Agreement finalized for Raiders and Russell

Sep 11, 2007, 3:31 GMT

Alameda, CA - The Oakland Raiders have reportedly agreed in principle on a contract with quarterback JaMarcus Russell, the No. 1 overall pick from this year's draft.

The Oakland Tribune reported Monday night the deal will pay Russell at least $31 million guaranteed. It's a proposed six-year package, allowing Russell to earn as much as $60 million over the life of the contract, according to the report.

Russell was chosen first overall on April 28, but he missed all of training camp, the Raiders' four preseason games and the regular season opener on Sunday, a 36-21 loss to Detroit, while holding out.

The 2007 Sugar Bowl MVP and a first team All-SEC performer as a senior, the 6-foot-6, 260-pound Russell compiled a 25-4 record as a starter at LSU and he was highly touted for his tremendous arm strength.

However, because of the holdout, the Raiders acquired Daunte Culpepper and started Josh McCown on Sunday. McCown went 30-of-40 for 313 yards with two touchdowns and two picks against his former team, and it will likely take a while before Russell gets a chance to play for the Raiders since he missed significant time.

The 22-year-old Russell completed 493-of-797 pass attempts for 6,625 yards, 52 touchdowns and 21 interceptions during his time at LSU. Russell finished ranked among the top five in every career passing category kept at the school.

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