With Bruce Gradkowski looking finished for the year and a murky quarterback situation, the Oakland Raiders are turning to the guy who just became the first-ever championship-winning quarterback of the UFL. Steve Corkran reports in the Oakland Tribune that the Raiders have signed J.P Losman for the remainder of the year.
As one commenter wisecracked at Deadspin, "This is good news for Darius Heyward-Bey because J.P. could give him all the advice he needs to succeed in the UFL."
Losman was once a 22nd overall pick in the NFL Draft, and played four seasons with the Buffalo Bills. He threw 33 touchdowns and 34 interceptions, compiling an overall quarterback rating of 75.6. Compared to JaMarcus Russell and Charlie Frye, that's pretty much Johnny Unitas.
The move could be another blow to the team's confidence in Russell. And to make matters worse Raiders' coach Tom Cable announced that he will start back up Charlie Frye on Sunday against the Broncos instead of Russell.
Those of you who subscribe to the "Tom Cable is a goner" theory will want to note a little six degrees being played in Jerry McDonald's Oakland Tribune blog. "Losman’s UFL coach was Jim Fassel, who said last year he was interested in coaching the Raiders and whose son, John, is the Raiders special teams coordinator," McDonald observes. "The elder Fassel attended the Raiders-Redskins game Sunday."
So some could see this as another sign that Cable should be worried about losing his job. But he's got enough to worry about with trying to justify the start of a career disappointment at quarterback against the Broncos Sunday.
Joe Kukura is a freelance writer who has concerns with playing a quarterback whose name is pronounced "Loss-man".
