Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota criticized for decision to throw at combine

It’s almost like clockwork. Every year, just before the NFL scouting combine, we get word that some of the bigger names at the quarterback position won’t be throwing during the combine. Then, also like clockwork, the critics come pouring out of the woodwork to criticize the quarterbacks for not competing.

However, this year Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota have flipped the script on its head, as both of the top rated quarterbacks in the upcoming draft announced they would be flinging the rock around in Indianapolis this weekend.

Considering the flack so many quarterbacks face for refusing to throw at the combine, you would assume that this group of signal callers would be lauded for their competitive nature and belief in their abilities, and for accepting the challenge of throwing at the combine, right? Not so much.

While some have applauded Winston and Mariota for their decision to throw, and football people seemed to be thrilled about the added excitement this should bring to the combine, the critics are back at it. Instead of celebrating Winston and Mariota’s decision, others took to criticizing the young men for making a decision that they believed could cost the quarterbacks money.

Criticizing Winston and Mariota for throwing at the combine is as silly as criticizing Cardale Jones for heading back to Ohio State after his miraculous championship run. Whether it’s Jones’ belief in his abilities that going back to school won’t get him exposed as a quarterback, or that he’ll win a position that isn’t promised him, or if It’s Winston and Mariota’s belief that throwing at the combine won’t hurt their draft stock, criticizing a young man for the way he wants to complete his journey is just wrong.

Sure, it’s a terrible idea to leave money on the table, and for some that’s the inherent risk these quarterbacks are taking with their decisions. However, this isn’t an exact science, and this isn’t your path.

Winston worth the risk, especially to Buccaneers

One of the biggest questions being asked heading into the 2015 NFL scouting combine is whether making a young man with the red flags associated with Jameis Winston the face of your franchise, is worth the risk.

For many around the NFL, there is no question about Winston’s talent, and many evaluators have said there would be no question he’d be the first overall pick in the draft if not for off the field concerns. While excelling in drills at the combine will be important for Winston, the interview process will be as important to him as it’s been to any player, in a long time. Teams have been sold on Winston as a player for a long time. Now it’s time for Jameis to sell them on the man.

For the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who hold the first overall pick in the draft, Winston is well worth the risk. At .385 the Buccaneers have the lowest regular season winning percentage in NFL history. This is a team and a fan base that, outside of the glory years under Tony Dungy and Jon Gruden, have dealt with mediocrity for too long.

The Buccaneers and their fans have been hampered with poor football, and poor quarterback play for almost the entirety of their existence. While some like to point to players like Russell Wilson and Tom Brady as examples that you can find your quarterback of the future later in the draft, the Buccaneers and their fans should know as well as anyone just how difficult and unlikely it is to just stumble into a great quarterback.

For Winston, Tampa Bay gives him as good of a chance to succeed as any of the teams at the top of the draft. While the Buccaneers lack talent, there are quality young men like Lavonte David and Gerald McCoy in the locker room, and a head coach in Lovie Smith who has always had a strong relationship with his players. Winston will also have Hall of Famer, and former Buccaneers and Seminoles great, Derrick Brooks in his corner. Brooks has already expressed a desire to mentor Winston if he were to be drafted by the Buccaneers.

When you take everything into account, the decision for Tampa Bay should be clear. For an organization like the Buccaneers who have dealt with so much bad football, and sub-par quarterback play, the risk of drafting Jameis Winston is well worth the potential reward.

Redskins, Jay Gruden, commit to Robert Griffin, III

Washington Redskins head coach Jay Gruden has announced that Robert Griffin, III will be the starting quarterback when the Redskins take the field in September.

Many questioned whether or not the team was still committed to trying to make things work with Griffin, after the team recently left Griffin off of a mailer to season ticket holders a couple weeks ago. Despite that speculation, and other speculation that the team may try to trade Griffin this offseason, this outcome was really inevitable.

The Redskins have to try to make it work with Griffin. They couldn’t trade him away and risk him actually playing well with another team before exhausting every possibility of it working in Washington. After completing the absurd trade which brought Griffin to Washington, the Redskins can’t give up on Griffin until his rookie contract expires.

Nobody paying any attention to what’s going on in Washington should be surprised that the Redksins are going to give Griffin one last chance to prove he’s a franchise guy. Nor should they be surprised that Gruden’s endorsement of Griffin was very luke-warm.

“Robert ended the season as our starter and we anticipate that going forward,” Gruden said at the NFL scouting combine. “He’ll be the No. 1 guy.”

Despite committing to Griffin as the starter, Gruden made it clear he needs to see more growth from his young quarterback.

“It’s up to Robert to continue to grow and mature as a quarterback and as a person,” Gruden conceded. “Moving forward we want to see improvement. It’s up to us as a staff to get more out of him.”

It’s clear that Griffin hasn’t done a good job of endearing himself to his coaches since coming into the NFL, but if he can’t grab the reins and hold onto the position this season, it may be him on the move instead of the coach this time around.