To RGIII or not to RGIII? That is the Question
Redskins fans all across the country have each asked the same question to themselves since the football season ended, who will be the next quarterback of the Burgundy and Gold? The answer isn’t as simple as most would think.
While the majority of fans believe Robert Griffin III is the answer to the problems the Redskins have had over the span of the last 20 years, there is good reasoning to speculate the opposite as well.
The asking price for Griffin is speculated to be through the roof (swap of 1st round picks this season as well as next years 1st, this year’s second and probably another pick). For a team such as the Redskins that have pressing needs at several positions, a move like that could be fatal if things don’t work out.
Then again, NOT making a move like that could keep the Redskins without the signal caller they need so desperately to move forward in today’s NFL. I am a firm believer in the notion that Griffin could learn the Shanahan system in time, and would fit Shanny’s love of the bootleg, but the fact that Griffin played out of the shotgun offense exclusively in college scares me a bit, to be honest.
The draft picks used to trade for the ability to draft Griffin could turn out to be Hall of Famers or busts, no one knows the answer to that. What we do know at this point is that beyond the need for a quarterback, the Redskins also have pressing needs at wide receiver, right tackle, cornerback and perhaps safety that need to be addressed either in this year’s draft or in free agency.
With the needs that the Redskins have, the decision on RGIII is a critical one that could very well affect the growth of the franchise for years to come. Older Redskins fans may find themselves a little gun-shy still of drafting a signal caller that high in the draft with thoughts of Heath Shular still dancing in their heads. The fact is, if the Redskins want to move into the league’s elite category ever again they will have to have a franchise player at the position. The NFL has morphed into a passing league now, and those that can’t move the ball efficiently through the air tend to get left behind.
One thing is for sure; this may very well be the make or break moment for Mike Shanahan in DC, another year of a failing offense with no direction for the future would not look good for his case to stay as the coach.
