JaMarcus Russell: Why Are Teams Interested in This Overweight Underachiever?
When it was reported that JaMarcus Russell was working out for the Washington Redskins, just about every football fan in the country (and beyond) wondered aloud why any team would ever be interested in an overweight underachiever like Russell.
Indeed, the former number one pick is quite possibly one of the laziest and most ineffective players to come out of the draft in recent memory. The Raiders did the right thing when they ran him out of town on a rail.
And now this. The Redskins' interest in Russell defies rationality. So we have no choice but to try and fill in the gaps.
So in all our wisdom, we have come up with the top ten reasons JaMarcus Russell would draw interest.
10. Not Looking for a Quarterback
1 of 10
The Reason: Russell can't play quarterback, but maybe he can play something else...
Russell was never able to find a career in his strong arm, but not having a man of his stature in the NFL seems like an awful waste. He's still big, and maybe there's a team that thinks they can capitalize on that.
JaMarcus the defensive end? JaMarcus the offensive tackle? JaMarcus the linebacker?
Somewhere out there, a GM might be thinking the very same thing.
Why It Would Backfire: Because it's a stupid idea.
9. The Hookup
2 of 10
The Reason: You can say what you will about Russell's playing abilities, but there's no denying that he's got the hookup on codeine syrup.
Okay, I'll admit it. This is definitely a cheap shot at the former Raiders quarterback, who I actually thought was going to have a great career. Besides, nobody in the NFL needs JaMarcus around if and when they get a craving for some purple drank.
But still...
Why It Would Backfire: It just wouldn't look very good if one of your player's home got raided, would it?
8. Thumb Nose at Al Davis
3 of 10
The Reason: Just about every team in the NFL is always looking for a way to piss off Al Davis. Resurrecting Russell's career could do the trick.
This is particularly applicable to Mike Shanahan, who definitely has no love lost for the controversial Raiders owner. And it already sort of feels like Shanahan is taking Russell under his wing and giving Davis the finger.
Come to think of it, that's a hell of a picture.
Why It Would Backfire: Davis is probably going to have the last laugh in this case.
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7. Tackling Dummy
4 of 10
The Reason: Russell would be the perfect player to throw out there when the offensive line is having a tough day.
Thanks to his time with the Raiders leaky offensive line, Russell knows all about getting sacked. But if you ask Raider fans, their lasting image of Russell is him standing flatfooted in the pocket and looking like he had absolutely no interest in getting rid of the ball. And then he would go down.
So for a team with a young exciting quarterback, but who aren't quite there yet, having somebody like Russell to throw to the wolves might be a good idea.
I'm talking to you, St. Louis Rams.
Why It Would Backfire: Russell would have to catch wind of what's going on sooner or later.
6. Insider Info
5 of 10
The Reason: It seems unlikely, but there might be a team out there who knows something about Russell that the rest of us don't.
They say that Russell has been working out during his time away from the NFL. And his workout buddy, former NBA player John Lucas, claims that Russell has lost as many as 35 pounds.
When asked about Russell, even Mike Shanahan seemed hopeful: "I think sometimes when guys do get a second opportunity, they can change their stripes."
So could it be possible that Russell has basically gone out and un(bleeped) himself in the past months after his release from the Raiders? That maybe, just maybe he has found a work ethic?
Why it Would Backfire: It's good to have faith in people, but there's a reason we always say "you can't teach an old dog new tricks."
5. Confidence Boost
6 of 10
The Reason: Maybe bringing in a quarterback as hopeless as Russell could prove to be a confidence booster for other quarterbacks.
Just imagine somebody like Max Hall, Matt Moore, or even McNabb watching Russell try to make his way through practice every week. The comedy that is Russell trying to be an NFL quarterback could make any signal caller think to himself, "You know, I'm really not that bad."
As they say, confidence is key.
Why It Would Backfire: More likely, having JaMarcus on the depth chart would probably make the other quarterbacks feel like they've been sent to the kids' table.
4. Designated Hail Mary Thrower
7 of 10
The Reason: If a team like the Redskins is willing to switch quarterbacks to run the two minute offense, why not take it one step further when they need somebody to throw the long ball.
Just about all JaMarcus Russell has shown he can do is throw the ball really, really far. Give him the ball on your own 30 yard line, and he can chuck it into the end zone. So why not sign him up for those special occasions, when your team needs one of those miracle hail mary's?
Why It Would Backfire: Russell would probably just get sacked anyway.
3. To Fill Seats
8 of 10
The Reason: Who doesn't like a good freak show?
The NFL announced in early September that they were expecting attendance to fall for the third straight season. And so far, they're right. At last check, there have already been 13 TV blackouts already this season, compared to 22 games all of last season.
In short, some teams need to fill seats. Bringing aboard a former number one pick with a history of epic failure just might draw a crowd.
Why It Would Backfire: Russell sure as hell didn't draw a crowd in Oakland.
2. Need a Ringer
9 of 10
The Reason: Maybe a team has their eye on a top draft pick, and they don't trust their starting quarterback to suck badly enough to make it happen.
Just how ironic would it be if somebody actually thought to use a former number one pick as a means to secure one of their own? Well, maybe it wouldn't be ironic. But it would definitely be funny.
But this might not be all that far-fetched. After all, Andrew Luck must look pretty good for a lot of teams right about now.
Why It Would Backfire: Well... would it?
1. Desperation
10 of 10
The Reason: If you think about it, a pretty good number of teams have issues at quarterback. And some of them might just be desperate enough to bring Russell aboard.
What's scary at this moment in time is that the Redskins seem like a team that shouldn't be all that desperate to find a quarterback. They have two who have both taken a team to the Super Bowl.
It makes more sense for a team like Arizona, San Francisco, Carolina, or even Dallas to consider signing Russell. The Redskins simply don't need another body for the depth chart (especially not one this big) as much as some other teams.
Why It Would Backfire: The Raiders were desperate for a quarterback too.
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