Russell: "Loss not my fault"

[.GR]

JaMarcus Russell was benched for Bruce Gradkowski on Sunday, but as his teammates took blame for the loss, he told the San Francisco Chronicle, "I don't think it's me personally, I really don't. It's a bad combination of one guy doesn't do something right one time. Personally, I don't think so. Do you?"

This is sure to irk some of his teammates, who have watched their franchise QB struggle through a dismal season.

Towards the end of last season -- and for one game this season, last week -- Russell started playing with some of that confidence, but that feeling has to be gone now after being benched during his team's 38-0 ownage by the New York Jets. Following the game, Raiders coach Tom Cable stood by Russell as the team's starter, indicating that his QB was "really out of sorts early in the game."

Meanwhile, Gradkowski far outperformed Russell, as he was 10 of 19 for 97 yards; Russell was 6/11 with two interceptions. Gradkowski also eluded the rush twice and scampered for 25 yards, a la Rich Gannon.

So what is the Raiders' long-term plan with Russell? NFL Insider Adam Schefter might have a clue, based on the growing likelihood of an uncapped year in 2010:

"If an uncapped year does in fact come in 2010, the Great Salary Purge could accompany it. Teams would be able to dump bloated contracts they don't want without suffering the regular salary-cap ramifications. One such candidate could be Oakland quarterback JaMarcus Russell, who is scheduled to count $15 million against the cap for 2010, only $3 million of which is guaranteed. So if the Raiders wanted to pay the $3 million to Russell and let him go, they wouldn't have to pay his base salary or take the severe cap hit. It's a similar story in Tennessee with quarterback Vince Young, who has a $4.25 million roster bonus due March 10 to go along with a salary of $2.8 million. If the Titans decided to release him, they'd clear out over $7 million worth of payments. Of course the flip side to not having a salary cap is that teams could decide they are willing to pay Russell $15 million or Young over $7 million. But it's more likely that, with an uncapped year, there would be a whole new crop of free agents."

"If Oakland, 2-5, was playing better as a team, perhaps the Raiders would stick with Gradkowski or even try to reunite with Jeff Garcia (whose return is unlikely after he recently criticized the team). But it doesn't seem like the Raiders are going anywhere. Yes, there are more problems than just Russell."

 

[Yankees2772]

Plenty of problems outside of Jamarcus, but you can't win without scoring, so...

 

[Hako]

Plenty of problems outside of Jamarcus, but you can't win without scoring, so...

this.

they should have kept Garcia. he would of at least been able to put some points on the board. the defense looks real good at times, but then looks just plain awful at others. sadly, the raiders are going to keep this up until al davis steps down.

 

[Yankees2772]

<3 Jeff Garcia

 

[footballplaya52]

russell is a garbage nfl qb. another al davis decision failed....

 

[Dice-J]

They should of drafted AP #1 instead of Russell. Then Flacco instead of McFadden. They would have had a much better team. But nonetheless, no one knows how good someone will ever be.

 

[cruzg24]

Jamarcus is starting to turn more and more into a bust. I actually thought he had the capability of being a really good QB, but he just hasnt put it together. Possibly because he doesnt have a good coaching staff to help him progress.

 

[Blake]

IIRC Ronnie Brown has a better QB-rating than Russell.

Nevertheless, LOL @ Bruce Gradkowski, I hope for Oakland fans he isn't as bad as he was here in Tampa.

...Still, not as big of an LOL as the LOL @ Tampa, now that is.

 

[.GR]

Russell is an embarrassment to the league.

 

[lakaluver24]

Future UFL player.

 

[Blake]

As is Tampa Bay...


I bet the NCAA All-Americans would beat our ass.

 

[Blake]

Future UFL player.

You actually think the UFL will last more than a season?

 

[555666]

I never thought Russell would be a good QB in the NFL. Looks like I was right...