ALAMEDA, Calif. — The Raiders benched former No. 1 overall pick JaMarcus Russell on Wednesday, handing the starting job to journeyman Bruce Gradkowski.
Coach Tom Cable said this was not a temporary move, that his plan is to stick with Gradkowski.
“I don’t want to be like that,” Cable said. “This is where we’re headed and what we’re going to do. He’ll take this team and go with it.”
Instead of having a breakthrough in his third season, Russell has regressed and has been booed regularly at home games. He has completed just 46.8 percent of his passes, with nine interceptions, five lost fumbles and the second-worst passer rating in the league at 47.7.
“This is in no way giving up on the guy,” Cable said. “This is just trying to jump-start this team.”
Gradkowski is 17-for-30 for 163 yards and two interceptions this season.
Footnotes.
Steelers safety Troy Polamalu wore a heavy brace on his reinjured left knee while watching practice and is all but certain to miss Sunday’s game at Kansas City.
• Ronnie Brown, the Dolphins’ leading rusher with 648 yards, is done for the season after he was placed on injured reserve because of a right foot injury.
• The Chargers placed linebacker Jyles Tucker (ankle) on injured reserve.
• Doctors said Brian Westbrook has improved significantly over the last three days following a second concussion in a three-week span, but the Eagles running back won’t play Sunday at Chicago and it’s unknown if he’ll return this season.
• Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs will miss Sunday’s game against the Colts because of a knee injury suffered when Browns quarterback Brady Quinn tried to make a tackle after throwing an interception in Baltimore’s 16-0 victory Monday night. Quinn was fined for the hit.
• Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield, who sat out the last three games with an injured right foot, gave himself an “85 percent” chance of playing Sunday against the Seahawks.
