Raiders Pick Up Campbell in Trade With Green Bay

Third-string quarterback Rich Campbell of the Green Bay Packers, who demanded to be traded at the end of the 1984 season, got his wish Monday when he was dealt to the Raiders for draft choices that the Raiders declined to disclose.

Campbell, a star at the University of California, has been trying since 1981 to move into what nearly everyone predicted would be a bright future after the Packers had made him their first selection--he was the sixth player chosen--in that year’s draft.

After Campbell’s rookie season, however, Bob Schnelker, the Packers’ offensive coordinator, said that he didn’t think that Campbell, at 6-4 and 216 pounds, had either the arm strength or the skills to be a pro quarterback, and said that Campbell would never play for him.

“I got into a personality conflict with Schnelker,” Campbell said. “He was pretty negative in his assessment of my ability.”

Unwilling to dump a No. 1 draft pick, however, and finding no ready market for him, the Packers kept Campbell, and he spent the better part of four seasons as the third-string quarterback.

His entire NFL career has amounted to appearances in just seven games, three of them last season when both Lynn Dickey and backup quarterback Randy Wright were injured.

Campbell refused to report to the Packers’ minicamp late last month, and held a press conference to say that his career in Green Bay was over.

The Packers put him on waivers, then recalled the waivers before the 10-day deadline when the Raiders expressed interest.

Reached at his home in Green Bay, Campbell said that being traded to the Raiders is almost like starting over again. And it doesn’t hurt that it was a California team, especially the Raiders. Campbell grew up in San Jose and Oakland.

“I’m extremely excited about it,” Campbell said. “Things haven’t been real easy for me since I’ve been here, and the chance to have an opportunity is exciting.”

The acquisition of Campbell leaves the Raiders with five quarterbacks. Besides Campbell, they have Marc Wilson, Jim Plunkett, David Humm and rookie Rusty Hilger, a sixth-round draft choice from Oklahoma State.