forgot he was even on the raiders lol... nah really though, he does have a point when he says bringin a buncha guys like vinny n shit and hes starting for carolina. im not sayin walter is some dope QB but im sure he could start on some teams.
Walter frustrated as Raiders' forgotten man
David White, Chronicle Staff Writer
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
(11-12) 19:38 PST Alameda -- Bench Josh McCown. Bring back Daunte Culpepper. Throw in JaMarcus Russell.
For all this debate about who the Raiders' quarterback should be, Andrew Walter might as well be bathed in invisible ink - as if he's not even there after less than three seasons.
"The writing is on the wall," Walter said Monday.
He's right, and it says Walter is miles removed from the playing field with no way to change it. He hasn't been on the game-day active list in two weeks and has been replaced by Russell as the No. 3 emergency quarterback.
Coach Lane Kiffin has stuck with McCown as his starter when healthy, though the coach said that could change this week. Culpepper was first off the bench when McCown broke his toe in September, and likely would be again if McCown's bruised thigh is serious.
And, of course, Russell is the reigning No. 1 overall draft pick. That makes him the franchise player, quarterback of the future and richest man in the company who isn't surnamed Davis.
All this leaves Walter on the inside hoping to get out, if that's what it takes to play in the NFL again. In a season in which retiree Vinny Testaverde went from the couch to starting quarterback in less than a week, Walter can't help but think he could start somewhere else.
"There are situations out there with teams right now bringing guys off the street and have them play," Walter said. "I'm standing on the sideline on game day, so I'm saying to myself, 'I want to play' but I'm not. My goal is never to be a career backup. I want to play and be a starter.
"When you draft a guy No. 1 overall, as far as the future goes, he's going to play sooner rather than later. It sort of aces out any situation I can see myself in."
Once Walter was removed from the quarterback race in training camp, his best chance of playing was for Oakland to release or trade him when Russell ended his contract holdout in September.
Instead, the Raiders kept Walter in limbo for two reasons: McCown kept getting hurt, and unlike McCown and Culpepper, Walter is under contract next season.
In other words, he has become the new Marques Tuiasosopo, who was chained to the Raiders' bench from 2001 to 2006 before leaving for the Jets this year. He was barely given a chance to start, but kept in silver and black for emergencies.
Kiffin, a backup quarterback throughout college, seems to empathize with Walter, not that he'll do anything to make life easier for him.
"I think Andrew's done great," Kiffin said. "It's really not easy when you see guys not producing. When you see a team losing, you think, 'Well, I can do that. I can turn the ball over three times. I can lead us to six points.' "
Actually, that's what Walter did throughout eight starts last season. Thrown behind the worst pass protection in the NFL, Walter didn't have a fighting chance as the Raiders' offense ranked among the worst in the post-merger era.
Kiffin brought a West Coast offense with a mobile pocket in the offseason. Walter is more of a drop-back quarterback who throws strong from the pocket. He played well in the exhibition season but wasn't a fit for Kiffin's offense.
So now, he waits, three quarterback injuries away from getting another chance.
"Ultimately, I want to play," Walter said. "I would have been thrilled if that was here. If it's somewhere else, that's up to the organization."
What's the difference?
Season stats for Raiders quarterbacks Josh McCown and Daunte Culpepper:
Stat McCown Culpepper
Starts 5 4
Attempts 122 125
Completions 71 70
Comp. pct 58.2 56.0
Yards 760 817
Yds/Att 6.2 6.5
TD 5 4
INT 9 4
Sacked 13 14
Rating 59.5 73.3
E-mail David White at [email protected].
Walter frustrated as Raiders' forgotten man
David White, Chronicle Staff Writer
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
(11-12) 19:38 PST Alameda -- Bench Josh McCown. Bring back Daunte Culpepper. Throw in JaMarcus Russell.
For all this debate about who the Raiders' quarterback should be, Andrew Walter might as well be bathed in invisible ink - as if he's not even there after less than three seasons.
"The writing is on the wall," Walter said Monday.
He's right, and it says Walter is miles removed from the playing field with no way to change it. He hasn't been on the game-day active list in two weeks and has been replaced by Russell as the No. 3 emergency quarterback.
Coach Lane Kiffin has stuck with McCown as his starter when healthy, though the coach said that could change this week. Culpepper was first off the bench when McCown broke his toe in September, and likely would be again if McCown's bruised thigh is serious.
And, of course, Russell is the reigning No. 1 overall draft pick. That makes him the franchise player, quarterback of the future and richest man in the company who isn't surnamed Davis.
All this leaves Walter on the inside hoping to get out, if that's what it takes to play in the NFL again. In a season in which retiree Vinny Testaverde went from the couch to starting quarterback in less than a week, Walter can't help but think he could start somewhere else.
"There are situations out there with teams right now bringing guys off the street and have them play," Walter said. "I'm standing on the sideline on game day, so I'm saying to myself, 'I want to play' but I'm not. My goal is never to be a career backup. I want to play and be a starter.
"When you draft a guy No. 1 overall, as far as the future goes, he's going to play sooner rather than later. It sort of aces out any situation I can see myself in."
Once Walter was removed from the quarterback race in training camp, his best chance of playing was for Oakland to release or trade him when Russell ended his contract holdout in September.
Instead, the Raiders kept Walter in limbo for two reasons: McCown kept getting hurt, and unlike McCown and Culpepper, Walter is under contract next season.
In other words, he has become the new Marques Tuiasosopo, who was chained to the Raiders' bench from 2001 to 2006 before leaving for the Jets this year. He was barely given a chance to start, but kept in silver and black for emergencies.
Kiffin, a backup quarterback throughout college, seems to empathize with Walter, not that he'll do anything to make life easier for him.
"I think Andrew's done great," Kiffin said. "It's really not easy when you see guys not producing. When you see a team losing, you think, 'Well, I can do that. I can turn the ball over three times. I can lead us to six points.' "
Actually, that's what Walter did throughout eight starts last season. Thrown behind the worst pass protection in the NFL, Walter didn't have a fighting chance as the Raiders' offense ranked among the worst in the post-merger era.
Kiffin brought a West Coast offense with a mobile pocket in the offseason. Walter is more of a drop-back quarterback who throws strong from the pocket. He played well in the exhibition season but wasn't a fit for Kiffin's offense.
So now, he waits, three quarterback injuries away from getting another chance.
"Ultimately, I want to play," Walter said. "I would have been thrilled if that was here. If it's somewhere else, that's up to the organization."
What's the difference?
Season stats for Raiders quarterbacks Josh McCown and Daunte Culpepper:
Stat McCown Culpepper
Starts 5 4
Attempts 122 125
Completions 71 70
Comp. pct 58.2 56.0
Yards 760 817
Yds/Att 6.2 6.5
TD 5 4
INT 9 4
Sacked 13 14
Rating 59.5 73.3
E-mail David White at [email protected].
