There’s been a rumbling belief that the Washington Redskins could have a quarterback controversy between franchise signal-caller Robert Griffin III and top backup Kirk Cousins, who has garnered plenty of trade interest in the past, but all of these rumors will be put on hold unless if RG3 struggles for a prolonged period of time. It’s been a tough climb for him from a severe knee injury, and his inability to escape big hits has caused him to be a magnet for criticism. But the biggest target painted on his back are the reports of how he creates a rift in the locker room, especially since the saga pitting him and Dan Snyder against former head coach Mike Shanahan is still fresh in our minds.
Phin Phanatic
RG3 was an absolute revelation as a rookie, as he set the league on fire while also leading the Redskins to an unlikely playoff birth with a huge streak to close the season. But in his second year, his lack of mobility following the injury showed off his flaws as a pocket passer, and coaches have been desperately trying to work on his footwork and technique in the hopes of developing some consistency for the uber-talented QB.
Former star quarterback and current ESPN QB guru Ron Jaworski is one of the best in the business, and he believes that RG3 has actually regressed in the technique department despite everyone’s best efforts.
He told ESPN’s Colin Cowherd, via the Washington Post’s Dan Steinberg, “He’s still developing. We’ll see what Jay Gruden and this new offensive staff can do for him. But clearly he’s got to learn to play from the pocket. His mechanics have regressed, by the way. They have regressed in the fundamental way of throwing the football: his throwing slot, his footwork, his inability to remain consistent in that. When you and I talk all the time, the word that comes up a lot in my mind is consistency. And we see a lot of players in this league, they make great throws. They can make a great play. But you have to do it on a consistent basis. That’s what separates the great players from the guys that have short careers.”
As Jaworski states, there is no doubting that RG3 is one of the most physically gifted players in the league, and he has every physical tool you look for in a QB. I mean, we all saw it on display in his rookie season. However, you can’t be a successful quarterback in this league without understanding the finer points of the game, and it doesn’t seem like he is comfortable under the pocket in the new offense, though he wasn’t exactly comfortable on the field last year either. I still have faith that his talent will shine through, but the microscope is still fixed squarely on him.