Oakland Raiders: Looking Into the Future, Part Two

In Part One of this series, we looked at the situation with the head coach. In Part Two, we'll dig into the leader of the offensive line, and the player who usually is the focal point of good or bad things: JaMarcus Russell.

JaMarcus Russell can't have a good job, considering the factors against him: a weak line that has the most false starts, losing wide receivers right and left, losing key running backs for weeks. Then when things look good, the defense goes south, leading to a game-ending field goal.

What's a QB to do?

JaMarcus, for his short rookie year and this, an abbreviated second year, hasn't been horrible. But he also hasn't had a lot to work with. Some of the problems have been issues other teams have dealt with. Injuries happen to all the clubs, and the Raiders were snakebit from the get-go.

Losing Darren McFadden for several games and then being played sparingly doesn't help his confidence either. And if he gets injured, the only thing we hear is how he's a certified bust, even if he has a good game.

Sure, it doesn't help he's playing on a team that is 3-11. But one thing that Russell needs to bring is his ability to be strong in this situation. The last thing Oakland needs is a revolving door at the QB position.

Every year that the Raiders have had more than two QBs start in a season, the numbers haven't been pretty. In 2007, they went 4-12, and in 2003, they also went 4-12. Both times, the defenses were paltry, giving up leads...but in 2003, by midseason, the team started to give up playing...and it doesn't help when the coach doesn't want to be there.

That being said, JaMarcus is the starter, if anything, by the fact the other two QBs, Andrew Walter and Marques Tuiasosopo, just don't cut it. Walter wasn't bad in his relief role, but he was also looking like an audition for another club. Tui, to that end, has never gotten a decent crack at a starting job...and it's doubtful he could at this stage in his career.

Lastly, in the draft next year, with all the money tied up in Russell and McFadden, don't expect the Raiders to pick for a QB...they'll be better served taking a WR or two, or finding a good O-lineman to fill in where Kwame Harris has been.