Washington Redskins Go From Beck Vs Grossman To Luck Vs RG3
By Chris Smith
What a difference a year makes.
This time last year, Washington DC was in the beginning of the most mediocre quarterback competition the NFL has ever seen. Many Redskins fans were feverishly hoping that Washington would draft a quarterback. Numerous NFL Draft experts had penciled in Blaine Gabbert for the position – I’ll admit I eventually became a believer.
As it turned out, Washington passed on a quarterback in the draft. Inexplicably, they passed on every single quarterback available in favor of the two quarterbacks they had on the roster the previous year – Rex Grossman and John Beck.
For the record, the strategy wasn’t so bad. Neither quarterback is an NFL starter but choosing to bypass other options allowed the Redskins to make critical improvements in other areas of the team. Three of the best draft picks the Redskins made in 2011 – Ryan Kerrigan, Jarvis Jenkins and Roy Helu – would not be with the team had Washington chosen to draft a quarterback early. This strategy also was designed to help the Redskins cap situation for the future – a strategy which failed only because of the overzealousness of the NFL Commissioner’s office to enforce a rule that doesn’t exist.
The quarterback competition in 2011 divided Redskins fans as each prospective QB had their supporters and detractors. Fast forward to the present day and there are now two new quarterbacks being discussed.
When the Washington Redskins made the biggest pre-draft trade in NFL history, a buzz began in Washington. Robert Griffin III was to be the new target and finally the Redskins would have the franchise quarterback they had waited for. That is, until Baylor’s pro day.
After seeing what RG3 is potentially capable of at his pro day, more and more NFL commentators are getting behind the former Baylor quarterback. All of a sudden, we are starting to hear talk that it may be Griffin that goes #1 instead of Andrew Luck.
What reaction has this possibility had from Redskins fans? You’d think there would either be an excitement that the former Stanford quarterback may fall to #2 or a dismissal of the possibility as an unlikely scenario. Instead, the fans have responded with shock at the thought that Andrew Luck may be the Washington quarterback instead of RG3.
In my view, this is absolutely ridiculous. Have people forgotten just how good Andrew Luck is? Robert Griffin III is an incredible athlete and has the potential to be an elite quarterback in the NFL. However, Andrew Luck is unique in that he is quite possibly the best pure quarterback prospect the NFL has ever seen. There hasn’t been a quarterback come out of college of this quality since Peyton Manning and arguably Luck is even better than that.
I have a message for Redskins fans as a Washington fan myself. For years, we have waited for the chance to get a franchise quarterback. Why must there be this possibility that Andrew Luck could be a Redskin be a problem? At the 2012 NFL Draft, the Washington Redskins will get the quarterback that has been anticipated for a generation. Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin III – it doesn’t matter. Both are worthy candidates.
So Washington Redskins fans, fear not – we must be grateful for what we have. We are lucky to be getting such a terrific quarterback. Any talk that getting Andrew Luck would be a bad thing is a sign of only one thing – a fan base that desperately wants to win.
The time of the Washington Redskins is coming. It’s time to celebrate the coming of a new franchise quarterback – be it Robert Griffin III or Andrew Luck.
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