JaMarcus Packing a Few Extra Pounds

Raiders quarterback addresses weight concerns

This off season, Raiders coach Tom Cable has several times voiced satisfaction that we've been seeing more of JaMarcus Russell in voluntary team activities.

The problem now that the Raiders have opened training camp is that we're really seeing more of JaMarcus Russell.

The Oakland Trib's Jerry McDonald quoted Russell Thursday on his Twitter feed admitting that he's reporting to training camp a little heftier than he ought to be. "I'm probably a little heavy," JaMarcus reportedly said. "But I'm not 300 pounds like you all said last year."

Whoa, did we really say he was 300 pounds last year?

It turns out that we in the predominantly Raider-hating sports media did, in fact, peddle that very rumor prior to the 2008 season. Don Banks wrote in his Sports Illustrated column in March of 2008 that, "there are rumors that (Russell is) close to 300 pounds and not exactly prepared for his close-up."

David White tries to guess JaMarcus current weight, carnival-booth style, in his San Francisco Chronicle blog. "Someone suggested he looks about 278 pounds," White remarks. "I'd take the under on that by 2-3 pounds." White also notes that Russell's playing weight is listed as 270.

The reality is that it was the off season, and plenty of these guys are reporting overweight. They snap into playing shape over the weeks of training camp. If Russell is regularly hitting Darrius Heyward-Bey over the middle, as David White's Twitter feed says he has been in camp so far, he can go ahead and have that second bear claw.

Joe Kukura is a freelance writer who wants to know if you're going to finish the rest of that Whopper with cheese or just look at it.

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