HOUSTON -- Texans owner Bob McNair fired the question right back.

A reporter asked if he found it important to go out and get a quarterback.

"It's not a department store where they're out there on the shelf and you just pick one up," McNair said. "No. 1, it's a question of who's available. Who do you have in mind?"

We all thought it was a rhetorical question and waited for him to continue.

"Tell me," McNair said, instead.

The Washington Redskins are expected to release Robert Griffin III soon, so I took a shot.

"Griffin's been injured," McNair answered, then he heard Kevin Cooper, his communications director, reminding him Griffin was under contract. "And he's still under contract.

"You know, most of these people are under contract. We've looked at a number of them that weren't and we picked the ones that we thought were the best of the group. We need to get us a good young quarterback in the draft and bring him along. We've got Tom Savage -- we've got to work with him and see if he'll develop and perhaps be the kind of player we'd like for him to be."

The draft is unpredictable. Free agency can be, too, but when it comes to quarterbacks, the best ones usually don't hit free agency. Griffin, who won the Heisman Trophy at Baylor in 2011, is one who lost his starting job with Washington and comes with several warnings. I asked ESPN staff writer John Keim, who has covered Griffin for his entire career, for a scouting report.

Keim: The Redskins did not think Griffin could develop into a drop-back passer, and if that's what Houston is looking for, then I'm not sure why he'd be their guy. Griffin is a hard worker; he's highly competitive in the weight room and he'll put in the offseason work in terms of improving his agility, his arm, etc. But the knock here has always been the film study. While he's a grinder in other areas, no one would describe him that way in terms of film study. Not that he never watches film, but it's not done in the same way as other quarterbacks. It's one reason they love Kirk Cousins. One problem the Redskins had is that Griffin wouldn't go through his progressions quick enough and that he'd take way too many sacks. Sometimes it was because of the line, and other times it was simply because he waited too long to throw -- or didn't trust what he sees and therefore misses an opportunity. He rarely threw with anticipation. I think Griffin is smart, but in terms of picking up a complicated offense, I don't think it would happen in one offseason. He was in Jay Gruden's offense for a second season and the hesitation remained and was noticeable during the practices versus Houston and thereafter. Griffin still has a strong arm, he's still athletic, and based on the quarterback play in this league, he will get another shot somewhere. But it will take patience to help him develop, unless they're willing to run a different offense.

If film study is an issue for Griffin, that would be a big one for Houston. Texans coach Bill O'Brien and offensive coordinator George Godsey put a lot of time into their play-calling and game-planning. Because the offense is a game-plan offense, it requires the quarterback to understand everything he sees and everything that's expected of him on a certain play. It takes film study, and knowing the right way to study film, to be able to do that.

A quarterback is a long-term commitment. At 26, there's still time for Griffin to grow and develop into a solid NFL quarterback. The Texans have been searching for that for most of their 14-year existence. They shouldn't pass an opportunity to find out if Griffin can be that guy.