Jamarcus Russell remains the starting quarterback for the Raiders, at least for the time being. Coach Tom Cable said a hamstring injury suffered by Bruce Gradkowski complicates the decision of who will start against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.

Cable wants to meet with his quarterbacks, go over the plan for Sunday and the rest of the season, and put that plan in motion. That's going to take more time than expected.

The discussions will be among Cable and his quarterbacks, with managing general partner Al Davis not influencing the decision, Cable said. Charlie Frye also is a viable option, Cable added.

It was enough to make Charlie Frye sit up and take notice, provided he was fully awake at the time.

Frye got to work at 6:30 a.m., and was pleasantly surprised to be joined by starting quarterback Jamarcus Russell two days after the worst day of his professional life.

“He got in here Wednesday, earliest he’s ever been,” Frye said. “I think he was in here at 6:30. That’s step one. The things he continues to need to do is stay the course and just maybe do a little bit more.”

Veteran QB Garcia among Raiders' cuts.

Remember all that training camp talk that it was a matter of when, not if, Jeff Garcia replaced Jamarcus Russell as the Raiders starting quarterback? Um, never mind.

Garcia, a four-time Pro Bowler and 10-year NFL veteran purportedly signed to serve as Russell's mentor and backup, was among the 22 players cut Saturday by the Raiders as the team got down to its 53-man roster by the NFL's mandated deadline.

Garcia, 39, was not available for comment, but coach Tom Cable explained the team's thinking in a conference call with Bay Area media. "First and foremost," Cable said, "we are committed to Jamarcus Russell as our starter.

"Whether or not (Jeff was) comfortable in his role as a backup, it is what it is. JaMarcus is our guy, and those two other guys did a great job in terms of performing on game night."

Those "two other guys" are quarterbacks Bruce Gradkowski and Charlie Frye. The move also gives credence to the notion Russell may now feel, at best, not threatened by the likes of two journeymen and, at worst, bulletproof.

Cable has publicly challenged Russell to be more of a leader in, this, his critical third season. Russell's work ethic and self-motivation have been questioned by Raiders insiders and outsiders.

Saturday, Cable insisted he is not worried.

News and notes following Tom Cable’s press briefing Friday before the Raiders boarded a plane to Seattle:

If all goes as planned, Raiders QB Jamarcus Russell will get a series or two and then begin preparing for the opener against San Diego on Sept. 14. Same with most of the first team offense.

Jeff Garcia will relieve Russell, Bruce Gradkowski will play into early in the third quarter, with Charlie Frye finishing up.

Gradkowski vs. Frye is one of what Cable termed, “one of the great battles that will go on Thursday night,” and give the coach credit _ he said it with a straight face.

Bruce Gradkowski and Charlie Frye, competing to be the third quarterback on the roster, may not get much of a chance against the Saints. Jamarcus Russell will start and could play into the early third quarter before giving way to Jeff Garcia.

Backup quarterback Andrew Walter reported to camp, unsure of his status and taking a wait-and-see approach.
"I'm under contract, so 9 a.m. mandatory meeting (today)," Walter said. "I'll be there unless something changes."
Walter stayed away from all offseason workouts except the mandatory minicamp in May. He is in the final season of his contract but doesn't appear to be in the Raiders' long-term plans.
The Raiders signed veterans Garcia, Charlie Frye and Bruce Gradkowski in the offseason, and Walter didn't get any reps during full-team drills at the minicamp.

There could be another interesting name or two released by the Raiders in the coming weeks. They released veteran safety Keith Davis and sixth-round pick Stryker Sulak on Monday. They have 85 players on the roster and six unsigned draft choices, meaning five players have to go in order for the Raiders to start camp with 80 signed players.

One position to follow is quarterback. Jeff Garcia, Charlie Frye and Bruce Gradkowski were signed during the offseason, but it is unlikely coach Tom Cable will go to camp with five veteran quarterbacks. That could leave Andrew Walter as the odd man out. Don't be surprised to see him released soon.

The Oakland Raiders have signed free agent QB Charlie Frye. Frye looks to work behind Jeff Garcia and Jamarcus Russell this week at their Alameda, CA facility as OTAs resume.

Seattle Herald: Seahawk backup QB Seneca Wallace (groin) also
returned to the practice field. Holmgren said he has not decided
whether Wallace or Charlie Frye will serve as Hasselbeck's primary
backup on Sunday.

ESPN: Mike Holmgren's hopes of avoiding the second 1-5 start of
his 17-year coaching career rest upon a backup quarterback who has
a sore leg and will make his first start in two years. Seattle's
coach confirmed Friday that Seneca Wallace will start Sunday night
at Tampa Bay (4-2). This week's practices proved Wallace's 5-week-
old calf injury has healed enough for him to replace Charlie Frye,
the third-stringer who was skittish and ineffective in last week's
loss to Green Bay."He looked OK," coach Mike Holmgren told The
Seattle Times Friday. "But more importantly, probably, is that he
feels OK. It's going to be his ball game I believe unless
something happens in the next two days. And I've got confidence in
him."