold the key to that guy.

I would not be surprised to see three first round picks and a player, or even four first round picks be given up to acquire RG3. I personally believe that this is 100% worth it and he will prove to be the best decision that these teams have made in a horrible decade of quarterback play. Although these teams would be giving up all these picks, I do not believe it would hurt the franchise, only help. In this era of free agency and the great ability available every year in free agency, you can acquire first round talent to surround RG3 without the draft and risk of a first round pick. The decision is obviously not mine to make, but rather these franchises in search of invigorating their teams and fan bases, and so I ask, what will you do? Will you let someone beat you to a player that can change your franchise? Will you settle for mediocre to awful quarterback play? You answer the questions, you decide how much a franchise quarterback is worth, and come April 26th, you decide how much the Rams can cash in on.