Raider Draft Picks Holding Out

[RitcheyRch]

Someone mentioned the Raiders earlier so figured would post some Raider Nation news.
http://cbs2.com/topstories/local_story_208184324.html
No. 1 overall draft pick JaMarcus Russell and the Oakland Raiders failed to agree on a contract before the start of training camp Friday, leaving the quarterback as a holdout from the team's first practice.
Coach Lane Kiffin said Thursday that the team was making progress toward signing Russell to a deal but the two sides were unable to reach an agreement before the practice began Friday afternoon.
Second-round pick Zach Miller, a tight end out of Arizona State, also missed the opening session of training camp.
Talks between the Raiders, Russell and his agent, Eric Metz, have been ongoing for weeks but the sides have yet to strike an agreement. Russell is said to be seeking a deal worth $60 million.
Last year's No. 1 overall pick, defensive end Mario Williams of the Houston Texans, signed a six-year, $54 million deal that included $26.5 million in guaranteed money.
The deal is so complex that the Raiders have had as many as six people in their front office working on the contract.
The Raiders used the No. 1 overall pick on Russell in April, making him the cornerstone of a rebuilding project for a team that had won just 15 games the previous four seasons.
While the Raiders are planning their future around Russell, veterans Josh McCown and Andrew Walter are expected to compete for the starting job for the season opener Sept. 9 against Detroit.
But McCown said it's very important for Russell to report to camp soon.
"It's huge," he said. "Because these first few weeks, the practices that you get and the work you get you never get back.
I have not been the top pick, but being in that situation where there are a couple of sides to the thing and it takes time.
Hopefully it will get worked out to where everybody's happy and we can get him in here and get him working."
Russell impressed his new coaches during offseason workouts but still has plenty to learn as he tries to adjust to the speed and complexity of the pro game.
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 Raiders' choice with the No. 1 pick

[AZJD]

He's probably hoping he will wake up and be in a different city...:D :D :D

[Fire Angler]

The top 3 draft picks haven't been signed yet. I think the # 4 pick from the draft signed yesterday.

[finsfan4life]

The top 3 draft picks haven't been signed yet. I think the # 4 pick from the draft signed yesterday.
No guys it has nothing to do about money !!!! The hold up is that the top three draft picks are still waiting for their approval letters from their Parole officers to transfer to Oakland !!! Thats the hold up..

[Fire Angler]

No guys it has nothing to do about money !!!! The hold up is that the top three draft picks are still waiting for their approval letters from their Parole officers to transfer to Oakland !!! Thats the hold up..
It's ALL about the Cash! :)
The only person I've ever heard of fearing the Dolphins was Tyra Banks. :D

[Ziggy]

He's probably hoping he will wake up and be in a different city...:D :D :D
I was thinking the same thing, Imagine having the college career he did, fully expecting to be #1 pick and knowing what team is first in line.:eek: :eek: :eek: ......Outside of the Eli Manning fiasco when the Chargers were 1st to pick I've never seen anything but holdouts, then complete failure of the player once they did sign.
Time will tell, lets see.

[Not So Fast]

Do you blame them/him?? Take a look at who is on the very bottom of the latest power rankings, not bashing just a fact! NSF

[AZJD]

I was thinking the same thing, Imagine having the college career he did, fully expecting to be #1 pick and knowing what team is first in line.:eek: :eek: :eek: ......Outside of the Eli Manning fiasco when the Chargers were 1st to pick I've never seen anything but holdouts, then complete failure of the player once they did sign.
Time will tell, lets see.
Is it just me zig, or does it seem like there is something, (or someone) missing from this thread?!
I don't know what it is, as I have been off my game all day. I have no DMxcuses for my lack of answers.........:eek:

[acatitude]

Is it just me zig, or does it seem like there is something, (or someone) missing from this thread?!
I don't know what it is, as I have been off my game all day. I have no DMxcuses for my lack of answers.........:eek:
LMAO:D

[Fire Angler]

Lets just hope he doesn't turn out to be another Ryan Leaf. :D
What a waste of time and money he was.

[Ziggy]

Is it just me zig, or does it seem like there is something, (or someone) missing from this thread?!
I don't know what it is, as I have been off my game all day. I have no DMxcuses for my lack of answers.........:eek:
:D :D
Lets just hope he doesn't turn out to be another Ryan Leaf.
What a waste of time and money he was.
For your sake I hope so too....I mean I can't stand the Raiders but no team deserves to be taken the way Leaf robbed the Chargers..
and to think, the Colts seriously considered Leaf over Peyton because of "raw talent"...:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[Not So Fast]

Lets just hope he doesn't turn out to be another Ryan Leaf. :D
What a waste of time and money he was.
OUCH, That cuts deep:( :( NSF

[Ziggy]

The top 3 picks won't sign until all the other top 20 picks sign. It's called slotting. It's how they ensure their contract is not worth less than a lower pick. There's also a bit of dilemma with Brady Quinn. He has not signed yet either and Russell wants to ensure that his contract has more guaranteed money in it.
Yes very true.......kinda sad how the love of the game doesn't take priority over it any longer. The kids' lawyers are in it for themselves just as much if not more.

[Fire Angler]

OUCH, That cuts deep:( :( NSF
The Chargers should have been able to get their money back, Ryan Leaf is a piece of crap for what he did the the Chargers and NFL.

[Not So Fast]

The Chargers should have been able to get their money back, Ryan Leaf is a piece of crap for what he did the the Chargers and NFL.
Not to back track but do you remember his pre-season, he looked like Johnny U, but then the real season came and we all know what happened, well maybe only us Bolt fans do:( :( NSF

[Fire Angler]

Not to back track but do you remember his pre-season, he looked like Johnny U, but then the real season came and we all know what happened, well maybe only us Bolt fans do:( :( NSF
Raider Fan always knows whats going on in San Diego. :D

[Ziggy]

You've put ten years of your life into this day. The average NFL career is 3.9 years. Better get paid before you're out of the league.
I understand that, but short careers are not always the fault of the game, some just can't cut it...and barring any career ending injury, gauranteed money should be accompanied by gauranteed performance, like any other job. Supposedly, most of the draft picks have a degree to fall back on and make a decent living like all us other common folk.;) :)
Brett Farve, Warren Moon, and a host of others would laugh at short career as an excuse....

[Ziggy]

Not to back track but do you remember his pre-season, he looked like Johnny U, but then the real season came and we all know what happened, well maybe only us Bolt fans do:( :( NSF
Not only his performance but his inability to mature as a person in general.

[Not So Fast]

Please, I'm just starting to forget. Hey even his first two games were good. Weren't they 2-0.
Are you a season ticket holder? I haven't got my tickets yet and I'm leaving next Saturday until the day before the first preseason game. I'm afraid I won't have my tickets.
Naw, my oldest son is a season ticket holder though. They have sold out all 8 home games already I hear :D GO BOLTS NSF

[westair]

If the Colts had taken Leaf, he'd probably still be playing. San Diego was just plain awful back in those days. Plaza section 49, row 11. :D
I think he tried playing with 2 or 3 teams after the chargers ..... just couldn't
play.

[SandbarScot]

I'm looking for 2 tix to the Oct 14 Raiders @ Chargers game if anyone wants to give 'em up for a reasonable price...and the Ravens game in November too :)

[CBadDad]

Top pick holding out is nothing new. They are always the last to sign. Has to be paid more than the others. He's a stud, he'll be fine.

[johnny8052]

Bum. He is fat and lazy. So what if he can throw the ball 80 yards. How often do teams throw the ball over 40 yards in a game let alone 80. Oh and I forgot to say raiders suck

[Not So Fast]

Ask him if he has his tickets next time you talk to him. I'm starting to worry. :(
The entire season is sold out. They sold something like 56,000 season tickets. They have a few single game tickets. They sold so many season tickets, you can't even buy a mini season this year.
Yes he has his tickets, for a while now. You better call them first chance!! NSF

[mmered8299]

If Russel and the Raiders don't come to an agreement, what happens next? What are Russels options?

[Not So Fast]

According to the posts on the Chargers forum, which is like this forum for fanatical Charger's fan, the very first season ticks showed up yesterday afternoon via USPS Priority Mail. I called the season ticket office last week and they said they would ship this week. Last season, they didn't show up until the Friday before the first preseason game because of a printing problem. Nobody had tickets before yesterday's mail.
I'll ask him exactly when he got them just for you;) NSF

[OSidePat]

f The Raiders

[RitcheyRch]

Ditto that.
f The Raiders

[SandbarScot]

Bunch of haters. Chargers have beat the Raiders consistently for the last 2 or 3 years, yet their fans still have a huge chip on their shoulder....perhaps due to having their ass handed to them for a dozen years prior to that.
Its kinda like the little brother who gets beat up all the time and still can't get over it after he grows up. Live and let live. Let it go. The Raiders are just one of 32 teams in the NFL.

[Not So Fast]

I just talked to my buddy in Scripps Ranch. He got his today. Two guys he knows guy theirs yesterday. I guess I can hold on until Monday. :D
UH-OH, when I asked my son if he got his tickets yet and he said yes he meant that they were paid for, has not received as of today so you are not alone, sorry :( NSF

[finsfan4life]

In the history of Nfl football, Ryan Leaf was the worst pick ever !!!!

[CBadDad]

That is untrue. Mario Williams was the first player picked and the first player signed last year.
Who? Come on, he wasn't a TRUE first round pick. What did he end the season with, less than a half a dozen sacks? The Texans are idiots. He signed before Bush, The true first round pick. There are always gonna be exceptions to the rule. You know what I was saying. First round draft picks hold out all of the time.
All you Charger fans can keep on hating all you want. Until you win something, your team is nothing. Eli Manning dissed you so hard and even after the Giants sold their sold to get him, you still can't win shit. Stick with the Padres. :D

[Not So Fast]

In the history of Nfl football, Ryan Leaf was the worst pick ever !!!!
I actually saw a show a while back and they rated Leaf as #2 if you can believe that. I forget who was #1 darnit, but he must've stunk pretty bad to beat out good ole Ryan:rolleyes: NSF

[Hardly Satisfied]

Does this surprize anyone, Who would want to play for the Raiders.