Even when you're right, you're wrong.
The Washington Redskins have been (fairly) criticized over the years for not having a franchise quarterback. But that critical missing piece wasn't due to a lack of trying on Washington's part. The Redskins have spent several first-round picks on hopeful franchise saviors. Patrick Ramsey (2002) and Jason Campbell (2005) didn't exactly pan out. Neither did No. 3 overall pick Heath Shuler (1994).
The Redskins have shuffled between consistent mediocrity and laughing stock over the past two decades. All of that was supposed to end with Robert Griffin III. Instead, the team faces more questions now than ever.
Griffin undoubtedly has more raw ability than any of Washington's failed saviors of the past. His rookie year wasn't just a breakout; it was an atomic explosion. In just one year, Griffin transformed the team into two things it hadn't been in a long time: cool winners.
The NFC East crown lay upon Washington's head at 10-6. Perhaps more importantly, it was suddenly cool to root for the Redskins. No longer were they a circus of dysfunction. Griffin established them as threats on the field and as a hot attention-grabbing commodity off of it.
But with another lost season at 2-5 and another major injury to Griffin (his second since entering the league), the Redskins still don't know if they have their franchise quarterback on the current roster.
"He has got to come out and, when he gets healthy, prove he has got the capability to be a franchise-type quarterback," Gruden said this past week. "He showed so much promise his rookie year. The second year he gets hurt and has all those distractions. Then he comes out here, gets a fresh start and gets hurt. When you're judging a quarterback, you judge progress and consistency. Right now there has been not much progress and very little consistency."
Will Griffin be productive when he returns from a dislocated ankle suffered in Week 2? Can he regain his rookie year form when he was the most exciting player in football? These are the dominant storylines when it comes to the Redskins.
"When Griffin returns to competition, what Gruden will look for is smart decision-making in the pocket, the poise to handle pass-rush pressure in clutch situations and, above all, the ability to lead Washington to victory," Liz Clarke of the Washington Post wrote.
"He might miss a throw here or there, but as long as he doesn't make the catastrophic mistake and make it about himself more than about the team, you've got a chance," Gruden said.
The catastrophic mistake, something Redskins' fans have become all too familiar with during backup Kirk Cousins' time as starter this season, is something Griffin has rarely made, even during his disappointing second-year. He has 43 total touchdowns against 21 total turnovers in his career. However, Gruden wasn't on the job in RGIII's scintillating rookie season. He can only judge the third-year quarterback on what he's seen in person.
"I've had him for training camp and [offseason workouts], and obviously it's a totally different speed," Gruden said. "One game against Houston, in which he didn't play very well, and the first quarter against Jacksonville is all I've had so far. It's not much. We're still in evaluation process. I want to see how far he has come."
While some fans and NFL observers may be optimistic that Griffin can regain his prior form and elevate the Redskins once again, others aren't so sure. Louis Riddick, a former NFL safety and Philadelphia Eagles executive who now works for ESPN, still has questions about Griffin's durability. But even more pressing are his questions about Washington's ability to create a winning environment.
"I wouldn't want to be in their position," Riddick said. "Not only are you worried about his durability, and rightfully so, but given the fact that this team continues to struggle, it just seems like it's a never-ending cycle of hope that constantly gets snuffed out once the season starts for various reasons. Some of it is nobody's fault; some of it is people's fault. The ground always seems to be shaking beneath the entire organization. It's unfortunate. It doesn't give you confidence in anything, let alone the quarterback position."
Riddick mentions the team's eight head coaches in the past 14 years, constant turnovers in the front office and failed expectations as major franchise drawbacks. And he's right. The Redskins have consistently squandered talent, sacrificed valuable draft capital and bet on the wrong people in important positions. What's to say that trend won't continue?
Griffin has started 30 games in his career, and has looked good for roughly half of them. But the Redskins have no way to know what he'll look like when he returns. Hopefully, RGIII will show signs of progress and prove that he's still capable of being a franchise quarterback. All the Redskins can do in the meantime is continue to try and build a winning team and a professional environment around him.
That and hope.
