Russell as a Raider, in one handy stat: $100,000 per completion

As he seeks an employment situation better than the one he had in Oakland (pro: the possibly deranged owner really believed in him; con: everything else), I really don't want to pile on JaMarcus Russell(notes).

But Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times went to the trouble of crunching JaMarcus's financial numbers alongside his actual on-field production. So, just as one final recap of the mercifully dead JaMarcus Russell era in Oakland, I'll pass these along. Here's how JaMarcus was compensated for his production with the Oakland Raiders:

Roughly $100,000 per completion and  $5.6 million per win.

For comparison's sake, Tom Brady's(notes) total salary last year was $8,007,280, which comes out to $21,583 per completion. Peyton Manning(notes) pocketed $14,005,720 last year, and made $35,638 per completion. They're all ridiculous numbers, but no one's are more ridiculous than those of JaMarcus Russell.

Farmer also suggests that Russell was a bigger bust than even Ryan Leaf, but I'll defend JaMarcus on that one. Leaf is head and shoulders above JaMarcus. If the Hall of Fame ever opens a special wing for the biggest draft disasters, it will be named the Ryan Leaf Center for Scaring The Bejeezus Out Of All Future Draft Prospects.

In total, Russell will pocket more than $39 million for his three years of work in Oakland. He's already been paid $36 million of that, and the Raiders still owe him $3 million more.

But that's the past. What's important for JaMarcus is the future, and I'm sure that someone will give him another opportunity, along with a more stable, positive work environment. He's got some changes he needs to make on his own, too.

The upside is that all of this provides him with the opportunity to become the greatest draft-bust-finds-redemption story ever. Maybe it's not quite the same opportunity he had as a first-overall draft pick, but it's something.

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Related: Peyton Manning, JaMarcus Russell, Tom Brady, Oakland Raiders, People Not Doing a Great Job

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Al Davis apparently clinging to his faith in JaMarcus Russell

Despite the report a couple of days ago that the Raiders were about to release JaMarcus Russell, it hasn't happened yet.

I'll give you one guess as to the identity of the man in the Oakland organization who is blocking this perfectly rational football move. Hint: It's the same guy who has blocked every other rational football move in recent Oakland Raiders history.

No, it's not this awesome guy. It's Raiders owner Al Davis.

Here's FanHouse's Nancy Gay on what's happening with Russell right now.

"While there has been overriding support in the Raiders organization to release Russell and thereby absolve the franchise from $6.45 million in 2010 salary liability should the maligned former starting quarterback injure himself on their property during the minicamp, any personnel move falls under owner Al Davis' thumb. And that makes it anyone's guess."

"Things change by the minute here," one Raiders source said Wednesday when asked for the latest update on Russell's status.

"Don't know anymore," another team source said.

And here's the NFL Network's Michael Lombardi:

"One person, Al Davis, the owner of the Oakland Raiders, is the only person who's going to make this decision. The organization wants to get rid of JaMarcus Russell, the sentiment within the organization is to get rid of JaMarcus Russell, and the dollar signs are there to get rid of JaMarcus Russell. And it will happen. But it's only going to happen on the owner's timetable. Nobody's going to tell him when to do it, or how to do it. When he wakes up one morning and decides he wants to release JaMarcus Russell, that's when it will happen."

I guess when you get to be Al Davis's age and you feel like paying a guy $9.45 million to sit and watch Raiders games, then you have every right to do just that. That doesn't make it a good idea, and it might not make one damn bit of sense ... but you can do it.

Whatever makes you happy, Al.

Related: Oakland Raiders, People Not Doing a Great Job

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