Garcia Upon his Raiders Release
Shortly before the NFL season began the Raiders released 4-time Pro Bowler and generally competent quarterback Jeff Garcia. Oakland decided that hanging onto backups Bruce Gradkowski and Charlie Frye was the better move in an apparent need to surround 2007 overall number 1 pick JaMarcus Russell with the worst backups possible. Well following the completion of his brief stint with the Eagles – Garcia has spoken out on his summer in Raider hell. Appearing on a radio show, he criticized the organization for putting too much pressure on Russell and spoke of how the NFL’s lowest rated starter is not yet ready for that type of responsibility. I’m not sure how any of this is a surprise to anyone but here was my favorite quote:
“When you put him on the field in a one-on-one workout session he’ll make every throw for you,” Garcia said during the radio show. “But when it comes down to making things happen in the heat of the battle and rallying the troops around you and making a case for the team, that’s where maybe things aren’t where they need to be.”
I’m going to actually view that as a shock because I wasn’t even sure he could make those type of throws in practice or a one-on-one workout session. In his 22 career games, Russell has finished with an under 50% completion percentage 10 times. Think of a really average starter. Did you come up with Kyle Orton? Me too! In his last 22 games he has only completed less than 50% of his passes just twice. How about a really bad quarterback? I bet you came up with Rex Grossman (I can’t believe the Bears didn’t win the Super Bowl!). Well even Grossman only completed less than 50% of his passes 8 times in a 22 game span. However the most important difference between Grossman and Russell is that the Sex Cannon no longer has a starting gig.
Obviously it is no surprise whatsoever that the Raiders are a complete mess and their problems run far deeper than Russell – just take a look at their last several headlines on their ESPN.com team page:
- Free Agent Garcia rips into Raiders, QB Russell
- Raiders’ Seymour fined $7,500 for hair pulling
- Report: Raiders aide tells cops Cable broke jaw
If that isn’t enough to make Raiders fans want to jump off a bridge check out the list of guys who you picked JaMarcus Russell instead of in 2007:
- Calvin Johnson (#2 pick)
- Joe Thomas (#3 pick)
- Adrian Peterson (#7 pick)
- Patrick Willis (#11 pick)
- Marshawn Lynch (#12 pick)
- Darrelle Revis (#14 pick)
- Michael Griffin (#19 pick)
- Jon Beason (#25 pick)
7 of those 8 guys have made a Pro Bowl in their two short seasons and the other one goes by the nickname Megatron. I’m fairly certain that when Russell is out of the league in 3 years a few Raiders fans (if they still exist) won’t be feeling so good about that pick. Hey at least they’ve Darius Heyward-Bey…ouch.
