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Jamarcus Russell Cut

BronxRik

By BronxRik
in New York Giants

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BronxRik

BronxRik

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ALAMEDA, Calif. -- The Oakland Raiders released former No. 1 overall pick JaMarcus Russell on Thursday, ending a three-year tenure marked by his high salary and unproductive play on the field.

 

Senior executive John Herrera told The Associated Press about the move and said that "we wish him well."

 

The decision came less than two weeks after Oakland acquired Jason Campbell from Washington to take over at quarterback and signifies that owner Al Davis finally lost patience with the immensely talented but unproductive player he drafted first overall in 2007 against the wishes of former coach Lane Kiffin.

Lombardi: Russell indifferent

NFL Network insider Michael Lombardi, a former Raiders executive, offered his insight following the release of QB JaMarcus Russell.

 

"What I see in JaMarcus is indifference. I think it’s the worst thing you can be, is indifferent about a sport. He just doesn’t care about whether he’s good or bad. There has to be an element of pride that comes into play here."

 

"I’ll give the Raiders credit — and I am a harsh critic at times of the Raiders — but I give them credit. They tried to make this work." Watch ...

 

Russell will now likely be considered one of the biggest draft busts in NFL history, joining Ryan Leaf, Ki-Jana Carter, Akili Smith and others on that list. He will have been paid more than $39 million by the Raiders, while producing only seven wins as a starter.

 

Russell showed up at last week's minicamp, saying he would keep coming to work until told otherwise. He looked decent in the first of five practices last weekend but got less work as the weekend went on and the decision to cut ties was finally made.

 

The Raiders paid Russell more than $36 million through last season. They still owe him $3 million more but saved $6.45 million by not having him on the roster in 2010.

 

Since the start of the common draft in 1967, only one other No. 1 pick was released this quickly in his NFL career. Indianapolis cut 1992 top pick Steve Emtman after three seasons but that was more because of injuries than production.

 

Emtman played three more seasons for Miami and Washington. It remains to be seen whether any team will give Russell another shot.

 

Davis believed Russell could turn the fortunes of his struggling franchise when he drafted him. He stood by him during his struggles, revealing when he fired Kiffin in 2008 that the coach did not want him.

 

"He is a great player. Get over it and coach this team on the field," Davis read from a letter he sent Kiffin before the firing. "That is what you were hired to do. We can win with this team."

 

But the Raiders were unable to win with Russell at the helm and Davis allowed Cable to bench Russell midway through last season. The move was popular in the locker room and gave the team a spark on the field as Bruce Gradkowski led comeback wins over Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.

 

Davis was not satisfied with Gradkowski as his standard bearer and the Raiders were linked to possible offseason deals for Donovan McNabb and Ben Roethlisberger. While the Raiders downplayed how serious those talks ever got, they did make the move for another quarterback when they acquired Campbell from Washington for a 2012 fourth-round draft pick.

 

The team showed confidence in Campbell by extending his contract through 2011, giving him a $4.5 million deal that season on top of the $3.14 million he is owed this season.

 

Russell won only seven of his 25 starts as the Raiders extended an NFL-worst streak to seven straight seasons with at least 11 losses. He completed just 52.1 percent of his passes in his career with 18 touchdowns, 23 interceptions, 15 lost fumbles and a passer rating of 65.2.

 

That means Russell has been paid more than $5 million per win, more than $2 million per touchdown pass and more than $100,000 per completion.

 

While Russell's numbers are superior to Leaf's, he was paid considerably more money to do it and was picked first instead of second. Leaf's rookie contract guaranteed him only $11.25 million.

 

Russell's tenure in Oakland got off to a rough start and never got much better. He held out his first season, not signing a contract until after the first game of the regular season. That made his rookie season almost a complete loss, as he started only one game.

 

He showed some signs of progress in his second season, especially in winning the final two games of the year against Houston and Tampa Bay. But the problems of work ethic and his weight never disappeared and his third season was an utter disaster.

 

He was fined for being overweight when he showed up at training camp. He then put together one of the worst seasons in recent memory for an NFL quarterback. He completed 48.8 percent of his passes, with three touchdowns, 11 interceptions and a 50.0 passer rating that was the lowest since Leaf, Bobby Hoying and Craig Whelihan all finished below 50 in 1998.

 

Russell Cut

 

When Al Davis cuts you, you must suck worse than a $5 hooker.

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boohyah

boohyah

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Top work, Al. Kiffin is laughing his ass off right now.

 

Kiffin has made a living out of having promise too, a little indifferent about loyalty also. I'd be quiet if I was him, then again, he has issues being quiet also.

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BleedinBlue

BleedinBlue

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Sign him Jerry, has to be better than Sorgi!

He's not just a classic first round bust, he's without an ounce of drive to improve himself and acts like football doesn't matter. No way the Giants should even take a look at him, let alone sign him. We need players who love the game and have an unending drive to win - not filthy rich prima donnas who've lost their heart for the game.

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jranieli

jranieli

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He's not just a classic first round bust, he's without an ounce of drive to improve himself and acts like football doesn't matter. No way the Giants should even take a look at him, let alone sign him. We need players who love the game and have an unending drive to win - not filthy rich prima donnas who've lost their heart for the game.

It was a joke. I rather have the Pillsbury throw boy as a backup.

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NightFire

NightFire

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He's not just a classic first round bust, he's without an ounce of drive to improve himself and acts like football doesn't matter. No way the Giants should even take a look at him, let alone sign him. We need players who love the game and have an unending drive to win - not filthy rich prima donnas who've lost their heart for the game.

 

This is why I think nobody will sign him even for the league minimum. If he was trying then you could blame the Raiders and a change would do him good but clearly he cashed his $39 million and quit on his team.

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Treehugger

Treehugger

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He did do one good thing though, gave the league the final push it needs to put set rookie salaries in place. No more ridiculous money going to kids before they have ever step on the field. No more rookie hold outs.

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Sephiroth

Sephiroth

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He did do one good thing though, gave the league the final push it needs to put set rookie salaries in place. No more ridiculous money going to kids before they have ever step on the field. No more rookie hold outs.

 

Yep. He's become the poster boy for that.

 

In fact, I heard on ESPN radio this morning that the union president agreed specifically when he was confronted with the a question about JaMarcus Russell's play that a rookie salary cap isn't a bad idea.

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Mr. P

Mr. P

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LOL....didn't Ryan get into some criminal activity or was that some other over rated college suck ass? :P

 

On May 21, 2009, Leaf was indicted on burglary and controlled substance (prescription painkillers) charges in Texas. Leaf was reportedly undergoing drug rehab in British Columbia at the time of the indictment[43] and would be arrested by customs agents as he returned to the United States from Canada. On June 17, 2009, he posted a $45,000 bond in Washington for the charges out of Texas.[44] On April 14, 2010 Leaf pleaded guilty in Amarillo, Texas to seven counts of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud and one count of delivery of a simulated controlled substance, all felonies. State District Judge John B. Board sentenced Leaf to 10 years of probation and fined him $20,000

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryan_Leaf

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Mr. P

Mr. P

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Thanks man...Leafy got off light for transporting across an international border. I guess he doesn't watch Trapped Abroad on The National Geographic Channel...lol.

 

man even though i would never try to be a mule or anything like the clowns on those shows usually do the show still scares the hell out of me.

 

 

never know, you might could get arrested for nothing in some foreign country.

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BronxRik

BronxRik

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Thanks man...Leafy got off light for transporting across an international border. I guess he doesn't watch Trapped Abroad on The National Geographic Channel...lol.

Or "Midnight Express".

 

midnight-express-brad-davis.jpg

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TaylorBanksCarsonVanPelt

TaylorBanksCarsonVanPelt

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man even though i would never try to be a mule or anything like the clowns on those shows usually do the show still scares the hell out of me.

 

 

never know, you might could get arrested for nothing in some foreign country.

 

 

I spend half the night laughing at the naive kids young adults who get trapped in that shit. I am not laughing at their plight ...just their naivete. The episodes that really get me are the ones where people are kidnapped by crazy bug fuck terrorist groups. The episode with the Hutu rebels in Zaire and the Muslim terrorists in the Philipines were the two scariest to me. The one that cracked me up were the guys locked up in Brazil and one guys rich lawyer dad bribes the judge ...and he complains to his lawyer for the money my dad gave you we should be walking free not getting 4 years as opposed to 20. :owned:

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