Russell throws a pass. Photo by Patterson/TFDSsports.com
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With all of last week dedicated to draft grades, it is easy to forget that the value of draft picks can't be ascertained until three years after their selection. The third year is widely accepted as the year that a player must produce, or they get the dreaded "bust" label. 2009 is JaMarcus Russell's third year in the pros, and he has yet to show that he has the "it" that a first round quarterback must have, he is in dire straits when it comes to being considered a viable quarterback of the future. He has to make the quantum leap that many players make in their third year where the game "slows down" and they start producing to their potential.
This is not to say that Russell needs to make a trip to Hawaii following the season to avoid the bust label, but he has to raise his game to the next level, and eliminate the mental mistakes that have plagued him. He has to show that he has command of the team and the playbook. He has to be smart with the ball, and reduce his fumbling. He has to be quicker on his progressions and get the ball to his receivers or take off running, rather than taking a sack or throwing picks. Basically, he has to show that he is turning the corner. If he isn't showing that by the conclusion of '09 he will join Andrew Walter and Marques Tuiasosopo as former Raider quarterbacks of the future, and wear the bust tag as a nameplate.
Russell has not had the best recipe for success, missing nearly his entire rookie year, a mid-season coaching change, horrendous offensive line play, and three play callers. However, with those obstacles aside he must show definite progress.
Rookie Holdout:
JaMarcus Russell's lack of playing time his rookie year can be directly attributed back to Russell's hold out that cost him the entire 2007 training camp and preseason. This is an important time for rookies to work on their transition to from the NCAA game to the pros. They spend a month immersed in nothing but football, and with the preseason games get their first taste of live action. During this time, relationships are forged with their teammates.
Russell missed all of this due to his holding out for a better contract offer. These are important reps and practice that are lost to him for good. Due to this lack of practice and playing time, he did not see playing time until late in the season. He notched only a single start in week seventeen.
Sophomore drama:
Russell's second year began as almost an afterthought to the simmering Lane Kiffin-Al Davis feud. Kiffin was fired after four games, and offensive line coach Tom Cable ascended to the head job. Since Kiffin was the play-caller, his departure meant that offensive coordinator Gregg Knapp took over those duties. When Knapp's playcalling was proven ineffective, Cable took over those duties leaving Russell with yet another playcaller to work with. However, he seemed to find his stride late in the season with Cable calling the plays.
During all this drama, he did not have a veteran quarterback to lean on. The senior quarterback on the roster was Marques Tuiasosopo who had all of two starts in his career. Andrew Walter had more starts, but had only been in his third year. It should also be noted that he had a revolving door of receivers to work with during the year. At various times, Javon Walker, Ashley Lelie, Ronald Curry, Johnnie Lee Higgins, and Chaz Schilens all started. It is important for a quarterback to have rhythm and chemistry with their receivers.
It didn't help matters that the Oakland Raiders offensive tackles played offensively. Kwame Harris was a sack or a penalty waiting to happen, whilst Cornell Green was second to only to Harris in general ineptitude. Because of this, the Raiders were frequently in second and long and third and longer situations. This limits what Russell can do. It also meant that he did not have as much time in the pocket as he should to make plays.
Looking towards 2009:
All of the drama is in the past. Tom Cable is established as the head coach and the play-caller for 2009. The Raiders also promoted Paul Hackett to quarterbacks coach to guide Russell. Hackett is one of the best in the business at shaping quarterbacks. He has been credited by MVP quarterbacks Joe Montana and Rich Gannon as being the coach who shaped them into being the best. In addition, the Raiders brought in Jeff Garcia to be a veteran back-up, who will push Russell. Russell could also learn a lot from Garcia when it comes to hard work. Garcia's hard work enabled him to have a Pro Bowl career, despite having only a fraction of the physical tools that Russell possesses.
On the field, the Raiders have shored up their offensive line by bringing in free agents Erik Pears and Khalif Barnes to compete with the returning Mario Henderson. Jake Grove has also given way to Samson Satele, who should be a better fit for the Raiders zone blocking scheme.
The Raiders have also revamped their receiving corps selecting Darrius Heyward-Bey and Louis Murphy in the draft. Those two join the young tandem of Johnnie Lee Higgins and Chaz Schilens, who began to emerge late in the '08 campaign. In addition to the young receivers, the Raiders have tight end Zach Miller who has emerged as a favored target by Russell.
There are no excuses left for JaMarcus Russell. He has the targets and protection. He has the teachers. This is his third year in the NFL. He showed improvement during the 2008 season, but he has to make the third year jump.
Comments
A veteran QB on the roster is huge for a young QB. Working with Hackett and having Garcia around will make Russell that much better. If he doesn't make huge strides this year, it will all be on Russell's shoulders. Just thinking about our three WR set with Higgins, DHB and Murphy. Your talking about three sub 4.4 guys on the same field at the same time. If all three can put it together, it will be pretty unbelivable.
J.Russell's stats : 198 completions/368 attempts/ 53.8% completion. Pass yards: 2,423
2009's stats: 250 completions/400 attempts = 63% completion. I believe P.Hackett could get him to this stat along with the current group of WR's and start building that chemistry. Passing yards should see an increase at least somewhere between 3,000-3,200.
J.Russell stats : 13TD's/8 INT's
2009 stats: 21 TD's and no more than 10 INT's. An overall eight TD increase along with a 2 pick increase. Miller - 6, Walker - 4, Schilens - 3, Higgins - 4, Heyward-Bey - 3, McFadden - 1.
J.Russell stats : 31 sacks. Overall - 38 on yr.
2009 stats: No more than 27 sacks with Russell starting all 16 games. Walter took 5 and Tui 2 sacks combined for a total of 7. Reducing that total along, Russell's knowlegde of offense/mobility, and a better o-line should be able to reduce the amount of sacks from 38 to 27.
Overall, this is Russell's 2nd yr as a full-time starter. Russell gets a pass two more years after this year, IMO. Why? Because it took a sbowl winning qb like E.Manning that long to finally lead his team to a win.
Dude you are completely wrong. The reason why JaMarcus missed training camp in his rookie season is AL Davis didn't want to get with the program and give the kid the money the SYSTEM and I quote "SYSTEM" said he should get. If he didn't want to pay the kid according to the system, then he should have traded the pick. The agent and player did what they were suppose to do. Hold out until the team give up the cash according to the system. Now I don't agree with the system. I think all rookies should be capped and the veterans should be paid. But our owner wanted to prove a point and now we are where we are now. During his rookies season, JaMarcus should have been starting when we were officially out of the playoffs, but the sorry coach we had at the time had a separate agenda. JaMarcus should be given the same respect any other rookie QB should get. This team is closer, but no one can tell me we have all the pieces to be a successful team right now. We need to learn how to win and that started last year. Give the kid a break. He now has a QB coach who's proven. A mentor that's proven. And the team is starting to put some talent around him but we are not finished yet. The OL is still a question mark. Let's just wait to see how the line plays and that will tell how good this team will be.
Agreed but with Al Davis calling the shots, there will always be the least objective means to judge JR due to all the constant change with coaches and poor "O" lines. The Raiders could have had Monroe and Brace, two guys that would have meant more to JR's success than any of the skill positions. The war is won in the trenches first.
The Raiders were not going to start Russell in the first year. Mr. Davis could care less if Russell didn't show up for preseason. Russell ended up signing the same contract that was on his desk for a month, so he was in no hurry either (maybe even planned between them). Every game Russell plays, he gets better (save the two that he played with a bum ankle). If this article was correct, Aso would be a "bust", Manning and Farve too. Russell will be great and no, he doesn't have to be on the vista this season as long as he is still climbing the mountain.
Russell's development has been slow, some of it falls on him (holdout, weight issues) and some of it falls on the organization (coaching change, poor talent at OL, WR).
But, I'm optimistic about this player. Mainly due to his performance the last 3 games of the season. The light seemed to go on for Russell those last 3 games. Part of it was having better players around him (Henderson instead of Harris at LT, Schilens/Higgins at WR instead of Curry/Lelie), but he also started looking off defenders and improved his accuracy. He also led his team to a 4th quarter comeback on the road at Tampa in the finale. This had to be a big boost to his confidence and the team's confidence in him.
To the Raider's credit, they realize that thier success is based on Russell's development and virtually every move they've made this offseason has been designed to help Russell (adding 4 vet OL, Hackett as QB coach, signing Garcia, drafting 2 speedy WR's). It's safe to say that Russell has a better supporting cast on offense than he's had in his first 2 years and more coaching stability. So, now it's up to Russell to take advantage of this, get in the best shape of his career, and really work this offseason to learn the system and get better at his craft. I, for one, am confident he'll do it.
I think we can agree that JaMarcus will do better this year. He has youth,speed and depth at wide receiver. Depth at tight end. But my concern is at both offensive and defensive lines. Simple formula: Protect JaMarcus- keep sacks under 25. Defensive Line hold team game rushing 98 yards a game, and force turnovers!
why does everyone down JRuss???I don't get it...everyone says this is his 3rd year,technicality it will be his 2nd...
btw...Manuel
what do you base your stats on???crack???I believe he will be better than you stated...the TD/INT ratio will be better than you stated...we have a better O-line,WRs,and with the RB that we have it will make Russell alot better this year...
KMA-IAORF !!!
IN NOMINE RAIDERNASS !!!
YES its the "SYSTEM" thats the problem!!!! if our last 7 1st rounders would be working thier asses of to make that fat veteran check we would'nt be in such a slump!! instead you have guys who as soon as they have a good to great year, they immediatly come out and train only for the combine and pro-day and bam!! sit on thier checks for 4 or 5 years!!! if the "SYSTEM" was reversed we would have much better football games and much better drafts!!
With more production from McFadden and more weapons to throw to on the outside, to go with a better core of linemen, I know Russell will succeed. Not to mention we should improve on stopping the run on defense ( should..., kind of hard to believe we'll go in the other direction by run defense) so that means hopefully having our offense on the field more. It's probably safe to say with McFadden this year we can expect say 1 to 2 more wins, with the receivers, probably 1 more win and with the improved offensive and defensive production add another win. that's 9-7 from last year. Oh, and Russell's improvement get's us at least 1 more win on top, make it a 10-6 year being conservative!!!!LY raidernation
for example...i was in the raider war room board[for fans] and i kept hammering for a defensive draft, i wanted "rey maualuga"-"jarron gilbert"and"mike mitchell"!!! and all i would hear-about is "VALUE" and "TOO MUCH MONEY" and "NOT DESERVING A HIGH PICK" and i would be soooo frustrated that we ignore our real needs "DEFENSE" for VALUE!!!! please comish. change the SYSTEM!!!
Dymond Jim - Says the guy who doesn't look at the overall team.
RB - Probably strongest point of our team, but McFadden/Fargas need to show that they won't be injury prone players.
WR - Are you serious? Wake up dude, if you expect all of these younger guys to come out of the gates having better #'s than what I stated, your the one who's smoking the "crack".
OL - We've a new center, probably a new RT and even possibly a new LT if Henderson doesn't hold up.
I'm not knocking anyone's optimism about the 09 season, but when you make a stupid comment about me smoking crack, how about looking at the situations you posted on and give a better anaylsis, than take a shot at my post.
You know nothing about the word "chemistry", so sit down and do some studying.
It comes to JRuss maturing.
From everything I hear or read, JRuss is just immature. Sounds like he's coasting now that he's a pro. In most post-game interviews, he sounded humble and likeable. Then he has ONE DECENT GAME, and the guy has a white fur coat with a cocky hip-hop 'tude. That's immaturity.
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