Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III is expected to be ready for the start of the regular season, but you have to wonder if his game will change at all. We all know it is the dual-threat of passing and running that makes RG3 so dangerous for opposing defenses. However, it is important to remember that Griffin has already torn his ACL twice — once in college and once last season.
In order to protect the future of their franchise, the Redskins may ask RG3 to run less. Does that mean Griffin is going to become a pocket passer? Not quite.
“What happened last year was a learning experience for all of us,” Griffin told ESPN’s Lisa Salters on Monday night, via DC Sports Bog, when asked if Washington would still run the read option. “There’s no worries for me. If teams are gonna give that to us we’ll take it. I feel healthy enough to run it, and like I told him, I can still hit turbo.”
Being able to hit turbo is a valuable part of RG3’s game, albeit one that may be utilized less this season. Last week, Griffin made it pretty clear that he is upset with Redskins coach Mike Shanahan for holding him out of practice and preseason games when he feels fully recovered. You have to wonder if the same disagreements will arise if Shanahan asks him to run less.
RG3 reiterated on Monday that he and Shanahan have no issues with each other.
“I had to call that, because people were taking the words from the previous press conference and taking it way out of hand, and that’s not what this team needs,” he said. “They need their leader and their coach to be on the same team, and that’s what we are. So my relationship with coach is great, we talk on the daily, and that’s that.”
For RG3 to be RG3, he needs to run. Running and making himself vulnerable are two different things. If he can learn to do the former without the latter, there should be no issues with Washington’s approach.
