For years the Washington Redskins have suffered from not having a franchise signal caller. In the past decade the team has exactly one playoff win, and has finished the year with double-digit losses in six of those ten years. Come April 28, the Redskins hope to change all that by drafting not only a quarterback, but a player who wants to don the burgundy and gold.
Yes, Robert Griffin III might have chosen where he wants to play.
On Tuesday, Colts owner Jim Irsay tweeted that Griffin declined a private workout in Indianapolis. While this doesn’t necessarily mean that RGIII is a lock to go to Washington, it does help the case, especially when you consider that Griffin was in Chantilly, VA this past weekend to sign autographs at a venue about 35 miles from the Redskins stadium. The Baylor quarterback also has a visit to D.C. planned later this month.
While it has been widely accepted that Standford quarterback Andrew Luck is the number one prospect in the draft, followed by Griffin, some NFL scouts have said that Griffin is the better prospect and could be drafted ahead of Luck. Despite this praise, Griffin has remained open to whatever scenario presents itself.
“You know, I don’t mind playing in Indy, I don’t mind playing in Washington, it’s just a matter of what’s the best fit and who really wants you,” Griffin said in an interview on The SiriusXM Blitz. “And we’ll know on draft day, or maybe even before that.”
In that same interview Griffin said he watched Shanahan’s Broncos growing up, and that playing for him would be a “dream come true.”
Shanahan is often recognized as a strong offensive mind, and for good reason. He’s won two Super Bowls, and despite recent criticisms by Donovan McNabb that he could only succeed with John Elway under center, it’s important to note that every quarterback Shanahan coached for two years has made a Pro Bowl.
Griffin could get his shot to be the next successful quarterback in a Mike Shanahan offense as soon as the first week this season, The Washington Post reported. If he beats out Rex Grossman in training camp, who averaged almost two turnovers a game last season, Griffin will be thrown into the fire week one.
“You put him in there when you feel like he’s ready to go,” Shanahan said at the annual league meeting.
With the combination of Shanahan, young talent on offense like Roy Helu and newly acquired receiver Pierre Garcon, and a surprisingly stout Redskins defense that only gave up two 300-yard passers the entire year despite an anemic offense, Griffin might think the grass is a little greener in the nation’s capital than Indiana. The Colts, in contrast, lost four offensive lineman and their top two receivers, which is not exactly the ideal situation for a rookie quarterback.
It looks like the RGIII era is set to begin in D.C., and should bring the most exciting season Redskins fans have seen in a long time.
By Brian Paxton
