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CLEVELAND -- The next chapter for Robert Griffin III begins here, a place where so many quarterbacks' stories have ended. Griffin hopes to become the Browns' 25th starting signal-caller since 1999 -- and only the second during that span to produce a winning record -- as he labors to revive his career after a meteoric rise and fall. With so many hurdles laid out in front of Griffin, the Browns may be able to help him and themselves as well by turning back the page. Griffin is at his best while running with the football. The Browns should put him on the move again. Following four mostly humbling seasons in Washington, Griffin, who once bristled at the notion that he had to run to be effective, now seems open to any idea that will help him stay in the game. "I'm not afraid to do what's best for this team," Griffin said after workouts Wednesday. Those words should serve as new coach Hue Jackson's cue to load up Cleveland's 2016 offense with zone-read runs, quarterback keepers, draws and any other college-style option plays he can devise. By doing so, Jackson would put Griffin in the best position to succeed and, potentially, give the Browns something they haven't had since Bernie Kosar was under center a generation ago: a star passer. Griffin is -- by far -- the Browns' most intriguing option at a position that has long been a graveyard. Jackson envisions a revival. "We will find out what's best for Robert," he said.  It's almost hard to remember now just how spectacular a dual-threat quarterback Griffin once was. Here's a refresher: He won the 2012 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award. His success as a runner and efficiency as a passer provided the foundation for Washington's first NFC East title in 13 years. He was a bankable corporate pitchman. He had the league's hottest-selling jersey. You know what Griffin was? A superstar. After struggling because of injuries and problems adjusting to a traditional dropback style of offense, his time in Washington ran out. Griffin, however, can reset the clock. It's just a matter of finding the right fit on offense. And a proven plan already exists. In his previous position as the Cincinnati Bengals' playcaller, Jackson included some zone-read elements in the offense. Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton is much more advanced in the pocket than Griffin, but everything Jackson used helped Dalton, who was having a career year in 2015 until his season was cut short in Week 14 because of a thumb injury. No head coach worth his salt would tip his hand about strategy at any point, let alone in the opening week of an offseason program. And Jackson insists that Griffin, despite his struggles in the pocket under two Washington coaching regimes, can thrive in any approach Cleveland implements. Griffin, though, "wouldn't be surprised" if some of the Browns' plays next season look familiar to Washington fans. "I'm sure it'll be sprinkled in there somewhere," he said. To many Washington observers, it probably seems downright crazy to suggest that Griffin could climb the mountain again by running with the ball. They'd argue it's too risky for Griffin, who has twice undergone reconstructive surgery on his right knee, to be exposed to hits outside the pocket. And it's true that Griffin is built like a track sprinter. Cam Newton he's not. The thing is, keeping Griffin in the pocket poses the biggest risk to his health. Jackson will soon learn that Griffin lacks the pocket presence necessary to sense the rush and protect himself. Griffin's inability to show progress in that area was among the main reasons the No. 2 overall pick in the 2012 draft dropped to third on Washington's depth chart last season and did not take a snap in a game. Griffin's injury history -- in addition to his major knee issues, he was sidelined for much of the 2014 season because of a severe ankle injury -- is something that should give pause to any coach who wants to help him jump-start his career. But it's important to note that Griffin has never suffered significant injuries on designed running plays; his freelancing was the problem. Washington's designed running plays kept the defense off balance and, for the most part, kept Griffin upright. At least one of Griffin's former coaches believes that designed runs are the key to getting Griffin back on track. Griffin was at his best under Mike Shanahan, who was fired after Griffin's second season because, well, he didn't get along with Washington's then-franchise quarterback. In another example of time healing wounds, Shanahan recently called Los Angeles Rams coach Jeff Fisher to put in a good word for Griffin before he signed with the Browns. "I had a great conversation with [Shanahan]," Griffin said.  And Shanahan told Fisher and Griffin, and anyone else who has asked recently, that Griffin has a chance to make it all the way back. "Look, Robert is the only quarterback I've been around who you just couldn't play certain defenses against," the two-time Super Bowl winner said on the phone. "And I was very honest with Jeff when I told him that if Robert was willing to go back to some of the things we did [in 2012], I really believe he can get it going again. You just don't find guys who can do the things he did. The problem was, we just couldn't get him to protect himself." There are fans in Washington -- and a few people who occupy big offices at the team's training complex -- who still blame Shanahan for Griffin's downward spiral. They say Shanahan abdicated his responsibility by permitting Griffin, who was medically cleared to play, to drag his damaged right leg around FedEx Field in a 2013 playoff loss to the Seattle Seahawks. No matter your position on the Shanahan-Griffin history, however, Shanahan is right now. And it appears Griffin knows it, too, which is why he has worked on protecting himself while running, no doubt in anticipation of a big comeback. "We were running a drill the other day and I hit a perfect slide," said Griffin, who punctuated his comment with a big smile. "I felt good about that. I'll protect myself." For the Browns, there's a blueprint available to rebuild Griffin and maximize their investment in him. If they're smart, they'll follow it.
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