Al Davis Lights a Fire Under JaMarcus Russell

The Oakland Raiders' signing of Jeff Garcia is an excellent move for a number of reasons.

To me, Undead Al Davis is sending a message to JaMarcus Russell. We’re not going to babysit you anymore. Play great or I’ll just keep turning up the heat and drive your career into the ground by keeping you under contract but not playing you.

Russell has his coin, and that’s always been his goal. It’s not about football for smooth Mr. Russell. He has not done anything to establish his presence as a leader in the locker room, according to the general gist of the media writers covering the Raiders day to day, even in the offseason.

He has not set an example of a leader according to head coach Tom Cable.

Russell comes to work and goes home. His brush off of NFL Network in not showing up for an interview this past season all adds up to one immature, overpaid pro athlete and who has not lived up to his billing as a top draft pick.

It’s not all Russell's fault though. Davis has really rolled the dice with No. 1 picks the last several years. Look at this motley collection of fools: Phillip Buchanon, Sebastian Janikowski, Derrick Gibson, Michael Huff, Tyler Brayton, Robert Gallery.

These are guys that were all set up to fail because they were taken too high in the draft by Davis, he of the Undead. None are poor players, just over-valued and their careers suffered for it.

If you want to stick up for Jano, be my guest. If you get to play as much as he has, any mediocre kicker can rack up points. It's the ones he's missed that count. Get it?

When you go that high people expect top tier play. None of those guys delivered and unless JR has a breakout year with consistency, I would expect to see Garcia get in the game. probably mop-up duty at first but then he will take the reigns and win some games.  

Then, I expect him to get signed for a longer term deal.

If that unfolds, it could be lights out for the young Russell as a Raider. How will he handle such an inevitable change? Don’t read too much into the one-year deal for Garcia. Remember Vince Evans?

He played into his 40s for the Raiders and Al loves those kind of guys. Jeff Garcia is a workout animal and can stay in playing shape year round well into his 40s. He’s a local guy too so he has roots.

Let's be realistic, as far as veteran quarterbacks who are mobile, how many guys are there that can do what Garcia does? I think he has a lot left in him as far as production.

I predict Russell to be phased out if he does not produce over the first four or five games or whenever the bye week is (too lazy to check).

Garcia's arrival also means lights out for Andrew Walter getting a shot. He is a forgotten man in Oakland. I think he will be successful somewhere else. He never really had a chance to succeed thanks to the Art Shell/Bed and Breakfast era BS and for whatever reason, Walter got on Al's bad side.

My guess is Walter was a little too glib with the local media during training camp when reporters are recording casual conversations. Off-hand comments about a player's interactions with the organization really riles Davis.  

Also, I believe Walter has said many times he has went all the way to the top and asked for his shot.  I guess he has never "asked" Davis in the way Davis likes to be asked.

When your best player is the punter your franchise in very serious trouble. That’s all there is to it.

(thanks to walterfootball.com for the Undead Al usage, even though I didn’t ask first!)