The perception is that the Raiders hired Hue Jackson as offensive coordinator in an effort to salvage JaMarcus Russell’s career. The Raiders say that’s not true.
“Hue Jackson was hired to work with the entire offense, regardless of who the quarterback might be,” Raiders senior executive John Herrera said to Paul Gutierrez of the Sacramento Bee Thursday.
It may not sound like much, but that’s essentially a public declaration that Russell won’t be guaranteed anything. That’s a change from precedent and clearly approved from on high.
"[JaMarcus] is just one man on this football team,” Tom Cable saidKHTK’s Mike Lamb Thursday. “He knows he’s got to better, we know he’s got to get better, but everyone on this team, coaching staff and players alike, has got to get better.”
It sounds like Russell needs to get a lot better or he’ll start 2010 as a backup. That should be music to the ears of Raiders fans.