Ellard saw Jim Everett arrive with the Los Angeles Rams in 1986 and struggle before taking the team to the NFC title game in 1989.

Gesek arrived in Dallas in 1990, when Troy Aikman was a second-year quarterback still trying to find himself before becoming a two-time Super Bowl winner.

That helps explain why they’re both stressing the Redskins have to have patience with their young quarterback, Heath Shuler, after he played poorly for the third straight exhibition game in the team’s 27-13 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Saturday night.

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It’ll come, it’s just something that takes some time, that’s all, Ellard said.