JaMarcus Russell

Raiders QB JaMarcus Russell showed up for the team’s voluntary workouts, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, just days after coach Tom Cable gave the young signal-caller a not-so-gentle nudge about leadership at this week’s NFL Annual Meeting.

Russell had missed the first week of the Raiders’ voluntary workouts, prompting these remarks from Cable:

“If he can accept the responsibility of being an NFL quarterback — I think that’s working more, working harder, working longer than everybody else, accepting the responsibility that his teammates look to him as the face of the organization, that he has to go above and beyond almost on a daily basis … he’ll be fine. He’ll be great, I think.”

Russell wouldn’t answer reporters’ questions about Cable’s comments, but it certainly appears the message was received. Russell has been criticized during his young NFL career for his weight issues, as well as a lengthy holdout during his rookie season. This guy isn’t Terrell Owens, who you can trust to show up to camp in shape.

And when your team has been near the bottom of the NFL standings in recent years, going through coaches like Colin Farrell goes through leading ladies, maybe it wouldn’t hurt to put in a little extra effort.

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