“We have him well on his way,” Andrews told the NFL Network. “His recovery is way ahead of schedule so far. We don’t have to do much but try to hold him back, if you want to know the truth. Our whole mode for him though is to do what is best for his career, not necessarily what is best for the first game next season. So all of that has to be put on hold and let him get well.”

Griffin suffered a sprained LCL in Washington’s Week 14 win against the Baltimore Ravens, but returned two games later. He then tore two knee ligaments in a first-round playoff loss to the Seattle Seahawks and had surgery Jan. 9.

Andrews, the Redskins team doctor who is on the sideline for their games, told USA Today after the playoff game that he did not clear Griffin to return, though coach Mike Shanahan said he got the OK from Andrews.

Team and league sources told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter on Feb. 14 that Redskins officials are encouraged enough with Griffin’s recovery to believe he has a legitimate chance to start in the 2013 opener.

Griffin won The Associated Press 2012 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award after setting the NFL record for best passer rating by a rookie quarterback and leading Washington to its first NFC East title in 13 years.

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Rose said he isn’t sure when he’ll return to the floor.

“I really don’t know,” he said. “I’m feeling good, but like I said, if it’s where it’s taking me a long time and I’m still not feeling right, I don’t mind missing this year.”

Rose said he would like to play this season but isn’t sure if his body will heal in time.

“I would love to,” he said. “I would love to. That’s why I approached my rehab and my workout so hard. I’m trying to get back on the court as quickly as possible, but if I have anything lingering on, it’s no point.”

Rose’s told USA Today Sports on Monday afternoon that he was still “far away” from returning and wouldn’t come back until he was “110 percent.” Rose did acknowledge late Wednesday night the decision to play is his and he would listen to his inner circle of trusted associates and Bulls’ personnel.

“(Agent) B.J. (Armstrong), of course. People from the organization, (Bulls GM) Gar (Forman), (Bulls VP of operations John Paxson), all them people. Trainers, just people that I will normally be around every day. But it’s really on me to make that decision when I’m going to play again, so that’s cool that they left it up to me.”

Rose, who injured his knee in the first game of the Eastern Conference playoffs on April 28 and had surgery on May 12, admitted he is still struggling with gaining his explosion back. The next step?

“Being able to dunk,” he said. “I can’t dunk, man. I know if I can dunk off stride, I know I’ll be out there playing, but I can’t.”

Still, Rose’s spirits appear high. He has accompanied the Bulls on the road since the first of the year and is enjoying being with his teammates.

“Right now, I’m feeling pretty good, man,” he said. “Where (I’m) slowly getting back in the mix. The other day we played the 3-on-3, one-on-one, and I felt good out there. I’m not trying to rush myself, just still trying to be patient and just trying to take my rehab very serious right now.”

Paxson said earlier Wednesday that Rose will participate in 5-on-5 practices after this weekend’s All-Star break.

Meanwhile, Rose admitted he’s struggling to regain both his mental and physical confidence.

“It’s both still,” the former MVP said. “My leg still isn’t feeling right. Mentally, I think that I’m fine. Just every week just try to do something different. Every day stay on my rehab, do a little bit more, lift a little bit more, squat a little bit more and taking it very serious.”

Rose said he has not taken a hit on the knee but isn’t concerned about that aspect of his recovery.

“I’m not afraid of that, though,” he said. “I know that’s going to happen with the way that I play. I’m not scared of taking hits at all.”

He does not believe his game will change because of the injury.

“I’m working on my shot but you’re not going to label me as a shooter,” he said. “I’m going to be someone that can consistently hit a jump shot, but my game is always going to be driving.”

Rose acknowledged that he has watched the recovery of current and former players who have recovered from ACL injuries.

“I’ve been looking at the people in the past where everybody I think is coming back better,” he said. “So it’s exciting to know that all my hard work is going to pay off one day. I just don’t know when.”

Does he feel any extra pressure to return?

“(None) at all,” Rose said. “That’s the last thing I’m thinking about is coming back too soon. I know that it’s all on me, so I just got to make the decision when I’m ready.”

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Griffin recently returned to Washington, where he spent some time rehabbing. Those who know him insist he is a physical freak, not unlike Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, who was able to rush for 2,097 yards and win the MVP award the season after undergoing major knee surgery.

The Redskins know there still is a long way to go, and they’re hardly going to rush Griffin. But they also know that based on what they’ve seen so far, it is well within the realm of possibility that Griffin will be the team’s starting quarterback in Week 1.

Griffin won The Associated Press 2012 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award after setting the NFL record for best passer rating by a rookie quarterback and leading Washington to its first NFC East title in 13 years.

Griffin, who underwent surgery last month to repair a torn ACL and LCL suffered in the Redskins’ wild-card playoff loss to the Seattle Seahawks, said at the NFL’s awards ceremony earlier this month: “It’s truly a blessing to be up there — to be able to stand, first and foremost.”

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“We expect a full recovery and it is everybody’s hope and belief that due to Robert’s high motivation, he will be ready for the 2013 season,” Andrews said in the statement.

“The goal of his treatment is to give him the best opportunity for a long professional career,” he said.

Griffin’s torn ACL was diagnosed late Tuesday as a complete tear of the patella graft that was used to repair his torn ACL suffered at Baylor in 2009. A team source told ESPN Tuesday that Andrews was likely to use a patella graft from Griffin’s left knee to repair the most recent tear.

Griffin’s recovery is projected at six to eight months, barring any setbacks, sources said. The rehabilitation plan will focus primarily on strengthening Griffin’s quadriceps to help protect and help stabilize the knee, according to sources. The reconstruction of the LCL is considered a complication, but sources said Andrews informed the Redskins it should rehab well during the same six-to-eight-month time frame as the ACL injury.

Under this projected time frame of surgery, recovery and rehab, Griffin should be able to participate at some level during training camp in August and be ready to open the season in September, according to the sources.

Griffin thanked his fans for their support in a tweet Wednesday morning.

“Thank you for your prayers and support. I love God, my family, my team, the fans, & I love this game. See you guys next season,” he wrote.

The NFL Network reported that, after looking at the game file, coach Mike Shanahan believes Griffin suffered his knee injury on the play before the errant snap where his knee gave out as he tried to plant his leg. On that penultimate play, Griffin was sacked by Seahawks defensive end Bruce Irvin.

The first major injury to the knee came in 2009, when Griffin tore the ACL in the third game of the season while playing for Baylor. Griffin missed the rest of the year but returned in 2010 and won the Heisman Trophy in 2011.

Griffin sprained the LCL last month when he was hit by Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Haloti Ngata at the end of a 13-yard scramble. Griffin missed one game and returned to play three more while wearing a bulky knee brace, his mobility clearly hindered.

According to Stats & Information, Griffin led the league in scrambles (43) and scramble yards (411) before his Week 14 injury against the Ravens. However, after the injury, Griffin scrambled only once in his last three games (for 1 yard), including Sunday’s playoff loss.

On Sunday, Griffin hurt the knee again as he fell awkwardly while throwing a pass in the first quarter against the Seahawks. He remained in the game, with Shanahan saying he trusted Griffin’s word that all was OK.

Griffin finally departed in the fourth quarter, after the knee buckled while he was trying to field a bad shotgun snap.

The No. 2 overall pick in last year’s draft, Griffin was one of several rookie quarterbacks to make an instant impact on the NFL this season. He set the league record for best season passer rating by a rookie quarterback and led the Redskins to their first NFC East title in 13 years.

But he also had to leave three games early due to injuries — two because of his knee and one because of a concussion — and missed a fourth altogether because of the knee.

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