Raiders’ ill-fated Walter likely to be cut

By Anthony Carroll  |   Monday, August 06, 2007  |  Comments( 85 )

Oakland Raiders
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Third-year Oakland Raiders quarterback Andrew Walter is modest, talented and down to earth. He's the type of young QB whom NFL coaches love; he has a gun for an arm and an open mind.

Unfortunately, he's perhaps one of the unluckiest young signal-callers in the league today.

Injuries, awful timing and an ill-fated second year will likely cost the former Arizona State standout an NFL job.

According to a source close to the Raider organization, the team plans to cut the 25-year-old Walter once first-round rookie JaMarcus Russell signs.

Of course, the Russell holdout could last several more weeks, meaning Walter will likely make it through the preseason. However, as soon as the 6-foot-6, 263-pound rookie inks a deal, expect Walter's days with the Raiders to abruptly end.

Last week, team owner Al Davis brought in and signed veteran free agent Daunte Culpepper, who is expected to start the season until Russell is deemed 'field-ready.' The signing of the 30-year-old Culpepper indicates that Walter was never truly an option for the upcoming season, despite allegations that the starting job was anyone's to take.

Though, even before Culpepper was signed, Walter was still a mere afterthought.

On the same day Oakland drafted Russell, formerly a star at LSU, it executed a trade with the NFL's second-worst team from the '06 season, the Detroit Lions. In the deal, the Raiders snagged 28-year-old journeyman Josh McCown, who, according to all reports, was the team's slated starter until the Culpepper signing occurred.

The draft-day trade placed Walter in the backseat. The Culpepper signing forced him out the door.

Head coach Lane Kiffin plans to hold three quarterbacks on his roster, with Walter not being one of them. The lineup will include Culpepper, McCown and Russell.

Still, the end of Walter's road with the Raiders wasn't necessarily a product of a lack of talent.

Call it a lack of luck.

Since his days with the Sun Devils, Walter has been faced with one unfortunate obstacle after another.

Once pegged as first-round-caliber quarterback, the Phoenix native watched his draft position slip all the way to the third round because of an injury he suffered in the final game of his collegiate career. The 6-6 Walter suffered a third-degree shoulder separation in Arizona State's finale, lowering his NFL stock considerably.

Even more ill-fated, Walter fell to the NFL's worst-ran offensive system, where he'd appear behind the NFL's worst offensive line. The result: a two-win, three-touchdown, 13-interception season.

Walter's '06 campaign was a far cry from his days in Tempe, though.

The 230-pound gunslinger, in 48 college games, threw for 10,617 yards and 85 touchdowns, maturing as one of the best passers in Arizona State history along the way. As a sophomore -- his first year as team captain -- Walter became the first 3,000-yard passer in school history, bettering the mark by 877 yards. He also shattered the Pac-10 record for most career touchdowns, surpassing John Elway's mark that had previously stood for 22 years.

If the inopportune Walter is indeed dismissed from his job with the Raiders, don't expect No. 16 to cause much of a commotion out the door. He surely didn't last year.

"It's not about me, it's about the team," Walter said a year ago before his first pro start. "Whatever I can do to help the team get a win, that's the most important thing, and that's my goal."

Unfortunately, that's the humble voice that will be pushed out the door by an unproven rookie who's unhappy with $28 million.

Anthony Carroll, a senior writer for RealFootball365.com, can be contacted at acarroll@realfootball365.com.

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About Anthony Carroll

Anthony Carroll began writing for RealFootball365.com on Sept. 26, 2005, making him one of the longest tenured contributors to the “365” team. As a senior writer, Anthony has taken on the task of delivering original content to the silver and black faithful year round, despite having to deal ...
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CommentsComments: 85  |  Sign Up  View all comments
No.1
raidersensation		11:02 PM
08/06/2007
Very good final points AC. It's a shame to see our young QB go, but I don't know if we'll drop Walter when both Culpepper and ...
No.2
B Jimmy		11:27 PM
08/06/2007
Is he a first round caliber pick out of Grand Junction, Co., or a sophomore team captain from Phoenix? Trade Russell! We need ...
No.3
blat		11:32 PM
08/06/2007
Sadly, I think you're right. Andrew Walter's NFL career may someday be summed up by his feeble attempt to kick a fumbled snap in ...
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