JP Gets A Job

Our nation’s terrible unemployment number slightly improved this week when JP Losman found a job with the Oakland Raiders:

Former New York Giants coach Jim Fassel believes that J.P. Losman could be successful with the Oakland Raiders if he's given the opportunity to play.

Losman, whose signing with the shorthanded Raiders became official Wednesday, may get that chance if the pattern of injury and ineffectiveness from Oakland's quarterbacks continues.

Fassel is coach of the newly-crowned UFL champion Las Vegas Locomotives, with whom Losman was the starting quarterback this fall. The veteran coach believes that the strong-armed quarterback has what it takes to return to form in the NFL.

"J.P. is a solid guy and talented quarterback," Fassel told FanHouse in a phone interview Wednesday night. "He is certainly battle-tested. Most of all, though, I'm very impressed with his work ethic, desire to be good and really work at his trade and be better."

Fassel also admitted that three teams were ready to sign Losman if the Raiders did not but declined to specify which ones.

A total of four teams chasing JP? Unreal, but this blog was adamant that the UFL was a good step for JP. The UFL was an opportunity to pick the place to play (so he would in fact actually play) and get some proper non-Buffalo Bills coaching. Say what you want about Jim Fassel- but the guy can coach up the quarterback position. From his wiki bio:

Fassel began his career with assistant coaching stints at Utah State University and Stanford University, working with John Elway at Stanford. He also served as head coach of Utah.

Fassel has a long record of offensive success. He tutored prominent quarterbacks Phil Simms and John Elway. Prior to becoming New York Giants head coach, Fassel served as an assistant coach with the Arizona Cardinals, Denver Broncos, New York Giants, and Oakland Raiders.

JP shrewdly went and got himself the stamp of approval from a coach whose opinion counts on the quarterback position in the NFL. Plus, he showed a little humility and maturity- with his rep that could not hurt.

JP will never enter an NFL season again as a starter- but he has positioned himself for another handful of years of service in the League as a back-up. I doubt he is long for the Raiders; this is an emergency deal. But he’ll get another chance at a place he has some choice in (four teams!) and maybe experience a little fortune for once. I liked the UFL move then- love it now.

JP Wins The UFL

JP Losman wins the UFL!

He was knocked out in the first half on a brutal combo hit- but no Tulane fan was surprised to see him come back out there pitching.

JP had an "arrogant" reputation- but the guy also had guts. He has had the pulp beaten out of him at both Buffalo and Tulane- and he keeps moving forward.

Back in July, I wrote the UFL would be good for him- and it will be. He'll be in the League next year.

Get A Job

JP got a job!

They're being snarky. JP Losman was always a hard guy to embrace- but he played at Tulane with verve. Plus, he wore the jersey, won some big games (Hawai'i Bowl!). I think this move is the best of limited moves available to him. If JP is ever going to start again, he has got to play- and the only NFL options available to him were buried deep on the depth chart.

This UFL will end up being a higher quality League than NFL Europe (fewer players, less emphasis on youth, more emphasis on guys who had a cup of coffee in the League)- so why can't qbs rehab themselves here? And Jim Fassel, for all his faults as a head coach, did good work with pro-qbs: Elway, Collins, Simms.

Fassel has as good a chance to fix him as anyone- and JP is gonna get a chance to play rather than languish. The guy needs to change something- and this makes a sort of sense. If, at the end of the year Fassel signs off on him and JP shows good attitude and has success, the dearth of qb play in the NFL, plus the need to have two guys ready to go, means JP will get another shot. A year hanging out on the bench in the NFL merely makes him a salary cap casualty waiting to happen.

The few hundred thousand dollars he gives up leaving the NFL as a deep reserve probably aren't much to a guy who had a multi-million dollar bonus at one point- particularly considering the upside if he is successful in this UFL stint. Frankly, I like this move for JP.