Though we’ve yet to get our hands on a copy of the official contract signed by Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell, a league source with knowledge of such documents has shared with us a theory regarding the grievance that the team has filed in an effort to recover more than $9 million in guaranteed base salary advances.
The thinking is that the Raiders could be hoping to secure a right to an offset against future earnings, if any, that Russell may generate.
Though his $3 million in guaranteed base salary for 2010 reportedly isn’t subject to an offset, it’s possible that the contract contains language that makes the future guaranteed base salaries vulnerable to reduction based on other earnings.
If so, the decision to file the grievance now, before Russell ever realizes alternative earnings, could be driven by the requirement that a non-injury grievance be filed within 45 days after the event giving rise to it. If the Raiders were to wait until Russell generates money that would be subject to any offset requirement, Russell’s camp easily could argue that the Raiders are barred because they failed to file the grievance within 45 days after he was cut.
Or, alternatively, the whole thing is frivolous and the Raiders have no legitimate basis for the grievance.