Coach on Robert Griffin III: 'There's no coming back. He is done'

In 2012, the Redskins captured the NFC East crown and Robert Griffin III took the NFL by storm.

A nasty ACL tear ended his 2012 season, and RG3 hasn't been the same player since.

ESPN Insider NFL columnist Mike Sando released the newest edition of his "Quarterback Tier" project in which 35 league insiders rate all 32 starting quarterbacks from 1-5 according to their "tier."

Griffin, coming off a season where he went 2-5 in seven starts, was given a 3.91 rating. He finished 28th in the overall ratings, and one offensive coach relegated him to the fifth and lowest tier, which per the story was "reserved for the very worst."

"Five, and there's no coming back. He is done," the offensive coach said. "The reason is, the injury slowed his legs, and his ego will not allow him to hit rock bottom and actually grind his way back up the right way."

Another league source supported the notion.

"To get better in this league, you have to have a degree of humility," a personnel director said. "Griffin sees himself like Peyton [Manning], in that light. When he looks in the mirror, he is seeing things that everybody else is not seeing. That is why I was surprised when they gave him the fifth-year [option] and said it was an easy decision."

On the other hand, one general manager disagreed, pointing out that Griffin is still only 25 and has time to assimilate to a new head coach and system.

"He showed his rookie year that he could be a 1," the GM said. "He is a young guy. I'm going to give him the benefit because of that."

The insiders were a little kinder to Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford and to their former quarterback Nick Foles. Both were ranked in the third tier: Foles ranked 22nd; Bradford tied for 23rd with Vikings second-year quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.

The reports were familiar.

For Bradford it's all about the injuries. Bradford has played in only seven games the last two seasons, tearing his ACL twice. Still, there are those who see promise in the former No. 1 overall pick, especially in Chip Kelly's quarterback-friendly offense where his accuracy could be a huge asset, according to one defensive coordinator. That defensive coordinator also added that he thought Bradford would be an upgrade over Foles and Mark Sanchez.

"There is no quarterback I loved more than him coming out," a head coach said. "I am pulling for him. If he can stay healthy, he can be so accurate. Keep him as a three but only because of the injury factor."

Foles put up video game numbers in 2014, throwing 27 touchdowns and only two interceptions. His passer rating of 119.2 was the highest in the NFL and the third highest in league history. After a shaky 2014 season, the question is whether his 2013 season was a glimpse at his ability or a product of Kelly's offense.

"I think in that Chip Kelly system, once he figured it out, he operated it and did a great job early on," a personnel director said. "But I do not think he is talented [enough] where he will be that way year in and year out, or week in and week out. He is a little stiff in the pocket. I don't think he has great arm strength. He has pretty good accuracy. I don't know that he sees everything."

One personnel director said Foles is "a 'solid three' who should upgrade the situation in St. Louis." The same St. Louis team that spent the first overall pick on Bradford to be their franchise quarterback back in 2010.