NFL Rumors: JaMarcus Russell Asking Dallas Cowboys To Give Him Another Chance
From the archive: published Apr 26, 2016, 10 years ago. Details may have changed since.
NFL rumors are swirling around JaMarcus Russell. The former Oakland Raiders quarterback was able to generate some headlines today. According to ESPN, Russell has written letters to every single team in the National Football League. He wants another chance to prove that he can be a successful player on the professional level. Since he is considered by some to be the biggest bust in the history of the draft, a lot of eyes will be on the situation to see if something unfolds.
One of the teams that JaMarcus Russell contacted was the Dallas Cowboys. He addressed team owner Jerry Jones personally. Russell offered to run the scout team for an entire year just so that he can gain some experience in their system. It’s a pretty big drop to go from being the first overall selection in the NFL Draft to being the guy that runs the scout team.
Actions speak louder than words, of course. NFL executives are going to have to figure out just how genuine JaMarcus Russell is. For all anyone knows, he could have had an agent or a very intelligent friend help him compose those letters. Teams wouldn’t be giving up a ton of resources to give him a try. Russell has stated that he would play for free. That means he should be willing to accept the minimum amount offered.
Everyone in the NFL knows that the Dallas Cowboys are going to be doing something about their quarterback position. Tony Romo is going to remain the starter as long as he is healthy. There is no doubt about that because Jason Garrett and Jerry Jones have made it a point to continually reiterate that. They want someone to back him up. While it would be foolish to bet any amount of money on JaMarcus Russell being able to fill that role next season, it cannot be completely ruled out.
Crazy things happen in sports. Seeing JaMarcus Russell back in the NFL would qualify as being crazy. Seeing him as the primary backup quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, that might be on an entirely different level than crazy. It would, however, be one of the best told stories in the history of the National Football League. Jerry Jones would love to be a part of that.
