Before rookie Robert Griffin III ever threw a pass to Santana Moss or handed the ball off to Roy Helu Jr., he was installed as the Redskins' starting quarterback.
Every day since then, he has worked diligently to show his veteran teammates that they can trust and believe in him as their leader.
"I think as a quarterback, you have to learn the offense and build trust at the same time, which can make it a lot more difficult," he told the media after today's OTA. "I think [I've] been able to show guys that were already Redskins, that the new Redskins can help them win."
Griffin III isn't the only new Redskin with great expectations heaped on his shoulders. He's joined by free agent acquisitions Pierre Garçon and Joshua Morgan, brought in to make his job easier.
"We're got a couple new pieces, and you need to build up the chemistry with the rest of the guys," he explained. "I think we've done a great job of it. We look forward to playing, but the season is a long way away."
Part of Griffin III's task will be to immerse himself in the Shanahan playbook, which has a reputation for its complexities and terminology.
Griffin III feels comfortable with his progression from mini-camp, but knows he has a long way to go before Week 1.
"I feel a lot more comfortable today, whereas I didn't know anything before I got here," he said. "I think I know at least 60 to 70 percent of it pretty well, but you can't operate at 60 to 70 percent. You're got to operate at 150 percent with your offense, because not only do you have to know it, but you have to know what to do in certain situations. That's still to come."
Another element of his learning curve will be how well he meshes with his offensive line. Griffin III understands that his ability to make plays will be predicated by his ability to stay standing.
"It's a cliche, but your linemen are your best friend--they protect you," Griffin III said. "If you can be good friends with them and show them that you care about them, they'll protect even harder for you.
"I wanted to reach out to them and let them know I know who they are, and I know where we want to go," he continued. "I need them to do that."
