As Robert Griffin III attempts to resurrect his NFL career with the Cleveland Browns, he isn’t exactly making a big impression this offseason.
ESPN’s Pat McManamon notes the quarterback is struggling with accuracy and has yet to produce a single “wow” moment during the six practices that were open to the media.
“It would be nice to say that he showed that he was doing just that in organized team activities and minicamp,” McManamon writes. “But in the practices open to the media, for every good throw Griffin executed, he had a bad one.
“There was a deep throw for a touchdown that ended minicamp, but before that three short passes were tipped, one was intercepted, two others could have been.”
At this point, it sounds like Browns fans should brace themselves for another season with Josh McNown at the helm.
Based on McManamon’s account, Griffin is displaying the same issues now that plagued him during his final two campaigns in Washington before Jay Gruden relegated him to third string and street clothes during games.
While he wowed as a rookie, he looked like the guy the next two seasons that some scouts were worried coming out of Baylor because he never played in a pro-style offense at college. From 2013-14, RG3 compiled a 5-20 record while throwing 20 touchdowns, 18 interceptions and fumbling the ball an astounding 20 times.
One of the positive traits he has always displayed is outstanding accuracy on short throws, but his decision making on mid-range and longer throws was not terrific during that two-year stretch. And he’s struggling with the same things during Browns team drills right now, per McManamon.
“In individual drills, Griffin showed off the magic arm that can be so impressive. But in team drills, he threw a lot of short routes, at times displayed poor footwork and often took the checkdown.
“OTAs lacked a ‘wow’ moment for Griffin, a stand-up-and-take-notice moment. That lack could be caused by many factors, including what the coach requires on a particular day, but it seems like at some point a throw or a read or a pass would attract attention.
“It didn’t happen.”
There was a good reason that the Browns were the only NFL team to show any real interest in Griffin this winter. Once a promising young star who appeared destined for great things, he is now struggling as a reclamation project and is in danger of finishing his career with the dreaded “bust” label.
Now, there is plenty of time for Griffin to turn things around. God knows, he has the natural talent to succeed, and he has a “massive chip” on his shoulders to prove his doubters wrong.
But one wonders if his experience in Washington ruined RG3 mentally. He was always a bit on the edge during his stint with the Redskins even before he was thrown into the waste bin by Gruden.
But rest easy Browns fans. Even if RG3 is abysmal this year or isn’t even good enough to start, the 2017 NFL draft will usher in Deshaun Watson out of Clemson. And if the Browns are bad enough in 2016, he’ll be an easy pick at No. 1.