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The Oakland Raiders officially added free agent quarterback Kerry Collins to their roster Monday, giving the Raiders two quarterbacks who lost in the NFL title game. His arrival raises immediate questions about the future of the other, 2002 NFL MVP Rich Gannon.

"We're pleased and excited to have Kerry join the Raiders," said head coach Norv Turner. "Kerry is a highly productive performer who will add to what is already a talented position."

In nine NFL seasons, Collins has thrown for 26,383 yards with 132 touchdown passes. He has a career quarterback rating of 73.1. The 6-5, 245-pounder has thrown for over 3,000 yards in each of the past four seasons.

"I'm very excited about joining the Raiders and I'm looking forward to a great opportunity," said Collins. "I'd like nothing more than to win a championship with the Raiders and I'm looking forward to playing in front of the Raider Nation. I want them to know that I'm going to give everything I've got."

The 31-year old Collins has been a starter in the Super Bowl, in two NFC Championship games and played in a Pro Bowl. Collins has played in 123 NFL contests with 117 starts since originally entering the NFL as a first round draft choice by the Carolina Panthers in 1995.

Last year, Collins totaled 3,110 yards for the New York Giants despite missing three games due to injury. In 2002, he amassed career highs in passing yards (4,073), completion percentage (61.5), yards per attempt (7.47) and quarterback rating (85.4). Collins threw for 3,764 yards in 2001 and his high in touchdown passes came in 2000 when he tossed 22 while totaling 3,610 passing yards.

He spent the past five seasons with New York, where the led the Giants to playoff appearances in 2000 and 2002. Collins was the starter for the Giants when New York captured the NFC Championship following the 2000 season and played in Super Bowl XXXV.

Collins leaves New York second on the Giants' career list in completions (1,447), third in passing yards (16,875), fifth in touchdowns (81) and first in completion percentage (58.51) among quarterbacks who have thrown at least 1,000 passes.

Whether Collins starts hinges on what the team does with the 38-year old Gannon, who hurt his shoulder in an Oct. 20 loss to the Chiefs.

Gannon finished last season on injured reserve as did backup Marques Tuiasosopo.

The Raiders have said Gannon is completely healthy after having shoulder surgery in November to repair a torn labrum and is still their No. 1 quarterback.

But he's also due to make $7 million this season and he has said he won't take a pay cut, raising speculation the Raiders may let him go. According to most observers, that would likely make Collins the starter.

After Oakland's embarrassing finish to the season, Gannon criticized the Raiders. He said he believes he unfairly became the organization's scapegoat in the first seven weeks of the season when no one stepped forward to take responsibility for the failures.

During the Raiders' 2002-03 Super Bowl season, Gannon led the league's top offense and broke the NFL completions record with 418 on the way to league MVP honors. He led the league with 4,689 yards passing.

This one is just getting started folks. Stay tuned. ... I'll have more as developments warrant.