(Sept. 12, 2006) -- Oakland's Randy Moss was supposed to be the Raiders' headache, but instead, wide receiver Jerry Porter has turned into the migraine.
The Raiders deactivated Porter before the Monday night game against San Diego, but the wide receiver would have preferred to have been a no show.
League sources said Porter actually called Buffalo safety Troy Vincent, the president of the NFL Players Association, and asked if he were required to show up for the game.
Vincent informed Porter, yes, he had to be there. To his dismay, Porter was.
How much longer Porter remains in Oakland is another story. The Raiders would like to deal Porter, but the problem is teams are not interested in him.
Even the receiver-needy Patriots were not interested in dealing for Porter earlier this summer; they made that clear from the outset.
Instead, they wanted wide receiver Doug Gabriel, and landed him for a fifth-round pick.
Jerry Porter might not be seen in an NFL uniform for several weeks.
During the offseason, the Denver Broncos made an inquiry about Porter, but quickly shied away when they learned the price for Porter would be two first-round picks.
Now the Raiders will be lucky to get much of anything in return for Porter, who led the Raiders last season with 76 receptions. Teams know that Raiders coach Art Shell kicked Porter out of his office during an offseason meeting between the two. They know that Porter has been openly insubordinate to the Raiders. And as long as the Raiders continue deactivating him -- and indications are they will -- Porter's behavior is not going to improve.
Asked about Porter's deactivation, Shell told reporters: "We had five receivers, and I decided we would go with the other four. That's it."
Only that's not it. Shell has hammered home the point that no player will defy his orders. But Porter is acting as if he is going to continue testing them.
The Raiders deactivated Porter before the Monday night game against San Diego, but the wide receiver would have preferred to have been a no show.
League sources said Porter actually called Buffalo safety Troy Vincent, the president of the NFL Players Association, and asked if he were required to show up for the game.
Vincent informed Porter, yes, he had to be there. To his dismay, Porter was.
How much longer Porter remains in Oakland is another story. The Raiders would like to deal Porter, but the problem is teams are not interested in him.
Even the receiver-needy Patriots were not interested in dealing for Porter earlier this summer; they made that clear from the outset.
Instead, they wanted wide receiver Doug Gabriel, and landed him for a fifth-round pick.
Jerry Porter might not be seen in an NFL uniform for several weeks.
During the offseason, the Denver Broncos made an inquiry about Porter, but quickly shied away when they learned the price for Porter would be two first-round picks.
Now the Raiders will be lucky to get much of anything in return for Porter, who led the Raiders last season with 76 receptions. Teams know that Raiders coach Art Shell kicked Porter out of his office during an offseason meeting between the two. They know that Porter has been openly insubordinate to the Raiders. And as long as the Raiders continue deactivating him -- and indications are they will -- Porter's behavior is not going to improve.
Asked about Porter's deactivation, Shell told reporters: "We had five receivers, and I decided we would go with the other four. That's it."
Only that's not it. Shell has hammered home the point that no player will defy his orders. But Porter is acting as if he is going to continue testing them.
