Raiders sign their top pick Darren McFadden

ALAMEDA – What took approximately five months to complete a year ago was wrapped up in about six weeks this year.

There will be no talk around the Raiders of running back Darren McFadden working out at home, missing the exhibition season or having his rookie season wasted on the sidelines.

McFadden, the team's first pick in the 2008 NFL draft and the fourth choice overall, had his first news conference as a Raider on Friday after signing a six-year, $60 million deal Thursday night.

About $26 million of the contract is guaranteed. The so-called hard guarantee is $19.6 million. The rest, about $6.4 million, is what's known in league circles as "falling off the log" money, a bonus based on the achievement of minimum playing time.

Smiles all around Raiders headquarters followed the deal's completion, quite a contrast to the problems the team had signing first overall pick JaMarcus Russell last year. The big LSU quarterback didn't sign until Sept. 10 and missed all of 2007 training camp.

Raiders coach Lane Kiffin looked relieved as Mark Davis, owner Al Davis' son, welcomed McFadden to the Raiders.

"Darren knew how important it was for him to get in here … and to have a great first year and not have any setbacks," Kiffin said.

The process was spurred by the Raiders' willingness to start contract talks early with McFadden's agent, Ian Greengross, and the agent's readiness to talk specific figures.

Negotiations typically start after July 4.

"The Raiders said, 'Look, we would like to start early. Why don't you come, and we'll start negotiations?' " Greengross said.

"If you say, It's the Raiders, it'll never get done, then it won't get done. I came in with my research and my numbers. We sat down, and we took it kind of hour by hour."

Greengross and Raiders officials Marc Badain and Tom Delaney began talks Wednesday.

"We hit a bunch of brick walls, but we never really took a huge step backwards at any point," Greengross said.

That was good news to McFadden, who was watching the NBA Finals when Greengross called and summoned him to Raiders headquarters Thursday night.

McFadden and his family – father Graylon McFadden, stepmother Ella and sister Gaylon Muhammad – were greeted by Al Davis, who wanted to welcome the former Arkansas great to the team.

"That was a great thing," McFadden said. "I'm glad he came and did that. It was just a great deal that we got it all out of the way."

Kiffin said he sees McFadden as an explosive element his team lacked last season. With the team planning to feature McFadden in its offense, the signing and his upcoming presence in training camp are considered significant.

"Missing a day of training camp is like missing a week of college practices," McFadden said. "It would be a major setback for me."

But the Raiders found out what can happen when a deal stalls and a highly touted player is idled. McFadden also knows how the Russell negotiations played out last year and what brakes that put on the quarterback's rookie season.

"I think obviously it's based a little bit on last year," Greengross said. "They'd rather get a head start rather than wait until late."

And now McFadden's career looks ready to start on time.

About the writer:

• Read Jason Jones' Raiders blog at www.sacbee.com/blogs.