Richard Seymour Has 5 Days To Report To Oakland – Risks Staying A Raider Through 2010
Five days ago, the Oakland Raiders reached a deal with the New England Patriots to bring 5-time pro bowl defensive tackle/end Richard Seymour to Oakland in order to bolster a very forgiving Raiders run defense. In exchange, the Raiders agreed to trade the 2011 first round draft pick for the 29-year old defensive lineman.
Since the trade on Saturday, Richard Seymour has yet to report to Oakland. According to former teammate Rodney Harrison, Seymour is very “unhappy” with the trade.
Seymour himself has had little to the media.
But earlier today, the Raiders sent Seymour a letter informing him that he has five days to report to the team and pass a physical or else he will be placed on the Raiders’ suspended list.
If the Raiders decide to place Seymour on the Raiders’ suspended list, the Raiders forgo their option to void the trade. For Seymour, being placed on the list, Oakland the rights to keep him on the list for the entire 2009 season in addition to being able to keep Seymour for 2010 at his 2009 salary.
As for Seymour? Well all I have is this to say. You already have 3 Super Bowl rings, 5 pro bowl selections, $3.7 million in salary for 2009, and a chance to play in front of millions (on TV at least); what more do you possibly want? If the Patriots wanted to keep you, they would have. If you want to sit this out and potentially risk the remainder of your prime years on the suspended list only to come back at age 32 to find your skills have severely diminished, be my guest.
Being in the NFL is a privilege, don’t be a dick, Dick.
Alas, journeyman and bay area native Jeff Garcia will start the season on the bench. While Garcia came to Oakland looking to challenge the Raiders 2007 1st overall pick JaMarcus Russell for the Raiders starting QB job, a calf strain has limited much of what Garcia could do on the field during this pre-season.
After a strong showing against the Dallas Cowboys in the Raiders pre-season opener, receiver Chaz Schilens suffered a broken bone in his left foot from Tuesday practice in the Raiders Napa training camp.