On September 14, I ventured out on a limb and posed the idea that then former Oakland Raider quarterback Jeff Garcia should replace Jake Delhomme under center for the Carolina Panthers.

Today, I am going out farther on that limb by strongly suggesting that the Panthers take a look at the now former Philadelphia Eagles reserve.

The Panthers are putting perhaps their final season with Julius Peppers in serious jeopardy by keeping Delhomme as their quarterback. Despite the organization’s assertion on Wednesday that it wasn’t looking to make a change, now that there’s a proven winner on the free agent market (again) like Garcia, the Panthers need to think twice.

Earlier this week Steve Smith admitted that he bailed on his route on a play that turned into an interception returned for a touchdown by Dallas corner Terence Newman on Monday night. But Smith was seen earlier on Monday evening barking at Delhomme.

Delhomme turned the ball over three times on Monday night. His footwork has become poor and he’s started making mental mistakes that have most of the southeastern region of the country wondering whose idea Delhomme’s contract extension was this spring.

The Panthers had one of the best running games in the entire NFL last year, with DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart both having strong seasons.

But now, with the Panthers unable to convert on third down (one for eight on Monday), their running game has suffered. Smith’s production has also disappeared.

These are the same Panthers who were confident in their offensive line after securing tackle Jordan Gross this past spring. Coming into a season with lots of cause to be excited, the Panthers are winless after three weeks.

The Panthers have scored the second-fewest points in the NFC so far (37 through three games) and are tied for last in their division with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who will start a relative unknown at quarterback this weekend.

Tampa, however, is entering into a rebuilding time. They have moved on from the Derrick Brooks-led defensive teams and are searching for an identity. They have a rookie head coach and spent a high draft pick on a quarterback this year.

The Panthers have a veteran roster and don’t have the same grace with their fan base that Tampa does; they’re not getting younger and they won 12 games last year.

But their promise seems to be moving backwards with Delhomme under center.

They need a change.

When I wrote this piece a couple weeks ago, the biggest objections (that didn’t come from Eagles fans in the wake of Donovan McNabb’s rib injury) was that Garcia is wrong for the Panthers’ system. He’s a mobile quarterback who needs to be in a West Coast Offense to be productive.

My response two games later is: How productive has Delhomme been in this system?

Garcia might not be younger than Delhomme, but he’s a fresh face and could spark confidence with the veteran roster. His legs might even become an asset in the running game that’s stalled in the midst of Delhomme’s poor decision making and fumble-itis.

The Panthers are off this week for their bye, and then have the failing Washington Redskins and the wandering Bucs. Those are two games the Panthers could, and should, win. But they’re also games against opportunistic defenses that will prey on Delhomme’s judgement.

The time is now for Carolina to make a change, and they’re getting a second chance to bring in Garcia. They made the mistake two weeks ago, and have lost twice since Garcia went to Philly.

With quarterback changes happening in Miami (due to injury) and Tampa (due to ineffective play), it’s time the Panthers follow Tampa’s lead before they’re forced to follow Miami’s.

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With the release of journeyman quarterback Jeff Garcia, the Eagles seem to be indicating that they are confident that the combination of Kevin Kolb and Michael Vick can manage the team until Donovan McNabb returns.

In particular, the play of Kolb made Garcia expendable.

Kolb is 62-of-96 for 741 yards in two-and-a-half games this season. He is completing 65 percent of his passes and has a quarterback rating of 89 on the year. Against Kansas City, Kolb was 24-of-34 (a 70 percent completion percentage) for 327 yards and two touchdowns to go along with no sacks, interceptions, or fumbles.

It is that type of production, coupled with Vick’s execution of the Wildcat, that made Garcia expendable.

The question is, where does Garcia go from here?

The market is not great for a 6′1″, 205-pound, 39-year-old quarterback who has played almost exclusively in the West Coast system. One would have to imagine that if Garcia were to sign with anyone, it would be a team with a coaching connection to the Bill Walsh coaching tree that runs the West Coast offense.

The problem is, there aren’t many of those coaches that are around and in need of a quarterback right now.

Of Bill Walsh’s six assistant coaches that became NFL head coaches (Mike Holmgren, Jim Fassel, Paul Hackett, Sam Wyche, George Seifert, and Dennis Green), none are currently coaching in the NFL, and two (Fassel and Green) are coaching in the upstart UFL (more on that later).

If you look at the extended branches on the Walsh tree, most of those coaches are either out of the NFL right now (Jon Gruden, Mike Sherman, Steve Mariucci, Mike Shanahan, Brian Billick) or are coaching teams that are set at quarterback.

For example:

Andy Reid, Philadelphia Eagles: Just cut Garcia, and he has McNabb, Kolb, and Vick.

Brad Childress, Minnesota Vikings: He has some guy named Favre, I think?

John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens: In Joe Flacco they trust, and Troy Smith is a decent backup.

Jeff Fisher, Tennessee Titans: Kerry Collins and Vince Young are locked in to their jobs…for now.

Jack Del Rio, Jacksonville Jaguars: Riding the David Garrard train for as long as they can.

Mike Smith, Atlanta Falcons: Some young kid named Matt Ryan? Garcia won’t be relocating to Buckhead any time soon.

Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers: Big Ben Roethlisberger is the man.

This really leaves only one of two options for Jeff Garcia. He could wind up playing in Carolina for John Fox, a distant Walsh disciple (Fox was an assistant to Fassel, who was an assistant to Walsh), who may need some new blood at QB if Jake Delhomme keeps throwing five INTs a game. That is the lone NFL option for Garcia, who may bring some poise to the Panthers’ team.

The other option is going to the UFL, where I’m sure Fassel or Denny Green would love to have an experienced QB running their West Coast offenses, and I’m sure the fledgling league would like another known commodity.

I think Garcia is bound for the Las Vegas Locos (Fassel’s team) or the California Redwoods (Green’s team) if he does not sign with the Panthers.

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Two weeks ago, the Philadelphia Eagles lost quarterback Donovan McNabb to a rib injury, one that left a timetable on a return.

The following day the Eagles signed quarterback Jeff Garcia, who was released by the Oakland Raiders a few weeks back. All the Eagles fans remember Garcia, who led them to the playoffs just a few years ago.

However, assuring Garcia that his second tenure with the team may not last long, Garcia wasn’t expecting much time with the team this season.

Yet, many were shocked about Garcia’s departure today.

According to reports, the Eagles have released the veteran quarterback and have brought back linebacker Jeremiah Trotter, who has had multiple stints with the team.

The team must have been impressed with Kevin Kolb’s performance in the win over the Chiefs, and with Mike Vick eligible to play, they feel that Garcia is no longer needed.

Matt Miselis is an NFL writer for BleacherReport.com

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Should the conversation in Tom Cable’s office today start with “Let’s try this again?”

With the news that Philadelphia has released Jeff Garcia, do the Raiders need to make an effort to lure the veteran QB back to Oakland? The NFL is a win now league, and I hate to say it, but my answer is yes.

Like many who follow the Raiders, I’ve been waiting and waiting for JaMarcus Russell to reach his potential as an NFL quarterback, but I’ve seen almost no evidence that Russell is going to be a competent NFL signal caller. With only three games in the books, this season is far from over. Could Garcia salvage it and push the Raiders towards the playoffs? I’m relatively certain that Russell can’t.

To be fair, Russell was never my guy. I wanted Oakland to take Calvin Johnson with that pick, but I realize that Russell’s combination of size and arm strength was intriguing enough to warrant the front office’s decision to go with him. He’s had some time to learn the offense, but his mistakes are mounting and the few games the Raiders have won while he’s been the starter were in spite of him, not because of him.

Garcia may not be suited perfectly for the Raiders offense, but he gives them a better chance to win than Russell does. He’s a proven winner who might provide a little stability to the offense. While he doesn’t have the arm strength, he’s so much more accurate than Russell at this point that it’s worth the gamble.

After three weeks, the division is still up for grabs. The Raiders could easily be 2-1 at this point, but in order to win more games, they are going to have to eliminate mistakes. Garcia does that. Russell’s not there yet. 

Garcia wants to be the starter. Bring him in, give him the job, and see what he can do.  Maybe he rights the ship.

There’s nothing wrong with a little healthy competition. Showing Russell that he needs to get better might be the spark he needs to get himself going. If not, it could be just another Al Davis mistake that keeps the organization from honoring the “Commitment to Excellence” that they’ve preached for years.

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Well, the quarterback crisis in Philadelphia ended faster than usual.

The Eagles signed Michael Vick in the offseason, amid controversy. Starting quarterback Donovan McNabb goes down with broken ribs in week one against Carolina. The Eagles scramble to sign Jeff Garcia—who had been released from the Raiders earlier in the offseason.

At one point last week on Philly’s practice field, there were three quarterbacks who had started in a combined 12 Pro Bowls.

But now, with third-year pro Kevin Kolb proving that he can be a more-than-adequate backup to Donovan McNabb (at least in Andy Reid’s opinion), the Eagles cut Garcia on Tuesday to give him a chance to become a starting quarterback somewhere else.

Clearly, the Eagles’ roster move (they cut Garcia to add some linebacking depth, bringing back former Eagle Jeremiah Trotter to shore up the run defense) suggests that they feel confident in Kolb’s abilities if McNabb goes down again.

After being the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for 300-plus yards in his first two starts, Kolb may have done enough to warrant the hype that had been building internally in the organization since the Eagles drafted him in 2007.

(Consider this writer unconvinced, but that’s another matter—entirely.)

The question should now move from the Eagles and focus on Garcia. Where does he go from here?

Here are three scenarios that I could see playing out for Garcia:

1. This one isn’t a stretch by any means of the imagination. The Raiders cut Garcia earlier this preseason. Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell—the 2007 No. 1 overall draft pick—is fresh off his second tumultuous game. “Tumultuous” actually doesn’t do Russell’s performance justice.

Let’s get it straight.

Russell has been so bad in the past two weeks that he’s threatening to set football back 20 years. He’s thrown for less than 100 yards both weeks. He was sacked more times in the second half on Sunday (three) than yards he threw for (one).

Why not bring Garcia back and see if you can generate any type of momentum in the passing game? At this point, do the Raiders really have anything left to lose?

2. The Seahawks actually might give Garcia his best chance of starting and winning in the upcoming weeks.

With Matt Hasselbeck sidelined from cracked ribs (the same cracked ribs that sidelined McNabb and led Garcia to Philly in the first place), and backup Seneca Wallace doing little to inspire confidence in the Seattle brass, the Seahawks could be looking for a veteran presence to give Hasselbeck as much time as he needs to heal.

The NFC West, as usual, is more-or-less putrid and potentially on its way to being the worst division in football once again.

The Rams are lifeless. The Cardinals are on life-support already after looking nothing like the Super Bowl team from last year.

Only the 49ers have shown any promise, and with an injury to star running back Frank Gore taking out their best player over the next three weeks, the Seahawks should look to strike now to narrow the Niners’ division lead.

Garcia throwing to T.J. Houshmanzadeh and Julius Jones might not inspire visions of offensive grandeur in the minds of NFL fans, but the Seahawks could certainly do worse.

They could remain stagnant, watch Hasselbeck rush back from injury only to hurt himself more seriously later in the season, and rue the day they let Garcia get away.

3. This one might be a bit of a stretch, given their roster moves today, but why not Garcia to the Dolphins?

Starter Chad Pennington just went down with a season-ending shoulder injury. The Dolphins just traded an undisclosed draft pick for the Kansas City Chiefs’ third-stringer, Tyler Thigpen, who managed to win all of one game while racking up decent stats in 11 games last year for the Chiefs.

Between Thigpen, current starter Chad Henne (who hasn’t started a game in his two-year NFL career), and rookie Pat White, the Dolphins quarterback committee has 11 combined NFL starts.

For an 0-3 team looking to right the ship, the Dolphins could sign Garcia for cheap, rely on their running game to get the wheels back on the team, and pray.

Otherwise, the youth movement officially starts for the Dolphins in Week Four—and all those fans hoping to return to Landshark Stadium for a playoff game will be viciously disappointed.

Besides, Garcia started in Tampa Bay last year, and it wasn’t all that long ago that the Bucs were 9-3 and looking like a playoff lock. A shaky defense (and Monte Kiffin’s departure) was all that kept Garcia out of the playoffs. Why not give him another shot in the state of Florida?

Other Possibilities

St. Louis Rams: unlikely, given how much they’ve put into developing Marc Bulger. But given the injuries on that team, they’re one Bulger injury away from the season completely sinking, and Bulger did hurt his rotator cuff last week. Does Garcia provide an upgrade over Kyle Boller? (Duh.)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: interesting idea, given Garcia’s history with the team and the fact he was their starter last season; unlikely, as coach Raheem Morris will likely spend the rest of the season developing young guns Josh Freeman and Josh Johnson.

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What’s Bugging Me is a weekly column on FantasyPros911.com

What’s bugging me this week? How about the Oakland Raiders deciding to stick with Quarterback JaMarcus Russell instead of Philadelphia Eagles Quarterback Jeff Garcia.

When Garcia signed with the Raiders in the offseason, it appeared he would compete with Russell for the starting job at quarterback, considering all the success he’s seen throughout his 11-year career (he lead three different teams—49ers, Eagles, and Buccaneers—to the playoffs).

Instead, he was released prior to Week One, leaving Russell as the starter for the Raiders at quarterback.

In my opinion, Russell is one of the most overrated quarterbacks in the NFL and should not have been the starter over Garcia for the Raiders this season. Perhaps that is not going out on too much of a limb, but he is easily the worst starting quarterback in football, and is not worth the $68 million the team signed him for after holding out all of training camp during his rookie season.

Through the first three games of the 2009 season, Russell has only thrown for 378 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions. These statistics are pathetic for a quarterback as highly paid as he is, considering we have seen other players in the league who could equal his totals—if not surpass—in yards and touchdowns in just a single game. Not to mention he has a completion percentage of 41.3 percent—which ranks him 33rd among quarterbacks so far.

If anything, the Raiders should have considered keeping Garcia around for at least one season in case Russell struggled this season—which so far he has. He may not have won the starting job, but Garcia would have made a nice mentor for Russell to learn from or a quarterback to rely on if needed. Instead, the Raiders decided to part ways with the experienced quarterback and stick with the player who they are convinced is the future of their franchise.

Given the history of decision making in their front office, the mere fact that they are willing to go with Russell is evidence enough that he will fail.

They are too inept to hit a home run on such an important decision.

Don’t get me wrong; Russell still has plenty of time to develop his game and become the type of player the Raiders have been looking for at quarterback. Don’t count on it. However, it’s already been three years and his weaknesses continue to bring his value down as an elite quarterback in the NFL.

Russell’s passes are about as accurate as the predictions of Nostradamus or a basement dwelling psychic. He constantly fails to find a way to get the ball into the hands of his wide receivers and is constantly overthrowing the ball.

It may only be three games, but it is unacceptable for a quarterback who is making the type of money Russell is to have only one touchdown at this point in the season.

If the Raiders want to turn their franchise around at all in the next couple of years, they need to realize that Russell is not the answer. Otherwise, they will be looking back a few years from now and wonder where that $68 million went.

This article was originally published at FantasyPros911.com

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Donovan McNabb, Jeff Garcia and Michael Vick give the Philadelphia Eagles a trio of quarterbacks with 12 Pro Bowl appearances among them. When the Eagles (1-0) host the New Orleans Saints (1-0) in their home opener Sunday, their starting QB could be a guy who's never thrown a touchdown pass in the NFL.