Before the games, Griffin would often greet players as they were stretching--going down each line from player to player, giving hugs and fistbumps. Here, he greets outside linebacker Ryan Kerrigan before the game against the St. Louis Rams in Landover.

Sept. 20, 2015 Before the games, Griffin would often greet players as they were stretching--going down each line from player to player, giving hugs and fistbumps. Here, he greets outside linebacker Ryan Kerrigan before the game against the St. Louis Rams in Landover. Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post

Ever since Redskins head coach told reporters “It’s Kirk’s team,” Robert Griffin III has been relegated to the sidelines. Here’s a look at what Robert Griffin has been doing since then.

Ever since Jay Gruden told reporters “It’s Kirk’s team,” the 2012 rookie sensation has been relegated to the sidelines. Here’s a look at what the quarterback did while not suited up.

Ever since Jay Gruden told reporters “It’s Kirk’s team,” the 2012 rookie sensation has been relegated to the sidelines. Here’s a look at what the quarterback did while not suited up.

When the Washington Redskins finally release Robert Griffin III, an NFL executive and coach will roll the dice on the Heisman Trophy winner who spent 2015 as a third-string quarterback. But what kind of future Griffin has in store remains unclear.

Over the past two weeks, league executives, scouts and head and assistant coaches offered a range of opinions on Griffin’s prospects. Because Griffin remains under contract with Washington, all spoke on the condition of anonymity so they could freely give their opinions without subjecting their teams to tampering charges.

Of the dozen interviewed for this story, the majority expressed a belief that Griffin is capable of landing a starting role with a new team next season, citing both the lack of sure-fire talent available in this year’s draft and the playmaking ability Griffin showed in 2012, when he was named the offensive rookie of the year.

[RGIII to Dallas? His coach at Baylor loves the idea.]

Others were more skeptical, expressing doubts over Griffin’s ability to stay healthy and saying opponents have figured out what he can and can’t do and thus know how to stop him.

1 of 29 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad × The rise and fall of RGIII, in photos View Photos After suffering from injuries throughout his career, Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III lost his starting position. Caption After suffering from injuries throughout his career, Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III lost his starting position. Dec. 10, 2011 As quarterback for the Baylor Bears, Robert Griffin III won the Heisman Trophy in 2011. Before he played football, Griffin was an all-American track star at Baylor. Kelly Kline/Associated Press Buy Photo Wait 1 second to continue.

Ultimately, Griffin’s chances at future NFL success hinge on what kind of quarterback he is willing to work to be — and whether he can find a situation that will allow him the opportunity to do so.

‘He can still play’

Griffin hasn’t dazzled since his remarkable 2012 season. Sustained health and consistent play from the pocket have proven elusive. Still, he has shown flashes, observers say, and five of the league insiders — a front-office executive, two coaches and two scouts — believe there is just too much talent there for Griffin not to start for some team in 2016.

Whether it was three 300-yard games to open the 2013 season, or the way he directed the Redskins against Jacksonville before getting hurt in Week 2 of 2014, or the game-winning drive he directed against Philadelphia in Week 16 of that season, Griffin has displayed starting capabilities, the five proponents said.

“Of course he can still play,” an AFC pro scout said. “He can make all the throws; he can run. He’s shown that. It isn’t just on the player. Coaching does come into it. You’ve got to be willing to adapt your system to a player’s strengths. I know he didn’t want to run that anymore, but I think he’s probably been humbled and he’s probably been working to get better. If he finds the right situation, he can be a starter again. For sure.”

Said a pro scout from an NFC team: “There isn’t a quarterback in this draft as talented as RGIII. They’re all developmental guys that will need to hold the clipboard for a few years. Griffin can play right away.”

Any team signing Griffin would do so partially on faith, because he produced just two shaky preseason outings in 2015 and an uneven body of work in 2014. A general manager, asked about Griffin’s prospects, said that his overall body of work, plus the maturity he displayed last season after getting benched, likely will help his chances.

“He has handled himself well this year in a tough situation,” the general manager said. “It’s probably a good thing to be humbled. He’ll go somewhere, get an opportunity and show he can still play. He’s a Heisman Trophy winner, had a great rookie season. That doesn’t just happen. He’s just got to find the right situation.”

Instead of posing after games, college teammates Terrance Williams and Robert Griffin III could be pro teammates in 2016. (Tim Sharp/Associated Press)

‘No. He’s done.’

As another high-ranking talent evaluator from an NFC team points out, there is a graveyard full of the careers of great college quarterbacks who didn’t pan out in the NFL. A slew of heralded prospects have been unable to adjust to the speed of the NFL game and the complexity of its defenses.

Skeptics attribute Griffin’s rookie success to something that can’t be replicated: an element of surprise. He thrived greatly as a rookie partly because of his world-class athleticism, but largely because he directed an offense that Mike Shanahan and Kyle Shanahan — taking cues from Baylor’s playbook — tailored to his strengths.

“He was running a system the league had never seen before. Not on that scale,” an NFC front-office executive said. “They didn’t know how to stop it. But coaches are smart. They did their homework in the offseason, came back the next year, and that element of surprise doesn’t exist anymore. So, RG doesn’t scare them anymore.”

Griffin had his knee reconstructed between the 2012 and 2013 seasons, and an ankle dislocation sidelined him for six weeks in 2014. The injury history prompted one AFC defensive coach who has faced the quarterback to say that regardless of the team that signs Griffin, or the system he plays in, he will not experience sustained success.

“No. He’s done,” he said. “He can’t stay healthy. Running the type of system that he needs to run, his body isn’t able to hold up in the NFL. He can’t play the way he needs to play and stay healthy.”

Another AFC assistant coach said he didn’t see why Griffin couldn’t run a system similar to what Cam Newton runs for Carolina. However, two critics pointed out that Griffin lacks Newton’s body type and durability.

One NFC executive thought it might serve Griffin well to be a backup again next season.

“His problem right now is his accuracy, which is a direct reflection of his bad footwork and mechanics in the pocket,” the NFC executive said. “Although he is fast, he is not the dynamic change-of-direction athlete that many think he is. This offseason should be all about getting back to the basics for him. He’ll be a good backup for someone that can provide a spark off the bench.

“Coming out, you loved his playmaking ability and the touch he showed on his deep ball. You knew that he wasn’t a finished product and that it would be an adjustment for him to learn the different coverage reads and sight adjustments.”

Three big questions

Perhaps the biggest uncertainty about Griffin is his willingness to return to a system that uses him frequently as a runner. He repeatedly said he envisioned himself developing into an Aaron Rodgers-style quarterback who uses his legs to buy himself time to throw.

Griffin and Jay Gruden, the coach who benched him in 2015, agreed that the read option used in small doses can help keep a defense off balance, but both said that heavy doses likely would lead to more injuries.

Mike Shanahan, who was fired at the end of 2013, often said that Griffin needed to learn how to slide and find other ways to protect himself. But Griffin, both as a third- and fourth-year player, didn’t exhibit an ability to do so.

Seeking to limit his risk of injury, Gruden and Griffin agreed that a West Coast offense predicated on timing, short drop-backs and quick releases, was the way to go. But Griffin struggled in those areas, at times confusing three- and five-step drops and holding on to the ball too long.

Because Griffin hasn’t played since the preseason, it is hard to envision him having made significant strides, one coach said. The quarterback routinely remained on the field long after practice to work on his mechanics, but such solo work, and even practice work, differs greatly from game speed.

“As a quarterback, it’s very hard to grow and develop when you’re not getting those game reps,” the coach said. “You really have to take advantage of every opportunity in those practices and treat them like games. But it’s really a challenge because it’s not the same.”

Time on the sideline might have “humbled” Griffin, as the talent evaluators put it, perhaps leaving him more receptive to running an offense similar to Washington’s in 2012. But that leads back to the durability issues.

And so, potential Griffin suitors are left with three big questions: Does he still view himself as a pocket passer rather than a dual-threat quarterback? Has he improved enough to run a pro-style offense with the necessary crisp accuracy and timing? And has he learned how to protect himself to improve his durability?

What has to happen

Even those coaches, scouts and executives who maintained confidence in Griffin expressed that belief with one caveat: Griffin could only excel if he is in the right situation and paired with the right staff that believes in him.

At least five teams — the Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans, New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers — will likely look to add quarterbacks this offseason. But a job vacancy doesn’t mean an ideal situation.

One coach said Griffin, who might not be released until March 9, can only succeed under a coach who commits to fully overhauling his system to enhance Griffin’s strengths and mask his deficiencies, much like Washington did in 2012. But that coach described such a scenario as highly unlikely.

Some talent evaluators wondered whether Griffin will receive a fair shake on his next team. A study published in October on race and quarterback survival in the NFL concluded that African American quarterbacks, between 2001 and 2009, were twice as likely as white quarterbacks to be benched.

[When RGIII lands elsewhere, will he receive a fair shake?]

Throughout the 2015 season, fans and media members speculated about whether race was a factor in Griffin’s demotion in favor of Kirk Cousins. That odd quarterback transition began once Griffin was placed in the concussion protocol by the team during the preseason. Those surveyed were split on whether they felt race played a role.

“I don’t see how Griffin couldn’t have done what Cousins did this season,” said one NFC scout, noting that Cousins had better protection under offensive line coach Bill Callahan, who was new to Washington, and benefited from the emergence of tight end Jordan Reed.

[Should the Redskins extend Jordan Reed now?]

Another NFC executive, though, didn’t think that Griffin could have thrown for 4,166 yards and finished fifth in the NFL with a 101.6 passer rating, as did Cousins, who came from a pro-style system at Michigan State. That background, the executive believed, made him a better fit for Gruden’s West Coast offense than did Griffin’s time in a spread/read-option offense at Baylor.

“Hence why the Shanahans adjusted what they usually do to fit his skill set,” the executive said. “RGIII’s main problem is himself and the bad advice that he’s been given. At some point, he has to look in the mirror and take responsibility for himself and stop looking to blame others. It’s time to man up.”

Wherever he lands, Griffin will need to continue to develop his game. Based on his approach during the 2015 season, and according to those who have spoken with him, he appears committed to doing so.

Because of that, even Gruden, who deemed Griffin an ill fit for his system, believes Griffin will exhibit growth at his next destination.

“In the long run, hopefully it’ll make him a better quarterback,” Gruden said. “I know he grew a lot being a third-string quarterback here: different system, different terminology. Things like that were new to him. I think the skill set that he has and he learned from Shanahan, the new stuff that he learned from us, I think that will make him a better quarterback wherever he goes — however it works out for him.”