OAKLAND RAIDERS RAP
End Of The Road
First, the Raiders took away Larry Brown's job as a cornerback. Then they stripped him of his uniform jersey. And the final insult came Tuesday, June 2, when Oakland released the Super Bowl XXX MVP.
By waiting until after June 1 to waive him, the Raiders saved $1.42 million against their 1998 salary cap. He will count $710,000 this season with the remainder of his salary in 1999.
The beleaguered Brown was informed he could seek 
employment with another team on the eve of the Raiders' second offseason mini-camp in late April. The decision to sever ties with the seven-year NFL veteran came after he had a conversation with Oakland coach Jon Gruden. The next morning (April 24), top draft choice Charles Woodson was issued jersey No. 24 -- previously worn by Brown the past two seasons. At the time, Gruden told the media about Brown's imminent release: "I was trying to get him rejuvenated about playing again, and it didn't work out."
Brown, 28, never fulfilled expectation after he signed a five-year, $12.5 million contract with the Raiders in 1996. He was suspended last October for four weeks for "conduct detrimental to the team." After he was reinstated, the five-year starter with the Dallas Cowboys didn't see action the rest of the 1997 season. He had one interception in 11 career games with Oakland.
Brown then signed a two-year contract with the Minnesota Vikings on June 16 before being released in the final cut in training camp. He signed with the Dallas Cowboys on Dec. 2.
