So long, Russell...

The Oakland Raiders haven't been a winning team in what seems like an eternity. Blame can be placed on a number of factors, but the one that keeps popping up is poor drafting. No recent draft pick is more monumentally worthy of the "bust" label than quarterback JaMarcus Russell.
Overweight and under productive, Russell was finally given the boot Thursday, and a new era of Oakland Raider football can begin.
Russell was taken No. 1 overall just three short years ago and yet he is already being labeled by media members as the biggest draft bust of all-time.
While I personally, like to give a quarterback at least five years in the professional ranks before throwing them under the bus, it is very likely that JaMarcus is worthy of such negative recognition.
Russell was an athletic freak of nature coming out of college. The way scouts and media types were fawning over him was enough to make you sick (see: Tim Tebow). However, Russell lacked what a quarterback needs to succeed in the league: work ethic, confidence and conditioning.
What he lacked in intangibles he sure didn't make up for in production. Russell appeared in four games as a rookie, completing 54.5% of his passes for 373 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions. In his sophomore season, his accuracy regressed, however he showed flashes of his athleticism and the potential which sky rocketed his draft stock. Russell played in 15 games completing 198 of 368 passes (53.8%) for 2,423 yards, 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
It was last year however, which inevitably forced Oakland owner Al Davis' hand in cutting JaMarcus. Russell played in 12 games, but completed just 120 of 246 passes for 1,287 yards, three touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Talk about your major let downs...
Russell never seemed to grasp the NFL game, and with Oakland trading for former Washington Redskins' quarterback, Jason Campbell, the former No. 1 overall pick became expendable.
Could Russell get picked up by another team and succeed in the NFL? Well, you must never say never. Weirder things have happened in the league. But, at this point in time, my magic eight-ball is telling me that JaMarcus Russell's future in the league is bleak.
It's said to see athletic talent like that just not have the drive it takes to succeed in the NFL. But then again, we see it happen a lot. *ahem* Ryan Leaf *ahem*.
The one good thing to come out of this whole mess, is that Al Davis seems to be stepping aside a little bit draft wise. This year, the Raiders had one of the best drafts in the NFL, in my opinion, and became a better team because they didn't reach for players like they have in the past. Also, it's good to see Davis admitting a mistake by allowing the Raiders to cut their losses with Russell, and it allows a once proud franchise the liberty to move forward.

So where does JaMarcus Russell go now?
I hear the UFL is hiring...