NAPA
RAIDERS QUARTERBACK JaMarcus Russell emerged triumphant Thursday from his first career training-camp practice.
Which, of course, means the 6-foot-6 Russell didn't get taped to the goal post. He also didn't botch a snap (a staple of Raiders quarterbacks in recent seasons), he didn't get hurt, and he didn't have a pass intercepted.
Yep, Day 1 was a success for Russell, who missed last year's training camp during a contract holdout that led to his benching for most of his rookie season.
When he showed up at Thursday's camp christening, you'll be happy to know he more resembled a full-functioning franchise savior than a 300-pound whale.
Then
Actually, Russell is 269 pounds. He baited a reporter into thinking he indeed hit the rumored 300-pound mark this offseason, then claimed he topped off at 276.
Funny, because no one carries more, well, weight regarding the Raiders' future than Russell.
Not coach Lane Kiffin (who's surrounded at camp by a slew of could-be successors to his job.)
Not the high-and-overpriced signings of other players this offseason.
Not even the arrival of first-round draft pick Darren McFadden, although Russell admitted the expectations for him and McFadden are "going to be through the
"Just by being a quarterback, you've got to look at it as: Everybody on the team gets paid off of what I do and the rest of the team does," Russell said. "I hate to say it, but I'm accountable for a lot of the guys' families."
Russell must reverse what's been a harrowing course for the Raiders since their 2002 run to the Super Bowl.
Helping matters is that he's already been appointed this season's starter — and, no, it's not by default because Andrew Walter and
"I couldn't be more pleased with where he's at," Kiffin said of Russell. "He couldn't have done more since the last game of last season."
Much of Russell's offseason included study sessions with offensive coordinator Greg Knapp, who came away pleased with Russell's first showing on the Napa Marriott's back lawn.
New cornerback DeAngelo Hall said Russell's powerful arm "can whip the ball into small places in a heartbeat," as Hall learned on one play Thursday. "The throw was where nobody could get it but the receiver."
To make you appreciate a throw like that, you had to see a throw like the one Walter made, one that cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha intercepted to bring up so many ugly memories of past seasons.
Running back Justin Fargas said of Russell: "Having a year under his belt, and having him here is big for us. He looks good. He's our leader."
Missing last year's training camp was a good thing for Russell. It didn't seem like it at the time. And it did hamper his development to some degree. But what it did do was delay the expectations on someone who already inherited so much pressure by being the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2007.
Russell is more prepared than he was a year ago to take on the great expectations. For a nice change, the expectations are high. Sure, the Raiders will endure growing pains. But at least they're expected to grow under Russell and not just bide time behind some veteran castoff at quarterback.
Russell is confident, and he also is realistic.
"To do it by myself is impossible. That's why we have other teammates," he said. "I think we are going to be able to come together."
Unifying the Raiders is indeed an imposing chore, especially when you consider that Russell is one of eight new starters, including Kwame Harris, who's projected as the starting left tackle and gatekeeper to Russell's blindside.
Maybe the Raiders should put a shot clock out there — "Two seconds on the clock, please" — to program Russell into unloading passes before he can get sacked. But Kiffin and Knapp are convinced Russell has a quick release, as well as the ability to easily look over the mosh pit of linemen and find passing lanes.
That's an asset that comes with a 6-foot-6 frame, even if it weighs, 269, 276, 300 or 1,000 pounds.
Contact Cam Inman at cinman@bayareanewsgroup.com.
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