No Official Front-Runner Yet in Raiders' Quarterback Competition

Lane Kiffin, the Oakland Raiders' rookie coach, isn't saying who's the team's starting quarterback at this point.

Andrew Walter and Josh McCown are splitting the snaps with the starting offense on the training camp practice field while newcomer Daunte Culpepper eases into things and prized rookie JaMarcus Russell remains absent because of his stalled contract negotiations.

Kiffin told reporters Tuesday at the Raiders' training camp in Napa, Calif., that Walter, McCown and Culpepper will share the playing time equally in this weekend's preseason opener against the Arizona Cardinals.

Culpepper became the favorite to land the starting job for the regular season when he signed a one-year deal with the club. But he must prove that he's healthy after being plagued by knee troubles the past two seasons with the Minnesota Vikings and Miami Dolphins.

Russell's chances of earning playing time as a rookie have been diminished by his lengthy contract talks, and there's no end to the staredown currently in sight even though the rough parameters for his deal were put in place when the player drafted immediately after him in April, wide receiver Calvin Johnson, signed with the Detroit Lions.

By Mark Maske |  August 8, 2007; 9:28 AM ET  | Category:  Raiders
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