When the information made rounds that JaMarcus Russell was returning to the NFL, laughter ensued. The former No. 1 overall draft pick is now considered one of the biggest busts in the NFL. With his prior history and weight ballooning to over 300 pounds, everyone assumed his career was finished and this comeback laughable. Well it turns out NFL teams aren’t laughing but are instead showing interest. Read more after the jump.
Russell has been pretty serious about this comeback, shedding weight and arranging work outs with star players like Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald. With the shortage of quarterbacks and the QB shuffle (trades) unlikely to produce great results, NFL teams are reportedly paying attention to Russell’s efforts and giving him some consideration.
“I’ve been following his comeback story pretty closely,” one NFC scout told CBSSports.com’s Mike Freeman. “I think a lot of teams are. Good chance he gets a second shot.”
Freeman reported Thursday that “more than a few teams” have been keeping an eye on Russell, who has slimmed down from a massive 315 pounds to 288 since beginning his workouts in February. Russell is aiming to chisel down to 270 pounds, but the issue of bulk isn’t the only question surrounding the former Oakland Raiders passer.
Russell was a lazy, lethargic personality who sunk Oakland’s quarterback room and threw the Raiders off course for three seasons. It’s intriguing to learn that any front office genuinely would consider adding Russell to the mix, but with at least half of the NFL searching for answers or upgrades under center, it’s not surprising he’s attracting some preliminary interest.
There aren’t enough quarterbacks to go around, but whether a team is willing to pull the trigger on adding Russell to the mix is a different story. Russell was shuttled out of the NFL because he lacked heart and desire. Losing the weight is a nice start, but Russell hasn’t proved he’s capable of guiding a franchise into battle.
.
