Henson Makes His Annual Camp Cameo, But Where’s Culpepper?

[Gryphon]

HENSON MAKES HIS ANNUAL CAMP CAMEO, BUT WHERE’S CULPEPPER?
Posted by Mike Florio

With quarterback Drew Stanton out for a month with a thumb injury, the Detroit Lions have signed quarterback Drew Henson.

Henson is a former Michigan quarterback who picked baseball over football, and who then wasn’t very good at baseball and decided to play football.

He actually appeared in seven games for the Cowboys in 2004, starting one of them. The Cowboys cut him loose during training camp in 2006. He spent some time with the Vikings in 2006, but never appeared in a regular-season game.

In 2007, the Vikings signed him again, but he was cut in August.

The other quarterbacks on the Lions roster are Jon Kitna and Dan Orlovsky.

That said, why in the hell didn’t the Lions sign Daunte Culpepper? Four years ago, Culpepper generated one of the top five single-season passer ratings in NFL history. So how is the guy not employed?

We’re really starting to wonder whether Culpepper is getting blackballed. As we recently argued, he needs to have an agent. One explanation for his lingering unemployment is that all of the other agents who represent all of the other quarterbacks have badmouthed Culpepper every chance they can, given that Culpepper’s go-it-alone approach threatens the entire industry, if it ever catches on.

UPDATE: Regarding reader comments that Culpepper isn’t signed because he still wants to start, he said more than a week ago that his expectations have changed. “I initially hoped to have an opportunity to start,” Culpepper told USA Today via e-mail. “I am now looking for any team that will give me an opportunity to contribute wherever I am needed.” Moreover, we’d take Culpepper over Jon Kitna in a heartbeat.

 

[Wrangler87]

Never the same after the injury, and after he could no longer throw the ball up for grabs towards Randy Moss.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

Henson will not give up huh?

 

[Wrangler87]

Henson will not give up huh?

He shouldn't. If he can stick, and sit behind Kitna for two yeears, he could develop into an NFL starter. Sometimes, it just takes a while. Look at players like J.T. O'Sullivan and Kurt Warner. Both journeymen QB's who eventually developed in starting NFL QB's.

Right now, the Lions have no one on the roster considered a future QB.

 

[CATCH17]

I think Henson needs Shanahan in his life.

Henson is at his best when he is running boot legs and getting out of the pocket.

Cutting the field in half and getting out of the pocket is one of the staples of Shanahans offense.

Thats where I think he could thrive.

 

[burmafrd]

Listen guys, Henson's bus not only is gone, it was never here. The guy is a bust- why else would no one even have him in for a tryout. Only the Lions are dumb enough to waste more time on him.

 

[RCowboyFan]

Being a Michigan fan, had High hopes for Henson. But like Babe and Aikman, pointed out, his machanics are just wacked out. Thats his problem. Not decision making or pocket presense etc.

Unless he has had a dramatic change in his machanics, he will never be able to stick with a team, even as a backup. Its shame, if he had stuck with Football, I believe, he would have probably been a good QB in NFL.

It amazing how much the history has shown, that if a QB chooses Baseball over NFL, it seems like they don't succeed in either. Maybe there is an example of it somewhere, that they succeeded, but I don't know of it anyway.

 

[stealth]

He shouldn't. If he can stick, and sit behind Kitna for two yeears, he could develop into an NFL starter. Sometimes, it just takes a while. Look at players like J.T. O'Sullivan and Kurt Warner. Both journeymen QB's who eventually developed in starting NFL QB's.

o'sullivan is a JAG who knows the system