Washington Redskins Work Out JaMarcus Russell, Seriously

JaMarcus Russell visited Redskins Park today to tryout the buffet-style dining hall and to work out for the team.

As if the recent benching of Donovan McNabb with two minutes left in last Sunday’s game wasn’t bad enough, now the team brings in an overweight rhino that is 7-18 in his short NFL career as a starter.

But let’s not panic just yet. According to reports, Bruce Allen is a friendly guy, and he has many close relationships with player agents.

With a LinkedIn profile full of agent friends, Allen finds himself doing a lot of favors for guys looking to get their client’s name out on the street.

In short, Bruce Allen invited a deadbeat player like JaMarcus Russell to work out for the team in order to pay his agent friend a favor.

Russell, the No. 1 pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, had recently been cleared of any drug charges stemming from a case last summer that involved him consuming a liquid drug concoction known as sizzurp, purple drank, slick willy juice or lean mean.

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Russell is invited for a workout just days after he’s cleared of all legal matters. His agent is simply doing his job and letting NFL owners know that his client is still alive and overweight.

For his career (basically two seasons after sitting most of his rookie year), Russell has completed 52.1 percent of his passes for 4,083 yards, 18 touchdowns and 23 interceptions. He was sacked 70 times.

Amongst 11 other free agents, the Redskins also worked out former NFL quarterback J.P. Losman—serving as another frightening possibility thought of by the suddenly questionable Shanahan Trust.

And after bashing Russell and completely dismissing the idea by the Redskins coaching staff, let me try and rationalize.

I would want nothing more than JaMarcus Russell to pull a complete 180 and become the starting quarterback for my beloved Washington Redskins.

The potential for a lineman-sized quarterback with a rocket for an arm is huge in today’s NFL, and Russell possesses both characteristics. I am one who believes in second chances and perhaps the Redskins front office has really discovered something that they feel is worth a shot.

And with that, I really wouldn’t be against bringing in Russell and having him study under a veteran quarterback, such as McNabb.

So, this article just got weird…