Raiders' future remains on hold

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Oct 17, 2007 | by Jerry McDonald

ALAMEDA _ All the proof necessary to determine that Lane Kiffin is willing to be patient regarding the future of the Raiders was on display Wednesday as they began serious preparations for the Kansas City Chiefs.

As players finished stretching and jogged over to individual drills, there was JaMarcus Russell as one of four quarterbacks, with Andrew Walter following close behind.

Meanwhile, working out away from the team and not wearing football gear, was running back Michael Bush.

Taken together, the snapshots said the following:

-- Walter's presence on the roster, one day after the trade deadline, means Kiffin believes Russell is weeks away from being able to play in an actual NFL game.

-- Bush, relegated to rehab duty, hasn't played football in so long Kiffin realizes it is going to take considerable time to get their fourth-round pick ready after not playing in a team setting for more than a year.

Outside the facility, there is impatience. Russell and Bush are two of the most frequent fan topics on Inside the Raiders blog posts as well as personal e-mails.

As the reasoning goes, Russell, with the Star Wars arm and $52 million contract, simply has to be better than what we've seen so far from Josh McCown or Daunte Culpepper.

Bush is underground sensation among Raider Nation in part because of some impressive YouTube videos from his days at Louisville.

He is a quick-footed 240-pound back who can run from scrimmage, lower his shoulder for the extra yard and even throw the ball on occasion because of his background as a high school quarterback.

Considered a back of first-round potential, the Raiders got him with the first pick of the fourth round because a broken leg ended his last year in college in the first game of the season.

Russell has bided his time without complaint, but fans and media are getting restless.

Culpepper's three turnovers against San Diego, coupled with the memory of Josh McCown's disaster in Denver, has given way to a ``Why Not?'' atmosphere regarding Russell.

When Kiffin was asked about Russell Monday, he maintained the same position he has since draft day. Russell would play when he was ready to play. When he presents the best option for the team to win. There would be no timetable.

Kiff, if you haven't noticed, has about as much use for timetables as Al Davis does for a Chiefs jumpsuit.

Which didn't stop some corners of the media to get into the starting blocks and come to the conclusion that the Russell era is almost upon us.

Russell said Wednesday he has taken only a few snaps with the first unit and that was during the bye week. He's a scout team quarterback, running the opposing team's offense, and sharing that role with Walter.

``Everything is OK,'' Russell said. ``I'm out here to do whatever is needed for our team, no matter what it is. If it's to be the service guy, I'll be the service guy until they tell me to stop.''

Kiffin acknowledged earlier there had been talk of dealing Walter. It ceased once McCown got hurt because Walter was the backup and Kiffin couldn't envision putting Russell in the game.

McCown got in some drill work Wednesday, but isn't ready yet. The reason Walter is still around is that Kiffin doesn't believe Russell could play even in an emergency.

Culpepper was forced to sit behind McCown in large part because of his knowledge of the system. Kiffin, who sounded as if he thought Vinny Testaverde's performance with Carolina with four days of preparation was on par with the parting of the Red Sea, is a big believer in preparation.

Russell not only got a late start, but is a rookie who has never taken so much as a single snap in a preseason game. His extra sessions with Greg Knapp and John DeFilippo and crash course on the playbook won't remotely prepare him for what ensues every Sunday.

So, Russell plays vicariously through former LSU teammates and fellow first-round draft picks such as Kansas City wide receiver Dwayne Bowe, San Diego wideout Buster Davis and Washington safety LaRon Landry.

``It's fun to sit on the sidelines and watch guys that I was just with last year in the NFL, being an asset to their team,'' Russell said. ``I know my day is coming one day and I'm learning as much as I can until my number is called.''

Russell, at least, can think back to January and his destruction of Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl.

Bush hasn't played in more than a calendar year, and it's not realistic to think he is going to make much of an immediate impact if placed on the 53-man roster. If Bush had any hopes of playing Larry Johnson on the scout team Wednesday, he learned otherwise when he got to the facility and wasn't yet allowed to practice.

``It's full speed out here when we throw him in, so we continue to do as many drills as we can that are close to practice simulation and we'll just keep pushing it,'' Kiffin said.

The 21-day window during which Bush can practice started Tuesday. Once he sets foot on the field, a second 21-day period begins during which the team must place him on the 53-man roster or place him on injured reserve.