Somewhere along the line, Washington quarterback Robert Griffin III and then-Washington coach Mike Shanahan developed a deep rift. If they were ever on the same page, it seemed like it was by accident. Fast forward a couple years and Griffin isn't exactly successful, but at least he's compatible with his newest head coach, Jay Gruden.
Robert Griffin III facing make-or-break season in Washington
Robert Griffin III has one more year to prove his worth to Washington, and he’s likely facing as good a situation as he’s had thus far.
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Things certainly didn’t look like they were headed in that direction at first. Gruden wasn’t Griffin’s biggest fan last season, considering he benched the 2012 No. 2 overall pick during a lost year. Still, all indications are that the two are on the same page going forward. Gruden has specifically stated that a second year in this offensive system could lead to a “big jump” for Griffin.
A big jump is definitely needed, given he threw for just 1,694 yards with four touchdowns and six interceptions prior to being benched last season. Griffin has never been egregiously bad, but he also hasn’t been particularly solid since his rookie season in 2012. That year, he completed 65.6 percent of his passes for 20 touchdowns and five interceptions.
He led Washington to the postseason that year and he was well on his way to becoming one of the elite quarterbacks in the NFL. A whole lot went wrong between then and now, so much so that it was somewhat surprising to see that Washington is sticking with him going forward. More than that, the team exercised his fifth-year contract option, guaranteeing he’ll be there through 2016 at a high contract number.
That said, the $16 million he’ll receive in 2016 is only fully guaranteed against injury, and doesn’t become fully guaranteed in general until the first day of the league year in which the option is for. In other words, Griffin has one more chance to really shine with Washington, because the team can release him at any point this coming season without taking a penalty.
But if Gruden is being genuine, Griffin could be in line for a big year. He notes that Griffin has another year to learn the system, and with the two spending the entire offseason as if Griffin will be the starter, improvement isn’t just possible, it seems likely. Griffin was a high draft pick for a reason, and though this is a high-pressure situation, he has probably already felt like he’s been here more than once before.
“You’re not really thinking about who’s where, what’s my footwork,” Gruden said. “Everything should come a lot more natural for you, and hopefully, we see that transition from year one to year two in this system with the terminology and knowing where to go with your footwork and anticipation of getting the ball out quicker.”
Griffin himself echoed the sentiment, noting that Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers are all players with very stable organizations and coaching staffs that aren't constantly in flux.
Griffin is entering his fourth year in the league. Typically, we know by now if a quarterback will be successful or if he's reached his ceiling. There are some exceptions to the rule, however. New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (then with the San Diego Chargers) went from a guy who may or may not be special to being among the league's elite. He threw 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions that year.
It’s impossible to tell how Griffin will pan out at this stage, and that’s a good thing. Usually when we know all there is to know about a player after three seasons, it’s because that player is less than good. Griffin is somewhere in between right now, with every opportunity to prove the doubters wrong.
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