Fox Czar: Can Daunte be what Daunte once was?... 'boys mention

[WoodysGirl]

John Czarnecki
FOXSports.com, Updated 16 hours ago STORY TOOLS:

I like Rex Grossman, but don't the Chicago Bears need Daunte Culpepper?

And fresh off the presses, what about Atlanta?

After denying and denying, Falcons quarterback Michael Vick was indicted by a federal grand jury Tuesday for his dog-fighting involvement. This development may force Atlanta to pursue Culpepper, considering Vick could be facing an unspecified suspension from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

Remember, Vick promised Goodell that he had nothing to do with dog fighting on his former Virginia property when asked directly by the commissioner months ago. This news is very bad for Vick, but it could simply open another door for Culpepper.

The weirdest aspect to this whole Culpepper situation is how a former Pro Bowl quarterback, who completed 64.4 percent of his passes during his Minnesota career, including two seasons when he produced 33 and 39 touchdowns, respectively, has now gained a league-wide reputation as a bum. Who would have ever thought back when Culpepper was throwing bombs to Randy Moss in the Metrodome that he would someday have trouble finding employment under center?

Culpepper's Miami career was impacted by three things: his knee never fully recovered; former coach Nick Saban, who picked him, kept regretting that he didn't sign Drew Brees instead; and, finally, new head coach Cam Cameron never believed Culpepper had the aptitude to run his offense. Well, at least not as well as old-timer Trent Green.

Jacksonville seems like the perfect team for Culpepper. His former coach, Mike Tice, works there, plus Jack Del Rio has lost confidence in his remaining three quarterbacks, starting with Byron Leftwich. Del Rio's problem, though, is that GM James "Shack" Harris still believes in Leftwich. It is also unlikely that owner Wayne Weaver will okay a $5- or $6-million contract for Culpepper.

There are rumors that Culpepper wouldn't mind Green Bay, where Brett Favre could be preparing for his final NFL season. In Green Bay, Culpepper could show Vikings head coach Brad Childress that he's still better than Tavaris Jackson.

Although I think Culpepper would give Chicago a better chance to return to the Super Bowl, the Bears won't pursue him because they already made a bad investment ($6 million) in Brian Griese. Chicago's biggest problem through the years has been allowing the financial bottom line to impact every football decision. They believe throwing money at Culpepper would compound their Griese decision regardless of whether it would make them a better football team.

The Rams make sense, especially if they can't make Marc Bulger financially happy. St. Louis head coach Scott Linehan did some very good things with Culpepper in Minnesota when he was the offensive coordinator there. But deep down I think Linehan still prefers Bulger to Culpepper. Besides, the Rams are only going to win if Steven Jackson has a phenomenal season.

If the Raiders don't plan to play No. 1 pick JaMarcus Russell a lot this season, then Oakland makes sense for Culpepper. Owner Al Davis should give him an incentive-laden one-year contract and Culpepper can prove to everyone that Miami made a mistake in cutting him loose.

Finally, the Dallas Cowboys have always liked stars and Culpepper remains an intriguing player. Tony Romo is good, but there are no indicators that he's going to be great.

LINK

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

John Czarnecki
FOXSports.com, Updated 16 hours ago STORY TOOLS:

Finally, the Dallas Cowboys have always liked stars and Culpepper remains an intriguing player. Tony Romo is good, but there are no indicators that he's going to be great.

LINK

Is this guy really serious?? Romo has the makings of a franchise QB, now how he performs this year will go a long way to seal the deal.

 

[WoodysGirl]

John Clayton Blog

Culpepper feels vindicated

posted: Tuesday, July 17, 2007 | Print Entry

Though it cost him two weeks, Daunte Culpepper came up with the right strategy to gain his release from the Miami Dolphins.

Instead of having a July 3 grievance hearing in Los Angeles, Culpepper opted to wait 15 days and have a Wednesday hearing in Miami. That hearing would have involved players from the Dolphins roster who would have been called in as witnesses.


With rookie sessions ready to open up Sunday and Cam Cameron ready to embark on his first training camp, the Dolphins decided to terminate Culpepper's contract and allow him to find a new team.


"As I was going through this process I heard about a quote by Gandhi that best expressed my thoughts about this victory," Culpepper said in a statement. "He said, 'First, they ignore you, then they ridicule you. Then they fight you, then you win.'"


Culpepper had plenty of players lined up to help him during his grievance, which is why the Miami strategy as a location was a good one. After being pushed out of the starting job by the Trent Green trade, Culpepper wanted no part of a trade. He wanted to pick his own team while the Dolphins were holding out hope of possibly pulling in a sixth-round pick from Jacksonville.


Now it's up to Jacksonville or any other team interested to sign him. The Jaguars have been the one team that has publicly come out and expressed interest. The Ravens and Rams could also be options.


"Now that I have won my freedom and I get to choose my next team, I am just like many other people who have to go out and find employment so that I can take care of my family," Culpepper said in his statement. "I just hope that there is still a team or two out there that has an opportunity for a hard-working quarterback who is willing to come in and contribute wherever needed. I am ready to get into a training camp so that I can prepare for the 2007 season."


Culpepper says his knee has recovered from surgeries dating back to the 2005 season in Minnesota, when he blew out three ligaments. Recent trips to specialists have cleared him for training camp and he claims to be healthy enough to do everything.


Last year, he probably did too much. Nick Saban, the Dolphins coach in 2006, had Culpepper participate in every offseason workout and all of training camp. By the start of the regular season, the damaged knee was fatigued and starting to lock up. He underwent what was considered a minor surgical procedure on the knee. The recovery time, though, was going to be more than six months.


Taking the proper time to recover, Culpepper believes he is ready for his next assignment. Even though it took awhile, Culpepper is a free agent for the first time in his NFL career.

 

[bobtheflob]

Is this guy really serious?? Romo has the makings of a franchise QB, now how he performs this year will go a long way to seal the deal.

I think they used bad word choice on that one. If instead of "indicators" they'd said "guarantees" then it'd make more sense.

 

[adamknite]

Finally, the Dallas Cowboys have always liked stars and Culpepper remains an intriguing player. Tony Romo is good, but there are no indicators that he's going to be great.

IMO making the probowl your first year under center with only 10 starts is a good "indicator" that he might be "great". Like Flob said, I think he just used a poor choice of terms there.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

John Czarnecki
FOXSports.com, Updated 16 hours ago STORY TOOLS:



Finally, the Dallas Cowboys have always liked stars and Culpepper remains an intriguing player. Tony Romo is good, but there are no indicators that he's going to be great.

LINK

I suppose I would catagorize this under "Famous Last Words of a Fool."

Not to say that Romo will be great, per say, but to make the statment that Romo has done nothing to suggest he can be great is ludicous. Another one of those deals were somebody is looking for filler to finish up an article so they throw the Cowboys out there because they know it will get reaction.

Boaring.

 

[Future]

I don't think I'd be totally against bringing him here, although it wouldn't make sense with Brad Johnson as the #2 already.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

If we can get him cheap........I like him much better then our current backup

 

[Doomsday101]

If we can get him cheap........I like him much better then our current backup

You mean Johnson who beat out Culpepper? I'll take Johnson over the over rated Culpepper any day of the week.

 

[joseephuss]

You mean Johnson who beat out Culpepper? I'll take Johnson over the over rated Culpepper any day of the week.

Johnson did not beat out Culpepper. Duante got injured and Brad took over. I said the same thing about Johnson when the discussion was about Bledsoe staying on as a back up. I think Brad is the better back up QB. He is just suited for the position. He knows how to prepare with minimal reps. I think if healthy that Culpepper is the better QB, but that doesn't make him better suited to be the back up. It is a different mind set.

 

[Doomsday101]

Johnson did not beat out Culpepper. Duante got injured and Brad took over. I said the same thing about Johnson when the discussion was about Bledsoe staying on as a back up. I think Brad is the better back up QB. He is just suited for the position. He knows how to prepare with minimal reps. I think if healthy that Culpepper is the better QB, but that doesn't make him better suited to be the back up. It is a different mind set.

Culpepper looked like crap in the 05 season even before he was injured. Minn went 7-2 under Johnson and 2-5 under Culpepper. I'm sorry I'm not as impressed with Culpepper as some others are. Neither was Miami.

 

[burmafrd]

Czarnecki lost whatever small amount of credibility he ever had by claiming there were no signs of Romo being great. Those 5 TDs on Thanksgiving would be considered a SIGN by most.

 

[joseephuss]

Culpepper looked like crap in the 05 season even before he was injured. Minn went 7-2 under Johnson and 2-5 under Culpepper. I'm sorry I'm not as impressed with Culpepper as some others are. Neither was Miami.

Don't be sorry if you aren't impressed with Culpepper. It just means you have no eye for evaluating football players. :laugh1:

The Vikings got some players back from injury that helped them play better later in the year. They brought Hutcinson over to improve their o-line in 2006 and ended up playing worse. Brad Johnson had a worse QB rating than Culpepper in 2006. Duante was not healthy in 2006. I don't think Duante is healthy, but if he is I would take him over Brad Johnson right now to be the starter. Dallas does not need to make that choice because they have Romo. They need a back up and like I said I think Brad makes the better back up. My concern is that Brad is not the same QB he was 5 years ago or even just two years ago. He is old and sliding down hill, but if Dallas is to their backup QB things may not be going that great to begin with.

 

[1fisher]

You mean Johnson who beat out Culpepper? I'll take Johnson over the over rated Culpepper any day of the week.

x 2 ......... I can't stand that stupid dance he does after a TD........uke:

 

[Hoofbite]

IMO making the probowl your first year under center with only 10 starts is a good "indicator" that he might be "great". Like Flob said, I think he just used a poor choice of terms there.

well....making the pb in the weaker conference with a few starters hurt doesn't say much.

 

[adamknite]

well....making the pb in the weaker conference with a few starters hurt doesn't say much.

He still had to play well enough to get in regardless. I'd call that an "indicator" every time, but maybe playing in only 10 games turning your team around and taking them to the playoffs isn't good enough for you? Not to mention he finished with one of the best QB ratings in the NFL not just the NFC. Better than Tom Brady, Carson Palmer, Vince Young, and Phillip Rivers, who were all in the "superiour conference" 3 of which happened to be selected to/played in that same probowl for the AFC and one who is a 2x superbowl MVP. He also had a better QB rating then Marc Bulger and was only 1.1 points less then Drew Brees, his probowl team mates.

So yeah I'd say that actually says a lot. I'm not putting Romo in the HOF or ring of honor yet but I'm also not going to downplay his success last year unlike you.

 

[CowboyMike]

All Culpepper can do well is throw the deep ball. Without Randy Moss, he's nothing.

Look at his games without Moss, the proof is there. And any time he's been in an offense that's designed to spread the ball around or a shorter passing/precision game like he did in Miami last year, he's done horribly.

I'd rather have Johnson and know that he knows where he's going and protect the ball.

 

[LowTech]

He still had to play well enough to get in regardless. I'd call that an "indicator" every time, but maybe playing in only 10 games turning your team around and taking them to the playoffs isn't good enough for you? Not to mention he finished with one of the best QB ratings in the NFL not just the NFC. Better than Tom Brady, Carson Palmer, Vince Young, and Phillip Rivers, who were all in the "superiour conference" 3 of which happened to be selected to/played in that same probowl for the AFC and one who is a 2x superbowl MVP. He also had a better QB rating then Marc Bulger and was only 1.1 points less then Drew Brees, his probowl team mates.

So yeah I'd say that actually says a lot. I'm not putting Romo in the HOF or ring of honor yet but I'm also not going to downplay his success last year unlike you.

Touche my friend ............... Touche