Washington Redskins: The Biggest Media Misconceptions About the NFL Team

In his third season at the helm, head coach Mike Shanahan has heard plenty about his Washington Redskins. 

If people aren't talking about the future of the Redskins, they're talking about the team's dismal past. 

If people aren't talking about Robert Griffin III and his future, they're talking about how terrible the Redskins have been at the quarterback position for more than two decades. 

As a fan, the media attention is normal...but an overload of misconception is tough to watch.

Here are some highlights (lowlights?) of the woes of the frequently media-maligned Redskins.

The Savior

It may not be blasted across the internet, but non-Redskins fans always accuse Washington fans of placing too much confidence in our team during the offseason. And that may be true. 

The Redskins are known for making a splash in the offseason. Naturally, the front office moves generate excitement amongst fans and we start to poke our chests out a little bit. In turn, all those non-fans think real Redskins fans are banking on a Super Bowl. 

Although fans have placed more than enough into new quarterback Robert Griffin III, no one is anticipating a championship run for the rookie. Eventually? Yes. But realistically, we're just hoping that RG3 is nothing like our quarterbacks of the past twenty years. 

Potential Superstar

In his first four seasons with the Washington Redskins, tight end Fred Davis has made great strides. He has caught 131 balls for 1,648 yards and 12 touchdowns in 55 games. And for most young tight ends, these are the promising numbers of a potential star player. 

Unfortunately, Fred Davis can barely keep his head on straight. Whether it's "oversleeping" practice as a rookie, testing positive for marijuana last season or his ongoing legal battles with a Washington, DC-based hooker, the 26-year-old tight end seems to have his hands full when it comes to balancing responsibility and acting like an adult. 

Don't get me wrong, a majority of Redskins fans appear supportive of Davis and his future with the franchise. But when others talk about Davis in the same light as big-time hybrid pass-catchers, I can't help but to think about his off-field issues possibly playing too big of a role in his on-field performance. 

Reliable Backup

If you didn't see him in Chicago, then you could have seen him in Washington. But whatever uniform Rex Grossman wears, he's terrible. 

With a new quarterback in motion—and with luck on his side—the Redskins have officially moved Grossman to the clipboard. Despite his 16-20 touchdown-to-interception ratio last season, some people are comfortable with labeling Rex Grossman a reliable backup. 

Although you could dig up some arguments as to why Grossman was retained, he's far from reliable. If the Redskins are shunned with an injury to their rookie signal-caller, just turn down the volume and look the other way. 

Cover Corner

Despite being a "bigger" name on the Washington Redskins roster, cornerback DeAngelo Hall could also be considered the team's most overrated. 

While being played as a No. 1 corner—and paid as a No. 1 corner—DeAngelo Hall rarely justifies either. Not only is his attitude suspect, but games will sometimes leave you questioning his motor and commitment to the game. 

With talks of moving Hall to the nickel in order to better utilize his playmaking talents, perhaps his performance improves. Although rationalizing his paycheck is difficult, Hall does have the chance to turn something around. By no means, however, is he a top corner in the NFL.