All of the focus in Washington has been on RG3 this offseason and for good reason.
Meanwhile, the original RG – or the RG that got to Washington first – continues to go about his job in the background.
Rex Grossman, the one-time first-round pick of the Chicago Bears and now a 31-year-old journeyman, prepares for his job as the backup quarterback of the Redskins. He’s splitting second-team reps with Kirk Cousins, drafted three rounds after Robert Griffin III.
According to Grossman, not much has changed for him.
“Roles change every day,” Grossman said, according to the Washington Times. “Some are more secure than others, but bottom line: You’ve got to go out and prove yourself every day and every year. There’s no guarantees in the NFL, I don’t care who you are. I think the quarterback position is no different than any other position on our team right now.
“(My situation) isn’t that much different from maybe 2010. Donovan (McNabb) was here, and I had to be ready to play and I had to play. So for whatever reason, I’ll be ready to go. And when I do get an opportunity, then it’s on me to play well.”
Grossman did not play well enough in 2011 and that was one of the factors that led the Redskins down a path to paying a high price to get the No. 2 pick in the draft from the St. Louis Rams to select Griffin. Ultimately, the franchise wants Cousins to become the backup but it will likely be hard for him to replace Grossman right away. He’s a good veteran to have around with two rookies in place.
The rookies have praised Grossman for helping them on the field and in the classroom as they take a crash course on playing in the NFL. It’s the hand that has been dealt to Grossman and he’s doing the best he can with it.
“You’d like to be the editor of the paper,” Grossman said, “but you’re not, so you do what your role is and you do it the best you can.”
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Brad Biggs covers the Bears for the Chicago Tribune