Even unsigned, Russell on board

JaMarcus Russell, the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft last spring by Oakland, still hasn’t signed, and reports are he is unlikely to do so before the Raiders begin the season Sept. 9 against Detroit.

Those who choose to ignore such news can still place a wager that Russell will wind up being the NFL’s rookie of the year. The website Sportbet.com is offering the former Louisiana State star at +490, meaning a $100 wager on Russell to win the award would be worth $490.

The shortest price on any individual rookie to walk away with the honor isn’t really a surprise. Calvin Johnson, the wide receiver from Georgia Tech, is expected to have an immediate impact with Detroit, so he is +250. The only knock against Johnson is that he was drafted by Lions President Matt Millen, who is batting only .333 selecting receivers in the first round. Roy Williams is a star for the Lions, but Charles Rogers and Mike Williams were busts.

Two first-year running backs who will get plenty of work in 2007 are Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson and Buffalo’s Marshawn Lynch.

Expected to share the workload with Chester Taylor, Peterson is +440 and Lynch, who will take over for the departed Willis McGahee, is +470.

Former Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn, still third on the Cleveland depth chart despite his impressive fourth-quarter showing last Saturday against Detroit, is +800.

Baseball

Whether Seattle is going to qualify for the playoffs in the American League as either the winner of the West or the wild-card representative probably will be determined in the next few weeks.

The Mariners are in a stretch where they will play 17 of 20 on the road. Their only dates at Safeco Field will be against the Angels in a three-game series that begins Monday.

So far, so good for Seattle. The Mariners won two of three in Minnesota and will play the first of four in Texas tonight.

Seattle, 30-29 on the road, will start Jeff Weaver tonight. Although the right-hander is only 5-10, he has pitched well this month. Weaver has won his last two starts on the road, defeating Baltimore and Chicago.

Pro football

Two weeks before Indianapolis and New Orleans open the regular season, Green Bay and Jacksonville will get some prime-time exposure tonight at Lambeau Field.

Winners over Pittsburgh and Seattle in their first two exhibition games, the Packers will be trying for their first three-win preseason since they went 3-1 in 2002.

In the two victories, rookies Brandon Jackson and James Jones have impressed. A second-round pick from Nebraska, Jackson probably will start the season as the Packers’ No. 1 tailback and Jones, a third-round choice from San Jose State, is in line to be the No. 3 receiver behind Donald Driver and Greg Jennings.

Jacksonville (1-1) defeated the Packers, 28-25, on Dec. 14, 2004 in their only visit to Green Bay. Jacksonville also won the only exhibition meeting, knocking off the visiting Packers, 9-7, three years ago.

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bob.mieszerski@latimes.com