Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III had a clear message at the team's Draft Day Party at FedExField Saturday afternoon: his teammates and him have closed the door on a frustrating 2013 season.
"We are not 3-13 anymore," Griffin III said. "We are 0-0, and I think we cherish that. We look forward to the opportunity to go out and play and let our play do the talking. You can learn from last year and we have talked about it enough. We have all learned, and we are moving on."
The Washington Redskins hosted their Draft Day Party at FedExFiled on May 10, 2014. In attendance were Redskins players, alumni, and fans.
One season ago, Griffin III stood in the same spot on the stage that he did Saturday and performed a set of jumping jacks to outwardly show his progress from surgery just months earlier.
Fast forward to Saturday, Griffin III said his "health is great now" and there are no concerns going into OTAs later this month.
In 13 games last season, Griffin III threw for 3,203 yards and 16 touchdowns, but struggled connecting with his receivers at times. Whether this was due to a timing issue after missing an entire offseason or simple misfortunes, Redskins general manager Bruce Allen emphasized strengthening the assets around the quarterback this offseason.
In free agency, the team acquired wide receivers Andre Roberts and DeSean Jackson, offensive lineman Shawn Lauvao and re-signed veteran wide receiver Santana Moss. Then, in this weekend's NFL Draft, the team used its pair of third-round picks to bolster the offensive line (Morgan Moses and Spencer Long).
Griffin III said he has enjoyed working with the wide receivers already and is looking forward to building a rapport with the rookie offensive lineman.
"They have gone out and made our team better; not only in free agency, but with the draft picks that we have gotten so far," Griffin III said. "We're a better team today."
Jackson is considered one of the fastest players in the NFL, and his speed is something the Redskins coaching staff is going to try to exploit in the coming season to free up the other weapons.
But Griffin III also wants people to remember "how good" Jackson's hands are.
"He's got a good catch radius," Griffin III said. "He can catch it almost anywhere. His thing is to just be dynamic. That's what he has to be. He will be that for us and I'm excited about that. "
As for the new offensive linemen, the 2012 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year said the team has enjoyed seeing that group build in depth over the past few months.
"We like the fact that we are solidifying that line and adding depth," Griffin III said. "They will be a great addition to our room. The guys that we have up front, we'll embrace those guys, bring them in and help them come along. All the guys that we have gotten so far [are] going to help us win."
With the offseason already half over, Griffin III is keeping his eye on the ultimate prize. Earlier last week, he posted a picture on his Instagram of the team's three Lombardi Trophies:
This team is continuously working hard this offseason to bring a fourth Super Bowl trophy to Redskins Nation, and strengthen the bond between the organization and the fan base.
"We're trying to bring this city together," Griffin III said. "We're all trying to do the same thing, and that's bringing this city together and have people actually feel good on Mondays."
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