Kawakami: Time for the Raiders and JaMarcus Russell to move on
By Tim Kawakami
Mercury News Columnist
Posted: 04/27/2010 08:05:19 PM PDT
Updated: 04/27/2010 10:14:35 PM PM
JaMarcus Russell will go quietly and passively, whenever he departs the Raiders, and let's hope that it's soon.
Privately, I think Russell will be just as thrilled to pull off his escape from Raiders Island as I'm sure the Raiders and their fans will be.
But Russell won't hold a crackling news conference, won't shed a tear recounting the highlights of his Raiders career, and surely won't come back for a "Black Hole" victory tour.
Whenever Al Davis finally cuts the cord and admits to this No. 1 bust of colossal proportions, Russell will disappear in a blink.
Nearly 300 pounds of God-given football ability "... gone.
If you are not grieved by the $40 million he pocketed, the jerseys he
stretched, and the games he lost you might say he was barley ever there.
That will be one of Russell's main Raiders imprints: He was handed the keys to the franchise in 2007 and yet never seemed like he wanted any part of this.
Except for the fame and wealth, of course.
Film study? Bonding with teammates? Heading to Raiders HQ on Tuesdays? Keeping himself in shape? Those things just weren't Russell's priorities.
With the Raiders, he always has looked as if he were just passing through.
Even for a franchise and locker room as disjointed and rudderless as this one, the Raiders deserved something more from Russell than this infinitesimal level of commitment.
Finally, after ignoring complaints about Russell for years, Davis has recognized that, too.
Last week, Davis traded with the Washington Redskins to acquire Jason Campbell, a decent young quarterback, then quickly added a year to Campbell's contract.
On Monday, ESPN's John Clayton reported that the Raiders are planning to release Russell, possibly before players report Friday for a mandatory minicamp in Alameda.
Whenever it happens, Russell probably becomes the greatest bust in the history of the NFL. But Davis can't worry about that now.
Releasing Russell would be a fresh start for the Raiders, for Davis, and especially for coach Tom Cable, who has struggled mightily with Russell.
And it would be a fresh start for Russell, who was drafted over the objections of then-coach Lane Kiffin (as Davis famously revealed when he fired Kiffin), then held out during a contract dispute almost into the 2007 regular season.
As with several other Raiders moves in the past week or so, this makes complete sense. Other than to soothe Davis' pride, there simply is no need to keep Russell around even for another extra day.
It's not like there's a trade market for him; and Russell has made it clear he will not accept a reduction in the $3 million the Raiders have guaranteed him for 2010.
Maybe Al will hesitate, still, on releasing Russell.
Remember, the Raiders hired Hue Jackson a few months ago specifically to work with Russell. A month ago, former Raiders assistant Willie Brown told us all that Russell was in great shape.
But Russell was not actually in great shape. I think it was part of a passive-aggressive (and nearly brilliant) Russell plan: Eat his way out of Oakland.
And even though this is a historic failure for a No. 1 overall pick who is still only 24, I think this is exactly what Russell wants and possibly what he needs.
Maybe he will be energized somewhere else — in Dallas maybe, or closer to his Mobile, Ala., home.
Maybe he will find an owner, coach and a front office that can support and cajole him in ways that the Raiders never could.
Russell hinted at this himself in December, a few weeks after Cable benched him for Bruce Gradkowski.
"It's not the end of the world," Russell said then. "It's my third year, and I have a lot more football to play."
Maybe. For his sake, I hope so.
Russell said this with a shrug, which, to me, is the lingering image of Russell's placid, aimless career.
Even now, I just picture him shrugging his shoulders, as I'm sure he did countless times to coaches, to his teammates, and probably even to Al.
It's the signature gesture of a pleasant, chubby, talented, under-motivated fellow, who was out of place and out of shape here from the beginning.
By Tim Kawakami
Mercury News Columnist
Posted: 04/27/2010 08:05:19 PM PDT
Updated: 04/27/2010 10:14:35 PM PM
JaMarcus Russell will go quietly and passively, whenever he departs the Raiders, and let's hope that it's soon.
Privately, I think Russell will be just as thrilled to pull off his escape from Raiders Island as I'm sure the Raiders and their fans will be.
But Russell won't hold a crackling news conference, won't shed a tear recounting the highlights of his Raiders career, and surely won't come back for a "Black Hole" victory tour.
Whenever Al Davis finally cuts the cord and admits to this No. 1 bust of colossal proportions, Russell will disappear in a blink.
Nearly 300 pounds of God-given football ability "... gone.
If you are not grieved by the $40 million he pocketed, the jerseys he
stretched, and the games he lost you might say he was barley ever there.
That will be one of Russell's main Raiders imprints: He was handed the keys to the franchise in 2007 and yet never seemed like he wanted any part of this.
Except for the fame and wealth, of course.
Film study? Bonding with teammates? Heading to Raiders HQ on Tuesdays? Keeping himself in shape? Those things just weren't Russell's priorities.
With the Raiders, he always has looked as if he were just passing through.
Even for a franchise and locker room as disjointed and rudderless as this one, the Raiders deserved something more from Russell than this infinitesimal level of commitment.
Finally, after ignoring complaints about Russell for years, Davis has recognized that, too.
Last week, Davis traded with the Washington Redskins to acquire Jason Campbell, a decent young quarterback, then quickly added a year to Campbell's contract.
On Monday, ESPN's John Clayton reported that the Raiders are planning to release Russell, possibly before players report Friday for a mandatory minicamp in Alameda.
Whenever it happens, Russell probably becomes the greatest bust in the history of the NFL. But Davis can't worry about that now.
Releasing Russell would be a fresh start for the Raiders, for Davis, and especially for coach Tom Cable, who has struggled mightily with Russell.
And it would be a fresh start for Russell, who was drafted over the objections of then-coach Lane Kiffin (as Davis famously revealed when he fired Kiffin), then held out during a contract dispute almost into the 2007 regular season.
As with several other Raiders moves in the past week or so, this makes complete sense. Other than to soothe Davis' pride, there simply is no need to keep Russell around even for another extra day.
It's not like there's a trade market for him; and Russell has made it clear he will not accept a reduction in the $3 million the Raiders have guaranteed him for 2010.
Maybe Al will hesitate, still, on releasing Russell.
Remember, the Raiders hired Hue Jackson a few months ago specifically to work with Russell. A month ago, former Raiders assistant Willie Brown told us all that Russell was in great shape.
But Russell was not actually in great shape. I think it was part of a passive-aggressive (and nearly brilliant) Russell plan: Eat his way out of Oakland.
And even though this is a historic failure for a No. 1 overall pick who is still only 24, I think this is exactly what Russell wants and possibly what he needs.
Maybe he will be energized somewhere else — in Dallas maybe, or closer to his Mobile, Ala., home.
Maybe he will find an owner, coach and a front office that can support and cajole him in ways that the Raiders never could.
Russell hinted at this himself in December, a few weeks after Cable benched him for Bruce Gradkowski.
"It's not the end of the world," Russell said then. "It's my third year, and I have a lot more football to play."
Maybe. For his sake, I hope so.
Russell said this with a shrug, which, to me, is the lingering image of Russell's placid, aimless career.
Even now, I just picture him shrugging his shoulders, as I'm sure he did countless times to coaches, to his teammates, and probably even to Al.
It's the signature gesture of a pleasant, chubby, talented, under-motivated fellow, who was out of place and out of shape here from the beginning.
