The Washington Redskins have often been a franchise of mistakes. These mistakes have ranged from giving absurd contracts, keeping coaches not worthy of a position, spending on old, washed up free agents and even locker room leaks. The latest mistake may just be the most mind-boggling of this young off-season. The mistake is naming Robert Griffin III as 2015 starter going into training camp.
Now before I go too into why this is a mistake let me put something out there. This writer was as big of a supporter of the trade and drafting of RG3 as anyone out there. I even changed the number I wear for my softball team to 10. 2012 was magical. I even thought 2013 was going to be eventful; as far as wins. But then something happened. There was this change in persona. Is it just perception? I am, by far, not the only one that was thinking it.
After listening to an interview done with Mike Shanahan on ESPN980 all my thoughts had been confirmed. RG3 had changed. He wants to try to be something that he may never become; a drop-back passer. He wants to be in the mold of Aaron Rodgers. Mike Shanahan even conveyed that Robert Griffin III is not ready for this and it would take 3-4 years.
That would be 3-4 years of consecutive play. RG3 barely has 2 full seasons as an NFL QB. Even though he will be entering his 4th season as QB of the Washington Redskins, RG3 has been injured so much that he has barely played 2 of those. If RG3 wants to succeed and be elite in the NFL, like many think he still can be, he needs to be patient and learn from his coaches.
The mistake, however, has been naming this kid the starter. He has shown his ill tendencies towards doing the things to be successful. He holds the ball too long in drop back situations. He seems to only be able to make one or two reads against a defense. His ability to be a playmaker still needs to be a factor. That is something that he seems to want to put in the rear-view mirror.
Does RG3 still have the skill set to be a starting QB in the National Football League? Of course he does. He is very knowledgeable, has a canon for an arm and can make every throw. The questions will still remain as to whether or not he can protect himself from further injury and can he succeed in the drop-back game. If he shows that he has improved in these 2 areas there should be no reason why he and the Redskins offense should not succeed in 2015.
Many, including myself, feel that there should have been an open competition in training camp. With RG3 being named this soon will there be a legit chance at another QB being under center in week one. Many, including myself, also feel that this is a result of Dan Snyder still calling the shots as to whether or not RG3 starts. If Dan Snyder is still calling these types of shots you can bet there will be many more mistakes for the Redskins in 2015.
