Post by MasterSandman II on Sept 11, 2007 19:49:11 GMT -5
Raiders, Russell agree to richest deal for a rookie
Associated Press
ALAMEDA, Calif. -- JaMarcus Russell and the Oakland Raiders agreed in principle Monday night to a six-year contract that will guarantee the quarterback more than $30 million in the richest contract ever for a rookie.
Russell update
No. 1 overall pick JaMarcus Russell is scheduled to fly Tuesday from Mobile, Ala., to Oakland with the hope of signing his contract and attending the Raiders practice Wednesday.
However, after a negotiating session that went to 1:30 a.m. PT Tuesday, the deal still was not finalized. Russell's representatives still are reviewing the contract's language and want to go over it with Russell and his family.
When the contract is signed, the Raiders will be granted a two-week roster exemption for Russell.
The two sides met in person Monday for the third time in four days and were hashing out final details of the contract, according to a person familiar with the talks who spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal was not finalized.
The NFL Network's Adam Schefter reports that the six-year deal has a base value of $61 million, including $29 million in guaranteed money and another $3 million in guarantees that would be triggered with a minimum amount of playing time that would be paid out in 2010. The deal's value could be worth as much as $68 million, with $32 million in guaranteed money, the richest contract an NFL rookie has ever signed.
The previous record deal for a rookie came when the Detroit Lions gave No. 2 pick Calvin Johnson $27.2 million in guarantees this year. Top pick Mario Williams got $26.5 million in guaranteed money a year ago from Houston.
Russell's agent, Eric Metz, did not return a phone call seeking comment. But coach Lane Kiffin said earlier in the day the two sides were almost done with the contract.
Russell became the first top pick to remain unsigned by the season opener since Bo Jackson sat out the 1986 season to play baseball after being drafted first by Tampa Bay.
The last first-round pick not to be signed by the season opener was offensive lineman Bryant McKinnie, who missed the first eight games in 2002 after being selected with the seventh overall pick by the Minnesota Vikings.
Signing dates of No. 1 picks since 1977
Year Player Date
2006 Mario Williams April 28
2005 Alex Smith July 26
2004 Eli Manning July 29
2003 Carson Palmer April 25
2002 David Carr April 20
2001 Michael Vick May 9
2000 Courtney Brown May 10
1999 Tim Couch April 17
1998 Peyton Manning July 28
1997 Orlando Pace Aug. 16
1996 Keyshawn Johnson Aug. 6
1995 Ki-Jana Carter July 19
1994 Dan Wilkinson May 5
1993 Drew Bledsoe July 6
1992 Steve Emtman April 26
1991 Russell Maryland April 22
1990 Jeff George July 12
1989 Troy Aikman April 26
1988 Aundray Bruce April 6
1987 Vinny Testaverde April 3
1986 Bo Jackson Never signed
1985 Bruce Smith Feb. 28
1984 Irving Fryar April 11
1983 John Elway May 2
1982 Kenneth Sims June 9
1981 George Rogers June 18
1980 Billy Sims June 11
1979 Tom Cousineau Never signed
1978 Earl Campbell April 28
1977 Ricky Bell May 3
Russell went 25-4 as LSU's starting quarterback, capping his career by throwing for 332 yards and two TDs in a 41-14 Sugar Bowl win over Notre Dame. He finished his career with the Tigers by throwing the second most touchdown passes (52) and having the second highest completion percentage (61.9 percent) in school history.
That success combined with a 6-foot-6, 260-pound frame and a rocket arm made Russell the choice for Oakland with the No. 1 pick in April. The Raiders are building their future around the 21-year-old quarterback, hoping he will help transform an offense that scored just 12 touchdowns last season on the way to a 2-14 record.
Even with Russell set to join the team later this week, he will not be able to contribute much to the Raiders anytime soon. He has missed all of training camp and the exhibition season and will have a difficult time catching up on the lost time.
That means that Josh McCown will remain the quarterback for the foreseeable future. McCown was 30-for-40 for 313 yards and two touchdowns in the 36-21 loss to the Detroit Lions. He also threw two interceptions and lost a fumble in the closing minutes with the Raiders trailing by eight points.
Kiffin kept his decision to start McCown over Daunte Culpepper in the season opener a secret until right before game time, hoping to gain a competitive advantage by making the Lions prepare for two quarterbacks. He will not use the same kind of subterfuge this week, announcing Monday that McCown will start against the Denver Broncos.
"I thought Josh managed the game extremely well," Kiffin said. "A bunch of little things he did really well, as far as we didn't have a wrong formation all day, we didn't have a missed audible all day. He moved us really well at times. ... I thought he played really well."
The other starting spot Kiffin kept secret before the game was at center, where former Pro Bowler Jeremy Newberry beat out incumbent Jake Grove for the starting spot. But Newberry pulled his hamstring on the first drive and did not return to the game.
Newberry, who played in only 11 games the past three seasons because of various injuries, had never hurt his hamstring before. He tried to stay in the game despite the injury, but left after failing to realize McCown was in the shotgun on the final play of the opening drive.
"I should have come out of the game but I was like, 'Ah, maybe this thing will lighten up,"' Newberry said. "I didn't even hear shotgun. I was just trying to get to the line without my leg locking up on me. I should have came out of the game before the fourth play, I should have."
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Finally. I hope he's ready to hold the clipboard.
Associated Press
ALAMEDA, Calif. -- JaMarcus Russell and the Oakland Raiders agreed in principle Monday night to a six-year contract that will guarantee the quarterback more than $30 million in the richest contract ever for a rookie.
Russell update
No. 1 overall pick JaMarcus Russell is scheduled to fly Tuesday from Mobile, Ala., to Oakland with the hope of signing his contract and attending the Raiders practice Wednesday.
However, after a negotiating session that went to 1:30 a.m. PT Tuesday, the deal still was not finalized. Russell's representatives still are reviewing the contract's language and want to go over it with Russell and his family.
When the contract is signed, the Raiders will be granted a two-week roster exemption for Russell.
The two sides met in person Monday for the third time in four days and were hashing out final details of the contract, according to a person familiar with the talks who spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal was not finalized.
The NFL Network's Adam Schefter reports that the six-year deal has a base value of $61 million, including $29 million in guaranteed money and another $3 million in guarantees that would be triggered with a minimum amount of playing time that would be paid out in 2010. The deal's value could be worth as much as $68 million, with $32 million in guaranteed money, the richest contract an NFL rookie has ever signed.
The previous record deal for a rookie came when the Detroit Lions gave No. 2 pick Calvin Johnson $27.2 million in guarantees this year. Top pick Mario Williams got $26.5 million in guaranteed money a year ago from Houston.
Russell's agent, Eric Metz, did not return a phone call seeking comment. But coach Lane Kiffin said earlier in the day the two sides were almost done with the contract.
Russell became the first top pick to remain unsigned by the season opener since Bo Jackson sat out the 1986 season to play baseball after being drafted first by Tampa Bay.
The last first-round pick not to be signed by the season opener was offensive lineman Bryant McKinnie, who missed the first eight games in 2002 after being selected with the seventh overall pick by the Minnesota Vikings.
Signing dates of No. 1 picks since 1977
Year Player Date
2006 Mario Williams April 28
2005 Alex Smith July 26
2004 Eli Manning July 29
2003 Carson Palmer April 25
2002 David Carr April 20
2001 Michael Vick May 9
2000 Courtney Brown May 10
1999 Tim Couch April 17
1998 Peyton Manning July 28
1997 Orlando Pace Aug. 16
1996 Keyshawn Johnson Aug. 6
1995 Ki-Jana Carter July 19
1994 Dan Wilkinson May 5
1993 Drew Bledsoe July 6
1992 Steve Emtman April 26
1991 Russell Maryland April 22
1990 Jeff George July 12
1989 Troy Aikman April 26
1988 Aundray Bruce April 6
1987 Vinny Testaverde April 3
1986 Bo Jackson Never signed
1985 Bruce Smith Feb. 28
1984 Irving Fryar April 11
1983 John Elway May 2
1982 Kenneth Sims June 9
1981 George Rogers June 18
1980 Billy Sims June 11
1979 Tom Cousineau Never signed
1978 Earl Campbell April 28
1977 Ricky Bell May 3
Russell went 25-4 as LSU's starting quarterback, capping his career by throwing for 332 yards and two TDs in a 41-14 Sugar Bowl win over Notre Dame. He finished his career with the Tigers by throwing the second most touchdown passes (52) and having the second highest completion percentage (61.9 percent) in school history.
That success combined with a 6-foot-6, 260-pound frame and a rocket arm made Russell the choice for Oakland with the No. 1 pick in April. The Raiders are building their future around the 21-year-old quarterback, hoping he will help transform an offense that scored just 12 touchdowns last season on the way to a 2-14 record.
Even with Russell set to join the team later this week, he will not be able to contribute much to the Raiders anytime soon. He has missed all of training camp and the exhibition season and will have a difficult time catching up on the lost time.
That means that Josh McCown will remain the quarterback for the foreseeable future. McCown was 30-for-40 for 313 yards and two touchdowns in the 36-21 loss to the Detroit Lions. He also threw two interceptions and lost a fumble in the closing minutes with the Raiders trailing by eight points.
Kiffin kept his decision to start McCown over Daunte Culpepper in the season opener a secret until right before game time, hoping to gain a competitive advantage by making the Lions prepare for two quarterbacks. He will not use the same kind of subterfuge this week, announcing Monday that McCown will start against the Denver Broncos.
"I thought Josh managed the game extremely well," Kiffin said. "A bunch of little things he did really well, as far as we didn't have a wrong formation all day, we didn't have a missed audible all day. He moved us really well at times. ... I thought he played really well."
The other starting spot Kiffin kept secret before the game was at center, where former Pro Bowler Jeremy Newberry beat out incumbent Jake Grove for the starting spot. But Newberry pulled his hamstring on the first drive and did not return to the game.
Newberry, who played in only 11 games the past three seasons because of various injuries, had never hurt his hamstring before. He tried to stay in the game despite the injury, but left after failing to realize McCown was in the shotgun on the final play of the opening drive.
"I should have come out of the game but I was like, 'Ah, maybe this thing will lighten up,"' Newberry said. "I didn't even hear shotgun. I was just trying to get to the line without my leg locking up on me. I should have came out of the game before the fourth play, I should have."
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Finally. I hope he's ready to hold the clipboard.