Here is my head scratcher of the day. The Ravens are reportedly showing a lot of interest in free agent QB Jamarcus Russell. Correct me if I am wrong, but didnt the Ravens already pick up one Raiders head case this offseason and have it backfire on them? Why are we trying to go back for seconds here?
Rolando McClain was a bust, no doubt about it. That said, his failure could be attributed to a lot of different outside factors. Bad scheme fit, coaching chang-overs every year, personal issues etc.. With Russell, not so much. This guy just never got it. He didnt understand the game, he was fat, he was slow, frankly he was dumb, both on and off the field. Russell isnt just any ordinary bust. He might be the most spectacularly horrible bust of all time. It is a two man race between him and Ryan Leaf.
Russell has well known codine addictions and a bad work ethic. His weight balloons on him in a heartbeat, which means anything but constant vigilance and work by both himself and any team who signs him wont be enough.
There has been a lot of talk lately about whether Russell deserves a second shot. Let me make my opinion on the matter known. No. It doesnt have anything to do with Jamarcus, but personally I believe very very few players really deserve a second shot. You have to be a decent enough player to show promise, and not be a complete idiot(i.e. be a good person) to deserve a second shot. Russell is neither of those things. Tim Tebow deserves a second shot. Jamarcus Russell does not. He has done nothing to earn that privilege.
This all might be a moot point anyway, Russell has a workout scheduled for Friday with the Bears, but there is a good chance that will result in nothing so it seems the Ravens are still very much in play here. I just don’t get it.