Redskins Trade Jason Campbell To Oakland Raiders

The Washington Redskins traded QB Jason Campbell to the Oakland Raiders today according to the NFL Network and to ESPN.

The NFL Network reports that the Raiders extended Campbell’s contract through 2011. Campbell signed a Restricted Free Agent contract paying a little over $3 million for the 2010 season. He will make over $4 million in 2011.

ESPN says the Redskins will receive the Raiders fourth round pick in the 2012 Draft. That’s not a typo. The Skins get the Raiders’ pick the year after next.

“The thing that held you back is going to lift you up.” ~Timothy to Dumbo, DUMBO (1941)

What may help Campbell most is what seemed to hurt him in Washington. With all the changes in quarterback coach, offensive coordinator and head coach, Campbell is familiar with every NFL offense. He should be comfortable with change and used to turmoil.

Campbell flies to a team whose recent performance tarnished their reputation as deeply as in Washington. Al Davis, who actively manages the Raiders, is the one owner who is derided more than Danny Snyder. But Campbell walks into a team whose downfield offense favors the long ball, the offense Joe Gibbs envisioned when he drafted Campbell.

The Raiders have six quarterbacks already on the roster. None of them have Campbell’s bona fides. Check the 2009 stat lines for JaMarcus Russell and Bruce Gradkowski:

QBs Kyle Boller, Charlie Frye, Andrew Walter and J.P. Losman are also on Oakland’s roster.

The Raiders don’t give Campbell much to work with at receiver. After failing to get the most from Randy Moss, or anything from Javon Walker, Oakland over-reached for Darrius Heyward-Bey in the first round (seventh overall pick) of the 2009 Draft. Heyward-Bey’s rookie performance did not measure up to that draft pick.

Pittsburgh would have been better for Campbell. He fits their offense. The Steelers were looking for a high-character player with a big arm after Ben Roethlisberger’s dumb jock behavior and suspension. Pittsburgh picked up Byron Leftwich instead.

It should be worrisome to Campbell that the last two coaches signed specifically to work with him, Jim Zorn and Al Saunders, are both with the Baltimare Ravens, yet there weren’t even whispers of trade talk between Baltimore and Washington.

So off to Oakland he goes. And Campbell goes with the best wishes of Redskins fans, even those who lost faith in him. They know he wasn’t the cause of Washington’s problems. As my writing partner, Greg Trippiedi put it, “the team that can’t win with Jason Campbell has bigger problems than Jason Campbell.”

Jason couldn’t fix those problems. He leaves the Redskins as a high class act for what he needs most, a fresh start with a new team. Just like Patrick Ramsey, Washington’s last first round quarterback to be traded for a low value draft pick (2006).

What ever happened to Patrick Ramsey?