"Former Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell was arrested at his home in Mobile, Ala., on Monday afternoon and charged with possession of codeine syrup - a controlled substance.

Mobile County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Lori Myles told the Mobile Press-Register that Russell was arrested during an undercover investigation. Police did not find a prescription for the codeine during their search. Although other people were on the property, Russell was the only one arrested.

He was booked into Mobile Metro Jail at 4:22 p.m. and released minutes later after making $2,500 bail. Russell is scheduled to appear in court July 20.

The Raiders released Russell, 24, in May after the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2007 posted a record of 7-18 as a starting quarterback. The quarterback's weight issues were well documented, teammates openly questioned his work ethic, and there were also constant whispers of Russell's use of codeine syrup.

Codeine syrup is sometimes used in a recreational drink known as "purple drank," "lean" or "sizzurp" as a means of enhancing the effects of alcohol. A popular drink in the South, it is a mix of prescription-strength cough syrup that contains the narcotic codeine and the antihistamine promethazine, with alcohol or 7-Up and Jolly Ranchers candy.

The Raiders had no comment, and neither Russell nor his agents could be reached for comment. Several former Oakland teammates had no comment, but one said, "It's not a big surprise; everyone knew he liked to party and chill."

Houston rapper Al D explained the effects of using codeine syrup in a recreational drink to the Houston Chronicle in 2007, saying, "When I was drinking 'drank,' I wasn't thinking about what it could be doing to my health. I'm 180 pounds, and when I was on drank, I was 240. It got so much sugar in it that it blows you up, and it makes you eat a lot, and then you got the soda.""