Washington Redskins: The Future is Now

The Washington Redskins are on the clock in the first round of the NFL draft for the first time in three years. Just three ultra-long seasons ago, the team traded up to select embattled quarterback Robert Griffin III in a move that sent shock waves around the league. Washington assumed that with this move, they would come away with one of two possible franchise signal callers.

At the time, Andrew Luck (Stanford University) and Griffin (Baylor University) were regarded as the top two quarterback prospects not just in the 2012 draft, but perhaps in several.

Luck was the prototypical fixture that had the look of a sure-fire star at the next level. Griffin however had swagger, a big arm, decent quarterback skills and supreme athleticism that had not been seen in a complete package at the position — possibly ever.

Perennial All-Pro Randall Cunningham and even Michael Vick are two quarterbacks who came before Griffin that show what his type of athleticism can do to defenses. But RGIII possessed something that these talented signal-callers lacked… charisma and a celebrity status well before he threw his first NFL pass. Winning the Heisman Trophy in 2012 was his true coming out party as a national celebrity.

Fast forward to three years later and the verdict is still out on the Baylor product even after earning NFL Rookie of the Year in 2012. He set a record with 815 rushing yards in a season. In his first campaign he helped a team win their division that, up until his arrival had, for four straight years, finished last-place in the NFC East. But the worst thing that could have happened to a young athlete, happened to him. He re-injured his ACL in an ill-fated playoff game against the Seattle Seahawks to close out his captivating rookie season.

Two other unfortunate things have happened to Griffin — albeit indirectly. Nevertheless, they have affected his status amongst fans. Some could say these events were unfair to him but it adds more fuel to the critics’ fire.

One was the emergence of Luck as one of the games’ best at his position. He has taken the Colts to three playoff appearances in his first three seasons, the last being the AFC Championship game. His value as the No. 1 pick in the 2012 draft has been cemented.

The second was the arrival of quarterback Russell Wilson in Seattle. Wilson, who played his college ball at North Carolina State and Wisconsin, was under the radar of several NFL teams because he was considered too small or too much of a project coming from run-happy Wisconsin. But over his first three seasons, he has had more success than Griffin and even Luck when it comes to winning.

Wilson has helped the Seahawks reach the Super Bowl the past two seasons, winning it two years ago. He has been in the playoffs in each of his first three seasons, like Luck, as well.

Because Griffin came into the league with much more fanfare and hype he was instantly put in a situation where he needed to be successful. Add to that what the Redskins gave up to get him (three first-round picks) and he had to make the dividends pay instant results.

In his rookie season, he did. He was a human highlight reel while his every move was carefully watched. Critics complained that he was being used incorrectly in former Head Coach Mike Shanahan’s (and his offensive coordinator son Kyle’s) system, where he could run with the ball freely in the read option. This offense had similar aspects to what Griffin ran at Baylor with great success. The critics however — and there were plenty of them — argued that it was just a matter of time before he would get injured or exposed.

That last sentence sums it up. Several trusted sources that have played in the league for years have said that they all knew it was coming. They knew that, however electrifying Griffin was, the NFL has fast defensive players with malice on their mind.

During his rookie year Griffin took an inordinate amount of hits. Some were due to the scheme being run and some were his fault. The youngster had yet to learn how to not get sacked correctly or as the elder Shanahan would say “get down and live to play another down.”

Now the NFL draft is quickly approaching and the Redskins are poised to have a new player walk to the podium on opening night for the first time in three seasons.

What should they do?

It’s no secret that new General Manager Scot McCloughan has earned his new income so far by upgrading a defense that couldn’t get pressure on anyone’s quarterback… or cover anyone’s receivers… or tackle anyone’s players or… you get it. The offseason moves made have been unanimously one sided and that is a good thing.

A young quarterback’s best friend is a running game, a defense and an adequate offensive line. The Redskins already have the running game in Pro Bowl back Alfred Morris and seemingly; they have upgraded their defense with the acquisitions of defensive ends Stephen Paea and Ricky Jean-Francois, defensive tackle Terrance “Pot Roast” Knighton, cornerback Chris Culliver and safeties Jeron Johnson and Dashon Goldson. That’s five starters and a major reserve to jump start the defense.

It’s no secret around the beltway or in league circles that the team must upgrade their offensive line. For Griffin or any other signal caller to be successful here they have to have time in the pocket. It is well documented that this author feels that, for Head Coach Jay Gruden to be successful here in D.C., he must get the most out of Griffin’s talents. If he wants to see more pocket-passing skills from the fourth-year player, then give him a pocket to throw from.

Going back to Luck and Wilson… they have played in the same systems since their arrival in the league. Wilson has a running game in Marshawn “Beast Mode” Lynch and a great defense led by the brash Richard Sherman. Luck has a stellar offensive line and an opportunistic defense that is better than some give them credit for.

For Griffin to tap into his rare skill sets as a dual-threat-NFL-caliber-quarterback, there will have to be a learning period with all the pieces intact around him. That did not happen in his first three years.

Now that the defense has been taken off of life support, it’s time for the team to focus on getting offensive line help that gives instant results. They can’t draft a lineman with high draft picks and not play them from Day One. They don’t have the luxury of developing a “prospect” with a high-round selection. When you are a bad football team, high draft picks should be on the field.

If an offensive guard, tackle or center who was taken early can’t get on the field when he has been practicing against a defense that hasn’t been any good then that lineman is not any good or hasn’t been coached up properly.

The team should come out of this year’s draft with at least three offensive lineman with one starter amongst the trio.

There are several players out there who could come in and start immediately, maybe even two if McCloughan continues to work his offseason magic. One thing is for sure… if the team has Robert Griffin III in its best interest, it will be in the best interest of all to fix the offensive line.

Now is the time.