Culpepper making Raiders regret draft-day decision?

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NAPA, Calif. -- Watching Daunte Culpepper drop back, roll right or left and then fire a missile of a pass makes you wonder if the Raiders made the right choice in taking JaMarcus Russell.

From the personnel standpoint, Russell to Oakland was a no-brainer. The league hasn't seen an arm like his since John Elway. Owner Al Davis loves to stretch the field with long passes, but quarterbacks taken first stretch the finances of a franchise. The cost of Russell is more than $30 million in guarantees. Russell is holding out, rejecting offers from the Raiders that he didn't like before the draft.

Just imagine if the Raiders heeded Russell's suggestion to bypass him if the finances clouded their marriage on the field. The Raiders could have traded a sixth-rounder to Miami for Culpepper, drafted wide receiver Calvin Johnson and shipped Randy Moss to New England -- as they did -- for a fourth. Russell isn't signing anytime soon, and Culpepper is in a mad rush to learn coach Lane Kiffin's offense.
John Clayton: ESPN.com