Would JaMarcus Russell Fit in With the Cincinnati Bengals?

Adam Schefter of ESPN is reporting that several teams have contacted the recently released JaMarcus Russell, but gave no indication as to which teams it was specifically.

However, a certain NFL player’s Twitter account is stating specifics. Do we really have to tell you which player?

Yes, Chad Ocho Cinco has allowed some hints to “leak” into the media through his Twitter feed. Chad says, “Jamarcus Russell, you on twitter, if not its cool I’ll see you in minicamp, ooops, did I just leak that info?”

But would Russell fit in Cincinnati?

Russell, of whom we here at NFL Spin Zone have not been shy about, is about as lazy as they come. However, that does not mean that the young quarterback doesn’t have time to turn it around.

The former Raiders quarterbacks had shown flashes in the NFL of the quarterback he was at LSU, and even looked like he might be putting it all together with his performance in Week 1 of last season against the Chargers, but it wasn’t to be and the Raiders decided they simply couldn’t wait any longer.

He now must work to gain the trust of the NFL brass, and to do that he would be best served to take a back-up role.

For Russell to ever get back to starting caliber in this league he will need to learn how to work and play quarterback, and to do that he will need to sign on with a team who has an established quarterback already on the roster. Cincinnati has one of those in Carson Palmer, but there are many more options.

The Indianapolis Colts, for example, have been coming up in the Russell talks as well.

The problem with Russell, like most top five (selected in the draft) quarterbacks, is that he was “babied” and simply handed the position. He never had to work for anything.

However, If you place Russell under a player like Carson Palmer or Peyton Manning, it should help this young kid to learn what it truly takes to succeed in the NFL. There’s a reason why guys like Aaron Rodgers succeed very quickly once hitting the field.

Spending time to develop behind an established veteran is vital for Russel to succeed in the NFL as a quarterback.