On Tuesday, the Oakland Raiders were one of several teams that were "granted permission" by Detroit Lions’ president Matt Millen to talk with quarterback Joey Harrington. Putting it that way, though, almost makes it seem like the team was given some exclusive license to access a premier offseason prospect. But that’s not the case.
The list of top candidates for Harrington is currently piloted by Miami, Dallas, and Cincinnati. However, Oakland, Kansas City, and Seattle all have an equal opportunity to acquire the 6’4", 220-pound quarterback.
But, there is a reason Harrington is still quietly roaming the open market. And the same reason can be used to explain why he was replaced in Detroit this offseason—twice.
He simply did not produce, especially for a third overall pick in an NFL Draft.
If you’re a Raiders fan out there who believes Harrington could add nice depth to the team, you could be in support of a highly precarious business venture.
For one, the Oakland Raiders do not need depth, unless it comes at running back, offensive line, or anywhere on the defense. Aaron Brooks seems the early frontrunner to start at quarterback and Andrew Walter could put up a fight to start sometime in the near future, especially if Brooks struggles early on in the season. And, if Marques Tuiasasopo can keep his cheery "backup face" on for one more season, the Raiders seem deep enough at the quarterback position.
Perhaps you still think Aaron Brooks is much too inconsistent to hold a starting job and Marques Tuiasasopo will never win a game in the NFL.
But what makes you think Joey Harrington will be any better than the team’s third option, Andrew Walter? Harrington, in four seasons with Detroit, posted a high quarterback rating of 77.5. But even so, this 2004 career high number ranked 22nd out of the 33 eligible quarterbacks that year.
And he can’t win. You could argue that his supporting cast has been weak since he was drafted. But that case has become less and less true, especially on the offensive side of the ball for the last two years. Despite the additions of Charles Rogers, Mike Williams, Roy Williams, and Kevin Jones, the Lions’ offense has underachieved greatly over the last two seasons with Harrington at the helm. Last season, Detroit went 5-11, while in 2004 they went 6-10. In 11 starts last year, Harrington led the offense to 20+ points in just two games—in week five against Baltimore and in week ten against Arizona. In his first two years, Harrington disappointed fans, going 3-13 as a rookie and 5-11 as an NFL sophomore.
Maybe Harrington’s offensive line was an enormous letdown over his last four seasons. But the Raiders certainly do not possess a brick wall for Harrington to lounge behind.
Shouldn’t adversity bring the best quarterbacks to the forefront of the NFL elite? Tom Brady made due with a fairly talent-deprived offense to win three Super Bowls; Eli Manning bounced back from a nightmarish rookie season; and Drew Brees kept fighting in San Diego until he finally posted a 104.8 quarterback rating in 2004.
True, Harrington likely wouldn’t even start for Oakland. But if he isn’t good enough to start, he should not be worth Oakland’s prized offseason time just to inherit an unneeded backup role—especially with so many holes on the opposite side of the ball. And last time I checked, the opposing defense keeps their starting players in when a backup quarterback enters the game.
And will the ruffians in the Black Hole do justice to their spiked shoulder pads and painted warrior faces if they have to chant the name "Joey, Joey, Joey…" all game?
It just won’t look right.
On another note:
Four months ago, Southern California was chasing an unprecedented third straight national championship. Who knew that a Vince Young touchdown scramble with 19 seconds left would set off -- symbolically at least -- a ticking time bomb?
Wednesday's arrest of quarterback Mark Sanchez was the latest stain on a program that, until recently, was Southern California's real magic kingdom.
A female student reported that Mark Sanchez sexually assaulted her. (AP)
Everyone was young, hip and No. 1. Pete Carroll's program won back-to-back national titles and 34 consecutive games. Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush won consecutive Heismans.
One of the game's most storied programs was not only back; it had reached the pinnacle of its existence.
We all should have known the luster couldn't last in January, when offensive line coach Pat Ruel looked around Heritage Hall. Bush was making the announcement that he was turning pro. The veteran coach couldn't believe all the strange faces -- 10 or 15 of them.
Then he figured it out. Agents. He threw them all out -- with extreme prejudice. All except one went with nothing more than a grumble. Ruel couldn't determine why this guy kept protesting.
Then Bush was asked his choice of agent.
It was Joel Segal, the stubborn guy Ruel had just thrown out.
Welcome to life at the top in La-La Land, where you need more than a script to tell the bad guys from the good. So many people want a part of the Trojans that Carroll, the school and the administration can't even begin to patrol their turf.
The situation might be exacerbated at USC, where fame and opportunity are literally right around the corner.
Is anyone surprised at Bush being embroiled in a possible extra-benefit controversy? Ruel had a hard time keeping agents out of Trojan Central -- Heritage Hall. Carroll read the riot act to NFL scouts and agents last month during an on-campus workout for the program's pro prospects.
"Stay away from my players."
The list of top candidates for Harrington is currently piloted by Miami, Dallas, and Cincinnati. However, Oakland, Kansas City, and Seattle all have an equal opportunity to acquire the 6’4", 220-pound quarterback.
But, there is a reason Harrington is still quietly roaming the open market. And the same reason can be used to explain why he was replaced in Detroit this offseason—twice.
He simply did not produce, especially for a third overall pick in an NFL Draft.
If you’re a Raiders fan out there who believes Harrington could add nice depth to the team, you could be in support of a highly precarious business venture.
For one, the Oakland Raiders do not need depth, unless it comes at running back, offensive line, or anywhere on the defense. Aaron Brooks seems the early frontrunner to start at quarterback and Andrew Walter could put up a fight to start sometime in the near future, especially if Brooks struggles early on in the season. And, if Marques Tuiasasopo can keep his cheery "backup face" on for one more season, the Raiders seem deep enough at the quarterback position.
Perhaps you still think Aaron Brooks is much too inconsistent to hold a starting job and Marques Tuiasasopo will never win a game in the NFL.
But what makes you think Joey Harrington will be any better than the team’s third option, Andrew Walter? Harrington, in four seasons with Detroit, posted a high quarterback rating of 77.5. But even so, this 2004 career high number ranked 22nd out of the 33 eligible quarterbacks that year.
And he can’t win. You could argue that his supporting cast has been weak since he was drafted. But that case has become less and less true, especially on the offensive side of the ball for the last two years. Despite the additions of Charles Rogers, Mike Williams, Roy Williams, and Kevin Jones, the Lions’ offense has underachieved greatly over the last two seasons with Harrington at the helm. Last season, Detroit went 5-11, while in 2004 they went 6-10. In 11 starts last year, Harrington led the offense to 20+ points in just two games—in week five against Baltimore and in week ten against Arizona. In his first two years, Harrington disappointed fans, going 3-13 as a rookie and 5-11 as an NFL sophomore.
Maybe Harrington’s offensive line was an enormous letdown over his last four seasons. But the Raiders certainly do not possess a brick wall for Harrington to lounge behind.
Shouldn’t adversity bring the best quarterbacks to the forefront of the NFL elite? Tom Brady made due with a fairly talent-deprived offense to win three Super Bowls; Eli Manning bounced back from a nightmarish rookie season; and Drew Brees kept fighting in San Diego until he finally posted a 104.8 quarterback rating in 2004.
True, Harrington likely wouldn’t even start for Oakland. But if he isn’t good enough to start, he should not be worth Oakland’s prized offseason time just to inherit an unneeded backup role—especially with so many holes on the opposite side of the ball. And last time I checked, the opposing defense keeps their starting players in when a backup quarterback enters the game.
And will the ruffians in the Black Hole do justice to their spiked shoulder pads and painted warrior faces if they have to chant the name "Joey, Joey, Joey…" all game?
It just won’t look right.
On another note:
Four months ago, Southern California was chasing an unprecedented third straight national championship. Who knew that a Vince Young touchdown scramble with 19 seconds left would set off -- symbolically at least -- a ticking time bomb?
Wednesday's arrest of quarterback Mark Sanchez was the latest stain on a program that, until recently, was Southern California's real magic kingdom.
A female student reported that Mark Sanchez sexually assaulted her. (AP)
Everyone was young, hip and No. 1. Pete Carroll's program won back-to-back national titles and 34 consecutive games. Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush won consecutive Heismans.
One of the game's most storied programs was not only back; it had reached the pinnacle of its existence.
We all should have known the luster couldn't last in January, when offensive line coach Pat Ruel looked around Heritage Hall. Bush was making the announcement that he was turning pro. The veteran coach couldn't believe all the strange faces -- 10 or 15 of them.
Then he figured it out. Agents. He threw them all out -- with extreme prejudice. All except one went with nothing more than a grumble. Ruel couldn't determine why this guy kept protesting.
Then Bush was asked his choice of agent.
It was Joel Segal, the stubborn guy Ruel had just thrown out.
Welcome to life at the top in La-La Land, where you need more than a script to tell the bad guys from the good. So many people want a part of the Trojans that Carroll, the school and the administration can't even begin to patrol their turf.
The situation might be exacerbated at USC, where fame and opportunity are literally right around the corner.
Is anyone surprised at Bush being embroiled in a possible extra-benefit controversy? Ruel had a hard time keeping agents out of Trojan Central -- Heritage Hall. Carroll read the riot act to NFL scouts and agents last month during an on-campus workout for the program's pro prospects.
"Stay away from my players."
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