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The medical opinion was the deciding factor between QBs Brees, Culpepper.
BY ARMANDO SALGUERO
asalguero@MiamiHerald.com
The Dolphins studied their medical reports on Daunte Culpepper and Drew Brees during their mid-March hunt for a franchise quarterback and came away with the belief that acquiring either offered risk and reward, but Culpepper was the safer pick.
So despite the fact the football staff's preference was to sign Brees as an unrestricted free agent rather than give up a second-round pick to the Minnesota Vikings for Culpepper, the medical opinion prevailed.
It was, in the short-term snapshot of both players' recovery from injury, a decision that has not worked out as planned.
It was, in the short-term snapshot of both players' recovery from injury, the wrong decision.
''Let me just say this,'' Dolphins coach Nick Saban said Wednesday in addressing the subject directly for the first time, ``It was a medical decision. I don't think medicine, personnel or any of that is an exact science.
``I think we have good, professional people in that area. I think they made the best judgment they could make at the time relative to the circumstances. No one could predict the future. It is what it is right now.''
Right now Brees is seemingly healthy after surgery to repair a torn labrum and damaged rotator cuff in his right shoulder. That is exactly what Dr. James Andrews, who performed Brees' shoulder surgery and Culpepper's knee surgery, said would happen.
Andrews released a statement in early March, prior to the start of free agency, in which he said Brees' rehabilitation was four weeks ahead of schedule and he anticipated Brees making a ''full recovery'' this season and playing ``at a high level.''
THEIR STATISTICS
In two games, Brees has completed 42 of 71 passes (59.2 percent) for 523 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. After doing nothing inspiring in his first game, Brees delivered a 353-yard, two-touchdown, one-interception performance against Green Bay on Sunday.
Culpepper's statistics are comparable to Brees' in completion percentage (59.4) and yards (512). But he has thrown only one touchdown and three interceptions.
And, unlike Brees, Culpepper has not regained the form he showed before coming to his new team.
''He is not 100 percent,'' Saban said Wednesday. ``He is healthy, but I don't think his mobility is what it once was. He's getting better all the time, and we're trying to help him play in a style where he can have success right now with a little less mobility than he once had, and he'll continue to improve in that regard.''
Dolphins coaches are working with Culpepper this week so he throws the football on time more often -- meaning the timing between his throw and the receiver's pattern are predetermined and synchronized -- rather than him holding the football, waiting to see the receiver get open.
At Minnesota, Culpepper could hold the ball and wait for the receiver. His ability to evade defenders if the pocket protection collapsed gave him that luxury.
But he has neither the luxury nor the mobility now, and that's a big reason he has been sacked 10 times in two games.
''Coming off the surgery is tough, but still, I have a job to do, and I still feel very confident I can do it,'' Culpepper said. ``Whether I have to move a little bit or just sit in the pocket and get the ball out of my hands quicker, I have to do that.
``Whatever it takes to be successful, I have to be willing to do it, and I am willing to do it.''
Culpepper admits he is not the same quarterback he was in Minnesota, a fact that must make the Dolphins cringe considering their March medical analysis of Brees versus Culpepper.
''Obviously, when you're coming off a serious injury like that, I can't be as mobile,'' Culpepper said. ``But everything else is fine. I've got the same arm, and I feel very confident in making plays.
``I know I can and I will.''
COMPARISONS
The Dolphins medical opinions that compared Brees and Culpepper were not only that Culpepper would have a better chance of recovering this season but also that he had a smaller chance of sustaining a reinjury.
That remains to be seen as does the inevitable long-term comparison between the players -- a comparison Saban won't be making.
''Hindsight is always 20/20,'' he said. ``Let's wait until we're 10 miles down the road on this instead of right now before we decide which guy was the right guy.
``We thought both were good players, and we still think Daunte will be a good player for us. That's all we're concerned about. We're not looking at what anyone else on another team is doing, because our concern is our players.''
Saban is not comfortable with the comparison between Culpepper and Brees but knew it would be a topic of conversation this season. He also realized once Brees had his 353-yard day, Culpepper's struggles would reflect poorly by comparison.
''We can't worry about what went right or what went wrong [in the offseason],'' Saban said. ``We're going to try to make what we have here work and that's what we're going to do.''
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sports/football/15569267.htmee
The medical opinion was the deciding factor between QBs Brees, Culpepper.
BY ARMANDO SALGUERO
asalguero@MiamiHerald.com
The Dolphins studied their medical reports on Daunte Culpepper and Drew Brees during their mid-March hunt for a franchise quarterback and came away with the belief that acquiring either offered risk and reward, but Culpepper was the safer pick.
So despite the fact the football staff's preference was to sign Brees as an unrestricted free agent rather than give up a second-round pick to the Minnesota Vikings for Culpepper, the medical opinion prevailed.
It was, in the short-term snapshot of both players' recovery from injury, a decision that has not worked out as planned.
It was, in the short-term snapshot of both players' recovery from injury, the wrong decision.
''Let me just say this,'' Dolphins coach Nick Saban said Wednesday in addressing the subject directly for the first time, ``It was a medical decision. I don't think medicine, personnel or any of that is an exact science.
``I think we have good, professional people in that area. I think they made the best judgment they could make at the time relative to the circumstances. No one could predict the future. It is what it is right now.''
Right now Brees is seemingly healthy after surgery to repair a torn labrum and damaged rotator cuff in his right shoulder. That is exactly what Dr. James Andrews, who performed Brees' shoulder surgery and Culpepper's knee surgery, said would happen.
Andrews released a statement in early March, prior to the start of free agency, in which he said Brees' rehabilitation was four weeks ahead of schedule and he anticipated Brees making a ''full recovery'' this season and playing ``at a high level.''
THEIR STATISTICS
In two games, Brees has completed 42 of 71 passes (59.2 percent) for 523 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. After doing nothing inspiring in his first game, Brees delivered a 353-yard, two-touchdown, one-interception performance against Green Bay on Sunday.
Culpepper's statistics are comparable to Brees' in completion percentage (59.4) and yards (512). But he has thrown only one touchdown and three interceptions.
And, unlike Brees, Culpepper has not regained the form he showed before coming to his new team.
''He is not 100 percent,'' Saban said Wednesday. ``He is healthy, but I don't think his mobility is what it once was. He's getting better all the time, and we're trying to help him play in a style where he can have success right now with a little less mobility than he once had, and he'll continue to improve in that regard.''
Dolphins coaches are working with Culpepper this week so he throws the football on time more often -- meaning the timing between his throw and the receiver's pattern are predetermined and synchronized -- rather than him holding the football, waiting to see the receiver get open.
At Minnesota, Culpepper could hold the ball and wait for the receiver. His ability to evade defenders if the pocket protection collapsed gave him that luxury.
But he has neither the luxury nor the mobility now, and that's a big reason he has been sacked 10 times in two games.
''Coming off the surgery is tough, but still, I have a job to do, and I still feel very confident I can do it,'' Culpepper said. ``Whether I have to move a little bit or just sit in the pocket and get the ball out of my hands quicker, I have to do that.
``Whatever it takes to be successful, I have to be willing to do it, and I am willing to do it.''
Culpepper admits he is not the same quarterback he was in Minnesota, a fact that must make the Dolphins cringe considering their March medical analysis of Brees versus Culpepper.
''Obviously, when you're coming off a serious injury like that, I can't be as mobile,'' Culpepper said. ``But everything else is fine. I've got the same arm, and I feel very confident in making plays.
``I know I can and I will.''
COMPARISONS
The Dolphins medical opinions that compared Brees and Culpepper were not only that Culpepper would have a better chance of recovering this season but also that he had a smaller chance of sustaining a reinjury.
That remains to be seen as does the inevitable long-term comparison between the players -- a comparison Saban won't be making.
''Hindsight is always 20/20,'' he said. ``Let's wait until we're 10 miles down the road on this instead of right now before we decide which guy was the right guy.
``We thought both were good players, and we still think Daunte will be a good player for us. That's all we're concerned about. We're not looking at what anyone else on another team is doing, because our concern is our players.''
Saban is not comfortable with the comparison between Culpepper and Brees but knew it would be a topic of conversation this season. He also realized once Brees had his 353-yard day, Culpepper's struggles would reflect poorly by comparison.
''We can't worry about what went right or what went wrong [in the offseason],'' Saban said. ``We're going to try to make what we have here work and that's what we're going to do.''
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sports/football/15569267.htmee