The daily Robert Griffin III injury updates are over. Now we can start talking about how the Washington Redskins quarterback will actually look on the field.
Players rarely return from a torn ACL as good as new right away. Even Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson's snaps were reduced to start last season. Quarterbacks like Tom Brady of the New England Patriots and Carson Palmer of the Arizona Cardinals didn't look as comfortable after their injuries, often struggling to step up in the pocket. Griffin says he isn't worried about taking contact after nearly eight months off.
"You don't really worry about it," Griffin told Philadelphia reporters on a conference call, via ESPN.com. "I don't think anybody prepares to get hit. It just happens. That's football."
We are fascinated to see how the Redskins use Griffin in his first game back. Coach Mike Shanahan and offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan did a great job of building the offense around him last year, adding new elements by the week. Those elements figure to change because of Griffin's injury.
There's so much we don't know at this point. The Shanahans will have to adjust as they see what Griffin does in game situations.
The biggest question is how Griffin will respond to being thrown into the fire. It's unfair to expect him to be the same player right away, and no one -- including RGIII -- truly knows how he'll respond to being on the field again.
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