JaMarcus Russell, Darren McFadden: Different Paths to the Oakland Raiders

And so it begins.

Oakland inks the fourth overall pick, Darren McFadden, to a contract that could be worth $60 million when it's all said and done.

And that loud sigh that you hear is a few million Raider and Razorback fans, in relief after last year's circus involving JaMarcus Russell.

Some might ask, why the difference?

The first aspect is everyone's favorite five-letter word, money. Al Davis, for all his talent, can be stubborn in his ways. He'll sit tight, wait, and play the game.

But when push comes to shove, he can make it happen, usually invoking the magic words: make this happen.

Now, JaMarcus had a few things in his favor. For one, the No. 1 overall pick. He's also a QB, one of the high-value positions in football.

And, the Raiders were negotiating with a three-ring circus, so sometimes one offer would come in, and another person, without talking to the previous person, would have another offer. It was a situation where the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.

There was also the factor that Russell wasn't crazy about Oakland, considering what was going on the previous year. QBs were nothing more than a practice dummy, getting run over regularly, and there was a lot of movement on the coaching carousel.

They finally got the deal done, but the time lost translated into a short season for JaMarcus.

Now, one year later, the Raiders picked Darren McFadden. Fourth overall pick, still a strong point, still a money pick. The deal is inked, and McFadden's slated to practice and play.

With the talent he already brings to the team, the learning curve won't be as steep. It's kind of like giving a history professor a refresher course.

Why did McFadden want this done and in the books so quickly?

First of all, the Raiders aren't in the same shape as they were two seasons ago. The offensive line showed a large drop in sacks, translating into, the line is holding...giving a RB time to get going.

Secondly, if Justin Fargas, Lamont Jordan, and Dominic Rhodes can rush for 100 yards a game, plus a 1,000-yard season for Fargas, this might be a good thing.

Lastly, McFadden pretty much made the statement that he wanted to play. He'd take a backseat to the negotiations so that he could concentrate on practice.

So, what can we take from the two, now that both play for the Oakland Raiders?

Both of them have the talent, skills, and abilities to complement each other.

Both have enough to bring to the table, and are young enough to provide a foundation for the team for years to come.

And most of all, both are looking forward to a football season brimming with promise.

And so the future for the Raiders is NOW.