Jason Campbell is going to the Oakland Raiders with the expectation of being their starting quarterback.
The Raiders acquired Campbell from the Washington Redskins on Saturday for a 2012 fourth-round draft pick, ending a near sleepless night for the quarterback, who said he will play for his eighth offensive coordinator in 10 years. Campbell also said he already has spoken to Raiders managing general partner Al Davis, coach Tom Cable and offensive coordinator Hue Jackson. And after those conversations, Campbell believes he will be the starter in Oakland.
Casserly on Campbell trade
Jason Campbell was totally miscast in Washington. He's not a West Coast quarterback. He cannot play in that system. He's not a quick-thinking, quick-reacting quarterback. He's not quick with his feet, he's not quick with his motion, he's not quick with his decisions. All of those things is what the Redskins' system demanded. He's a big, strong-armed guy who can stretch the field. He's an accurate passer. He's a good play-action guy. He's also a quarterback who operates well out of the shotgun. He can make plays with his feet. So there are things he can do and things he can do well. But this is it for him. I know he's had eight different coordinators in his last 10 seasons going back to Auburn, but this is his last chance. Leadership, which people questioned about him in Washington, is going to be a huge thing, as will the system they will run in Oakland under Hue Jackson.
"I feel like I was going to be the starter," he told NFL Network's Rich Eisen during the NFL draft. "... I expect to be the starter."
When pressed one more time by Eisen, Campbell reiterated that point.
Cable met with the media following the draft Saturday and stressed it was an opportunity for Campbell to start and that the quarterback would have to compete for the job. Cable said Campbell will be one of five quarterbacks -- JaMarcus Russell, Bruce Gradkowski, Kyle Boller and Charlie Frye are the others -- vying for the starting job.
Cable said he didn't discuss the starting job with Campbell, but he appreciated the quarterback's mindset because it will be a competition.
Gradkowski had been expected to compete with Russell for the Raiders' starting job before the trade for Campbell. Gradkowski hurt himself while lifting weights this offseason and recently had surgery. He's expected to be fully recovered by training camp.
When asked if Russell could end up being the starter, Cable left open that possibility if the former first-round draft pick competes and ends up being the "best guy."
Cable said he hasn't talked to Russell yet, but expects him at minicamp.
The Raiders had been looking for an upgrade at quarterback this offseason after Russell was benched midway through last season, and they had been linked to possible deals for Donovan McNabb and Ben Roethlisberger. But the trade that finally materialized was for Campbell, who became expendable to the Redskins after they acquired McNabb from the Philadelphia Eagles earlier this month.
"Working with Jason, we were trying to find him a proper home where he had a chance to compete for the starting job," Redskins general manager Bruce Allen said. "The trade worked out to the compensation we felt comfortable with, and it was the place where Jason wanted to go."
Campbell previously signed a restricted free agent tender that pays him $3.14 million this season. He agreed to a $4.5 million extension with the Raiders for 2011, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the extension hadn't been announced.
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"We can do some good things together," Campbell said of the Raiders. "I see they're putting together a good draft. They're putting together a defense that has been outstanding. Last year, their defense started to become one of the premier defenses in the league. If we can help out offensively and turn some things around, anything is possible."
Campbell started 52 games for the Redskins since being a first-round pick out of Auburn in 2005. He has thrown 55 touchdown passes and 38 interceptions and owns a passer rating of 82.3 in his career. Campbell has been sacked 102 times since the start of the 2007 season, tied for third-most in the NFL in that span behind Roethlisberger and David Garrard.
Campbell is coming off his best season, completing 64.5 percent of his passes with 20 touchdowns, 15 interceptions and a 86.4 rating. But the Redskins went 4-12 last season, and coach Mike Shanahan was brought in to turn around the team. Shanahan decided to go with McNabb instead of Campbell.
"The main thing about the situation I was going through so many coordinators is, it gives me an opportunity to adapt to an offense really quick because I have to learn a lot," Campbell said. "The only bad part about it is, it doesn't give me a chance to mature in one offense unless you're able to take your game to a whole other level because you feel like you're always starting over."
Russell completed 48.8 percent of his passes, with three touchdowns, 11 interceptions and a 50.0 rating that was the lowest in the league in 11 years. He has struggled with weight and questions about his work ethic throughout his career and never developed into the franchise quarterback the Raiders expected when they drafted him in 2007.
In 31 career games, Russell has completed 52.1 percent of his passes with 18 touchdowns, 23 interceptions, 15 lost fumbles and a 65.2 rating.
Russell already has been paid more than $36 million since being drafted in 2007. The Raiders still owe him $3 million in guaranteed money. If he makes the team, Russell will be paid $9.45 million next season.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
