RG3 aiming to impress Redskins vets

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ASHBURN, Va. -- The question put to Washington Redskins receiver Santana Moss by a reporter after Monday's first full-squad workout made no reference to Robert Griffin III by name: "What were your impressions of the kid?"

Without missing a beat, Moss responded by mentioning Griffin's uniform number: "10?"

“

If we really do what we have to do and let him be who he is, and really get behind him, (there's) no limits to what we can do.

” -- Redskins WR Santana Moss
on rookie QB Robert Griffin III

Yes, of course, that's who everyone wanted to talk about: Griffin, aka RG3, aka "the kid," aka the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback the Redskins traded away three first-round draft picks plus a second-rounder to take No. 2 overall.

"He's been doing everything that we expect. He's looking sharp. He don't look like a rookie right now," Moss began.

Within a minute or so, Moss made reference to Eagles QB Michael Vick's skill while discussing Griffin's rollout ability, praised his new teammate's arm strength and humility, then summed things up this way: "If we really do what we have to do and let him be who he is, and really get behind him, (there's) no limits to what we can do."

Well, sure seems as if Griffin got off on the right foot in his first workout alongside veterans. Already anointed the starter by coach Mike Shanahan, the new QB zipped passes on rollouts to his right and left during the opening session of organized team activities.

The rookie minicamp that wrapped up about two weeks ago was a chance, Griffin explained, "to try to show Coach, 'Hey, you drafted me, I'm as advertised.' "

But spending time on the field with more experienced teammates starting Monday, he added, is more about making them see: "I can help this team win. Show them why Coach had so much confidence in you. So, yeah, it's a little bit more pressure."

Shanahan didn't share his thoughts on Griffin's showing Monday.

The coach didn't feel up to speaking to the media, a team spokesman said, after getting slammed to the turf when defensive back Brandyn Thompson ran into Shanahan during a play. Because of a steady rain, the team used its new indoor practice facility, and there wasn't much extra room.

Not surprisingly, though, others were effusive in their praise of Griffin. This is, after all, a team that started Rex Grossman and John Beck at quarterback last season.

"He's always alive. The play is always on, no matter what happens. ... He can make plays with his feet and then turn it into passes," said receiver Pierre Garcon, who joined the Redskins as a free agent this offseason. "He's taken leadership in the huddle. He's running plays the way it's supposed to be."

Tight end Fred Davis noted that Griffin "sees the whole field, and he can make throws that I think the other quarterbacks wouldn't be able to be quick enough to make. ... He's very fast, man. Very fast."

Linebacker London Fletcher, whose locker is next to Griffin's, likes what he's seen so far -- off the field, in particular.

"You can obviously see the maturity, the leadership, all the different intangibles you would like in your quarterback," Fletcher said.

"I'm in my 15th season," he added, "and to go into another year with not having a quarterback was not very appealing to me, I'll tell you that."

Notes

Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press

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