Turns out the local and national media weren’t the only ones surprised when Al Davis opened his checkbook for Javon Walker in 2008.
“It was a surprise to me,” Walker told the NFL Network. “But, you know, like any human, if somebody offers you something good, I wasn’t going to say no. … Really, football has never been about the money to me, but what the Raiders offered, it’s not like I’m going to turn it down and say, ‘Hey, you know, I don’t think I deserve this.’ I was like ‘OK, maybe I can be a part of the puzzle to make this organization go again.’ ”
Exactly how much money Walker received for his 15 receptions, only he and his agents know for sure. The Raiders say the stopped payment after $14 million.
Which ought to make “Commitment to Excellence” award winner Justin Fargas feel great tonight at a banquet in his honor after the he was released before the Raiders had to pay a $1.7 million bonus.
Walker isn’t the only reason the Raiders have backed off in terms of free agency, but he’s the best one.
The free agent signing of Walker has recently been judged as perhaps the worst free agent signing in NFL history.
I’m not sure the DeAngelo Hall trade wasn’t worse, considering the Raiders also lost second- and fifth-round draft picks in the deal.
Even Walker couldn’t believe his good fortune - Inside the Oakland Raiders - A look inside the world of the highly classified Oakland Raiders from the writers of Bay Area News Group
