With preseason injuries taking their toll, teams have been looking to add position depth via the free agent market. This has been true for quarterbacks, as the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills have dealt with injuries to veterans – Mark Sanchez and Kevin Kolb – and rookies – EJ Manuel and Geno Smith – alike. While free agents have been examined to fill openings created by injuries, former No. 1 overall selection JaMarcus Russell has been mostly nonexistent on team’s radars.

After dropping over 50 pounds and working out with the Chicago Bears this preseason, it appeared that some team was poised to give Russell a shot at a backup gig. He was reportedly looking for a situation where he could sit behind a starting quarterback that had cemented his role in an effort to learn under an established signal caller and spend time as a backup.

Since then, Russell has struggled with weight issues and knee problems, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports. Russell continues to battle weight issues, as Garafolo reports that he’s picked up a few pounds since earlier this offseason. The quarterback is also still hampered by issues with one of his knees, as he’s reportedly experienced swelling in the joint.

Even with his weight issues and continuing knee problems, Russell contends that he’s still working hard in effort to get back into the NFL.