While Raiders Wait for Russell, Kiffin Has to Decide on a QB
This is a good problem to have, I guess:
Oakland Raiders coach Lane Kiffin watched the videotape from Friday night's 20-10 exhibition win over the St. Louis Rams and reached at least one conclusion: He still isn't sure who his starting quarterback is going to be for the regular-season opener 14 days from now.
I thought the answer was pretty obvious, but Kiffin admitted that he wanted "to take a couple more days here on it." Fair enough, and after coming off a two-win season, there's no need to rush these things.
Daunte Culpepper has gotten most of the preseason pub, but Josh McCown and Andrew Walter have played well too. Must be something to having an offensive line that can actually block. Culpepper's obviously the favorite -- he looks to be fully recovered from a knee injury that hobbled him for most of the previous two seasons -- but he's the new to the offense and is still making his way through the playbook.
McCown's been in Oakland three months longer than Culpepper, and he's not a former Pro Bowler, but "by all accounts, has impressed with his dedication to winning the starting job."
He has more experience than Walter and is more accurate. He also is the most mobile of the three candidates. The downside is, McCown didn't play quarterback in a game last season and is prone to having passes intercepted at an unacceptable rate.
I don't know if this is good news or bad news for first-overall pick Jamarcus Russell. On the one hand, there's no pressure for him to sign a deal he may not feel is fair. Plus, he's not likely to see the field until late in the season, assuming he signs in the next few weeks -- it'll take that long to learn the playbook.
On the other hand, the more he sits, the more likely it is he could go 18 months between games. That's a lifetime for a young NFL quarterback. While Jamarcus Russell and the front office work through their problems, Kiffin has a more immediate decision to make.
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