Acknowledging his place in the hierarchy of the organization, Kirk Cousins reiterated his understanding Tuesday that the Washington Redskins remain Robert Griffin III’s team.

Coach Jay Gruden, on the other hand, is backpedaling from his August declaration that Griffin holds “the keys to the franchise” in his hands.

Asked if Cousins might permanently replace Griffin in Washington, Gruden replied, via the New York Daily News, “Crazy things have happened in NFL. I’m not going to discount anything.”

Gruden could have remained noncommittal. He could have changed the subject. He could have brushed aside a long-simmering quarterback controversy and stood firmly behind the charismatic star for whom the franchise mortgaged three consecutive drafts.

via Chris Wesseling of NFL.com.