The 2015 season for the Washington Redskins will be mainly dictated by the progress of Robert Griffin III. There is a lot of pressure placed on the quarterback this upcoming season. The team might have picked up the quarterback's fifth-year option, but that was hardly an endorsement for the future. As the Redskins continue through OTAs, Griffin has been showing improvement, but is it enough?
According to John Keim of ESPN.com, there is not an open competition for the starting quarterback job in Washington, but all eyes are on Griffin and whether or not he is improving. Early returns on Griffin have been positive. The quarterback has been extending plays, using his legs and making throws outside of the pocket. He is also looking stronger as a pocket passer, something head coach Jay Gruden is hoping to have. While Gruden has guaranteed that Griffin is the starter for 2015, he is hoping the quarterback can meet that challenge because he believes stability at the position.
"We would like to have stability. The receivers want stability, and that's very important," Gruden said, via ESPN.com. "I feel good about all three quarterbacks honestly and their progression. But we do need to settle on one -- it would be nice to settle on one. So it will have a positive influence on the receivers if we can settle on one so they can get the continuity and feel good about where they are going and all that. Really when you're talking about schematics of an offense, you're talking about route discipline and all that stuff. It shouldn't matter. They should be where they're supposed to be and the ball should be delivered on time, no matter who it is, and that's what we're trying to get the consistency of the position so the receivers feel good about where they're going and they're going to get the ball."
Kirk Cousins and Colt McCoy will be doing everything they can to battle Griffin for the top spot. Both players are on short-term contracts and would like to see the field at some point since it would be more of an audition for the rest of the NFL. If Griffin truly improves, it could force a trade of either Cousins or McCoy. However, if he struggles, it could guarantee that both quarterbacks return next year. Former offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan praised Cousins ability to be a star in the NFL as the backup maintains the belief that he can be a starter for any team.
