Is RGIII A Square Peg for Browns?

Most of the football talk in Cleveland at this time of year centers on the upcoming draft, and 2012 is no exception. 

The biggest name on the lips of Browns’ fans is Baylor QB and Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III.  Does GM Tom Heckert and coach Pat Shurmur want him, and can Cleveland get him on draft day.

There still are doubts as to whether or not the Browns actually want Griffin, but they are certainly perceived as a team who should be interested.

Many of the national experts say if the Browns do indeed draft the signal caller, they will need to adjust the offense to take advantage of Griffin’s talent.

That would mean more plays run from the shotgun formation, which Shurmur seemed to scorn last season for Colt McCoy, who is also more comfortable set up a few yards behind the center.

The head coach and team president Mike Holmgren have stated they prefer to have their quarterback under center, just like a “pure” west coast offense.

Look, quarterbacks need to take snaps from center, no one runs out of a shotgun at all times.  So, this is not to say that Shurmur should not develop his passers to be able to get the ball at the line of scrimmage, and be able to read defenses from that spot.

Even if Griffin is drafted, the coaching staff should work to get him comfortable playing from under center.  There is no question about that.

However, you still have to allow the guy to come in and do what he does best, and have him do it right away. 

If he’s as good as scouts say, he should be able to make a positive impact immediately for the Browns.  But you have to let him be the player he was at Baylor to some extent.

And the Browns need to start winning football games.  Everyone is aware the last three seasons have yielded records of 5-11, 5-11, and 4-12. 

It’s time to be at least a .500 football team if not better. 

It means the organization doesn’t have to time to teach a player who seems to be a top-notch prospect an entirely new way to play the game. 

Let him do what he does well.  Let him play in a style he is familiar with and succeed.

The bigger question is this:  Are Pat Shurmur and Mike Holmgren willing to do that?  The way they talk, they seem reticent, and if they are going to force Griffin to play one way and one way only, then 2012 is going to be yet another developmental year.

And developmental means another 4-12 or 5-11 campaign.

That’s not acceptable again.

The best coaches in sports take the talent they have and put those players in the best position to succeed.  Last year, Pat Shurmur didn’t do that. 

We can chalk that up to it being his first year on the job, but on the other hand there are a lot of former NFL coaches for whom it wasn’t enough to win, they had to win a certain way (see Mangini, Eric).

Look at the guy considered the best in the business, Bill Belichick.  He favored a strong defense and a running game when he was here, but when he got Tom Brady, he decided to air it out.

Don Shula did the same with Miami.  He won with Larry Csonka, Jim Kiick, and Mercury Morris in the 70’s, but when he got Dan Marino, he switched his thinking to take advantage of Marino’s golden arm.

The point is this:  If the Browns draft Robert Griffin III, here’s hoping Pat Shurmur allows him to do what he can do, and not try to make him a “system” quarterback.

JD