RG3 may be done in Washington, but he doesn’t have to be done for good

Robert Griffin III has been benched in Washington, which means his career there is all but over.

The writing was on the wall when Jay Gruden, hired as head coach in part because of his work with offenses in general and quarterbacks in particular, boldly called out RG3’s “fundamental flaws” a couple of weeks back. Rookie coaches don’t blast franchise quarterbacks unless the quarterback is not long for the franchise.

Gruden smartly knew the only way to keep the rest of his locker room behind him was to call out Griffin for the lousy play and worse decision-making that players were seeing, and seething over, on film each week. It’s too easy for fans and media to see a frustrated DeSean Jackson pouting on the field and figure he’s a diva just interested in getting the ball. The truth is, he was wide open, repeatedly, and Griffin couldn’t find him.

It's also too simple to frame things as a personality conflict, like the crowd of football neanderthals was hating on poor, nice Robert. That wasn't all true, or at all fair, either. A QB doesn't have to be liked by the other guys, he just has to be competent. The NFL is a job, and guys want the job done well long before they want a friend. At this point, that makes Colt McCoy popular.

Washington gave up a ransom for the Heisman winner out of Baylor – trading three first-round picks and one second-rounder to the St. Louis Rams to select RG3 second overall. The fallout for that will sting for years. In the end, the Redskins got a guy who wasn’t close to comparable to first overall pick Andrew Luck.

Not even three full seasons in and RG3 is slowed by injuries and more painfully hampered by a lack of development. Whether Luck-Griffin winds up in the Manning-Leaf bin (minus Leaf’s off-field and legal troubles) of draft history choices remains to be seen.

That the above sentence could even be written would have been impossible to imagine as recently as two years ago, when Griffin was revitalizing the Washington franchise and thrilling the nation's capital and the nation at large with what appeared to be revolutionary ability.

He had 4.3 speed, a strong arm, a dynamic presence on the field. He filled up almost as many commercials as Peyton Manning. Everyone loved him.

Now what?

Griffin's contract calls for Washington to decide by May whether to pick up an $18.4 million extension for the 2016 season. So that isn't happening, which means he's done for that team.

His future will come down to how Griffin handles what must be a humiliating setback. He’s known almost nothing but success, so the emotional toll here could be significant. Does he wallow, or rededicate? We’ve seen too many top quarterback picks go bust who never really fought for a second chance.

Griffin has so many physical tools, even after the knee and ankle injuries. He didn’t just become a terrible player. He may never light up a field like he did when he was running the read option, but in the NFL that never lasts. Any franchise that puts its young QB in that position is inviting the inevitable injury.

In the debate over how the position should be played, the old, boring drop-back guy has won … again.

Griffin didn’t study the position, though. He didn’t learn to read the field or recognize open (or soon to be open) receivers. It was obvious because he didn’t trust himself enough to stand in and throw. Far too often he gave up on plays that were working to run around and buy time for a miracle. Instead he found a linebacker with ill intent.

Griffin will find a team willing to give him a chance next year, and the question is whether he attacks the opportunity. He needs to become the most dedicated quarterback in the game, just relentless in his preparation.

Even after all these years, you’ll find Tom Brady and Peyton Manning beating their teammates to the team facility each morning and not just showing up, but impressing everyone with the diligence of the time they put in.

Guys, who, at this point in their careers, could probably loaf a bit, don’t because they so respect and fear the game. They know the smallest thing can lead to a downfall.

How hard Griffin really worked is anyone’s guess. It’s too easy to say he did too many commercials or was too distracted by petty things. Maybe he had to spend so much time physically rehabbing from a knee injury exacerbated when his then-coach Mike Shanahan left him in too long in a playoff game loss his rookie year that he didn't have time for the mental side of the game. Only he knows for sure.

What is obvious is he didn’t develop his skills year-round like the great ones do. He didn’t prep for each game like the good ones do. He didn’t maximize the immense skills he was given.

Maybe he thought athletic ability was enough. Maybe he’s not wired the right way to play such a complex position consistently well. Again, there’s no telling.

Griffin is at the crossroads now though, what was obvious is becoming reality. The franchise that mortgaged its future to get him, built everything around his potential and fired one coach who couldn’t get him on track is now set to move on from the rubble.

What’s next for RG3?

That’s entirely up to him.