Washington Redskins: 15 best quarterbacks of all-time

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Quarterback Jason Campbell #17 of the Washington Redskins. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images) /

The list of great quarterbacks in Washington’s history as a franchise is a long one, but far longer is would be the list of disappointments at the position. Cleveland’s famous quarterback jersey, with the names of all the busts over the past few decades, would have a rival in Redskins Park.

Among the busts to walk through the doors in Ashburn, you’ll find names such as Heath Shuler, Patrick Ramsey, John Beck, Rex Grossman, Donovan McNabb, and many more mixed among them. The Redskins quarterback woes have been well-documented and poorly received over the years. Thus, some quarterbacks have been included in the bunch, albeit undeservedly.

One such quarterback is Jason Campbell. Drafted at No. 25 overall in the 2005 NFL Draft, Campbell was brought to Washington to end the sorry procession of signal callers that featured Ramsey and Mark Brunell, who was more a victim of dysfunction than anything else.

That dysfunction was very clear, as the franchise had two first-round quarterbacks drafted within three years of each other in the same quarterback room. They tried to force a solution to their quarterback woes. Because of Campbell, it almost worked.

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Campbell sat out his rookie season, but in 2006, after a slow start from Brunell, Campbell was given the opportunity to take his starting job. He did so swiftly, throwing for 10 touchdowns and six interceptions in seven games.

Campbell, a 6-foot-5 signal caller with a 4.7 40-yard dash time, showcased his talent often in the early goings.

His combination of arm talent and pocket mobility gave fans hope that the Redskins’ quarterback issues would be solved by Campbell. In 2008, he peaked, leading the team to a 6-2 record through its first eight games.

From there, however, Campbell’s situation crumbled. The Redskins stumbled to an 8-8 finish. In his final year with the Redskins, he put up 20 touchdowns and 15 interceptions, doing just enough to get a chance with the Oakland Raiders via trade. His career fizzled from there, and he was relegated to a backup role until 2014.

Campbell’s career is an intriguing one. Too often, he’s labeled a bust, but the franchise’s sorry state under Dan Snyder has been the undoing of more than one talented thrower, as you’ll see shortly.

Perhaps, if drafted into a better, more stable situation, Campbell could have prospered. But what he accomplished, with so little help, is worth admiring.

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