Truth & Rumors > NFL

A healthy Culpepper would have a good "shot" with sticking with the Dolphins? Of course, but will he be healthy? Why am asking myself questions?..

It has really bothered me how Culpepper has been thrown to the curb by the media. He has a solid first couple of years, begins to explode to Peyton Manning numbers, loses some weapons and his numbers decline than gets injured and is apparently done. He was proving to be an elite quarterback and had one fluke season, followed by another injury season. He deserves a shot with the Dolphins, and I am willing to bet that he will be really good. The media and fandom were so down on them that they actually are trying to bring in Trent Green? That's pure insanity. Green missed half of the season with Brain problems and was terrible after coming back. He should just retire. The Dolphins did the right thing in not drafting Quinn and getting a younger QB later in the draft. Culpepper should still be their man.

are you kidding me??? Culpepper is brutal... he had one good statistical year (thanks to Moss catching jump balls) but the Vikes were never a superbowl threat that year.... he sucked as soon as Moss left and never has gotten better.... the only thing he has is his ego... Culpepper will never be decent again... really, he never was... all he did was throw jump balls deep...

The Dolphins Brass is not stupid, Culpepper is a Florida native, and once he gets healthy, he will be fine. and from the looks of things he will be healthy this season, thats why they have not force fed us with Quinn. Quinn is a talent, but also a project. If Quinn was all that the media made him out to be , why did he fall to 22?. At least Ginn jr could add some special team value along with being the fastest receiver on the roster. Why risk millions on a guy that is marginal at best when it really matters (see Quinn big games in college) Quinn has not delivered

"he had one good statistical year (thanks to Moss catching jump balls) "

In Culpepper's greatest statistical year (2004), Moss only caught 49 passes for 767 yards. That year, Culpepper threw for over 4700 yards, 39 touchdowns, and had a 110 passer rating. You're saying that was all due to Moss catching 49 of Culpepper's 379 completions? Moss hasn't helped a QB in years.

If Culpepper can truly come back from his injury, he can have another year like 2004. I don't think he will ever fully heal though, so the discussion is pointless.

Give Culpepper a chance to get heathy and I am telling you he can lead us to the big game with his ARM and Ronnie and Ricky LEGS we will win the big Dance.

I wouldn't go so far as to say that you'll win the big dance... the Dolphins couldn't do it with Marino, who was one of the most prolific passers in history. What makes you think they can do it now? The Chiefs are the same way. Halfway decent regular season, and a flame out.

i doubt he would come back intact from all those surgeries, isn't daunte's best asset is ability to roll out, avoid the pass rush and speed? he just won't be same.

Culpepper's health is the question here, not his ability. He has the perfect frame and a great arm. He has kept his mouth shut and worked hard at rehabilitating his body. When he was in Minnesota, the front office and the coaching was suspect at best and Moss was his only real talent for a target. So, 2004 was a great year and he earned it outright and he will be that good again once he can regain his mobility. Quinn has already proven to be a baby and can't take criticism without opening his pie-hole. Ginn will be valuable and Miami will embarrass the Pats AGAIN this year and show them that we are not as far removed from greatness as everybody thinks we are.

Culpepper is a big man who, at one time at least, could move and get first downs with his feet. But he doesn't read coverage well enough and makes bad decisions throwing the ball. If he's not a threat to run with the ball, he's not good enough as a quarterback to win games. Especially not with the Dolphins.

Yes Culpepper's health is an issue and the Dolphins did the right thing in grabbing a backup/potential starter in the later rounds (I do disagree with drafting a wide receiver first however). My problem with the rumors going around are that they imply that Culpepper is "DONE". So done that they would consider bringing in Trent Green! Gadzuks. I just feel sympathy for a man in an unsympathetic game I guess. Since the beginning of last season pundits were on Culpepper and had dismissed him throughout the season and offseason. I normally don't notice these things but it struck me as extreme disregard for an elite player.

Pundit: Dante Culpepper doesn't look good so let's see what Joey Harrington can do. If he doesn't work let's get the concussed aged Trent Green.
Me: Doesn't make sense maybe I'm an idiot...

"Culpepper's health is the question here, not his ability."

I agree....his ability is not in question. He can't play, and everyone knows it except the Dolphins. No questions there.

"When he was in Minnesota, the front office and the coaching was suspect at best and Moss was his only real talent for a target."

Suspect? As opposed to Miami's stellar front office? The name Drew Brees ring a bell? Or maybe Nick Saben? How smart is that Dolphins front office? Oh, and should I mention Ted Ginn at #9?

And as far as Moss being his only real target, that's wrong, he did have Cris Carter, and if I'm not mistaken Robert Smith for a year or two. But again, only target being Moss, unlike in Miami where he has...........oh thats right, no one to throw to.

How's Culpeppers leg? Maybe he can play special teams?

Personally, I don't think that Culpepper will be able to recover fully from the injury. Sure, he'll be able to come back, but he won't be close to his normal self. He proved that in a couple games last season. Also, I have to agree with Shr3kk in that he simply cannot read defenses. The reason why he was so good in 2004 was because Moss had solidified himself as the best receiver in the league (at the time), and every defensee Culpepper played against played the Vikes the same way because of the Moss threat.

It's not too hard to read the same defense game after game.

As a Viking fan I watched Culpepper in good times (few) and befuddling times (many). He has a great arm and had good legs. He was not so much exciting to watch as exasperating. One good throw. Several stupifyingly bad throws. One good game. One fumble and interception filled game. You never knew which Culpepper would show up. He is a guy with the skills but not the game savviness an elite QB needs. He cannot read defenses. He is not a guy teammates can be confident in because of his inconsistancies. He just plain is not able to handle the complexities of the NFL game. He's not dumb. You and I can't do that otherwise we'd be **** it ourselves. I'll take a lesser "skilled" QB who is savvy and quick between the ears over a guy who can throw it a mile into doulbe coverage.

when will nfl teams learn? it takes alot more than the ability to run to be a sucessful nfl quaterback........everyone is facinated by "mobility" and a guy that can throw far. what about leadership, toughness, clutch completions, and reading defenses? culpepper is finished and vick is soon to follow. hope the raider's number one choice will look at these failures and learn...........probably not. bob

Agreed Culpepper can be inconsistent, however I don't know that drafting Quinn or bringing in Green is a solution (and I love Trent Green..only as a friend). And thank you Vikes fan, it's great to have an assessment from someone who has seen many Culpepper games. No one but the Dolphins know their long term strategy, but whatever it is, it sure ain't clear.

My Culpepper musing, by the way, mostly relate to the media and the Trent Green strategy. Daunte has shown to be a shaky fellow at times but to drop off the media map entirely. Sheeesh.

The thing with Brady Quinn is that everone that saw him thinks the same thing that people said about Peyton. He can't win the big one. Question for all you sports experts on here. Who won the Heismen this year? It wasn't JeMarcus Russel or Brady Quinn. The Heisman winner feel to 230 something. Better question what big game is College did Manning win? Culpepper is done with Football. The fins took a chance on the wrong QB coming back from an injury. Remember that Drew Breeze had the same injury. Look what he did last year.

I find it amusing to the comment that was made above:

???Ginn will be valuable and Miami will embarrass the Pats AGAIN this year and show them that we are not as far removed from greatness as everybody thinks we are???

Ginn has a serious foot problem, the same medical staff the passed on Brees signed off on Ginn, Miami is a organization that as best has serious issues. Look at the year Ricky Williams ???retired??? there 20 plus fort office and coaches that left the team prior to Ricky taking a year off. Why is that? Because it???s a organization that serious problems and starts with the owner. Take Ginn is another example of it, Quinn is not the answer but to invest a top 10 pick on a skill position who is already rehabbing a serious injury does not make a lot of sense. As for the Dolphins embarrassing the Pats, all I have to ask how may play off games have they won in recent years? How many Playoff appearances have they had? How many super bowl wins? Everyone will then say well Peyton finally beat pats well right now Peyton is the same as Trent Dilfer he won one super bowl, will he do it again? Miami will fumble through another season, and if I am in Miami???s front office I hope and pray that Quinn is a wash out or every sports writer is going ot be saying well Quinn could have been a Dolphin but they took Ginn who is no longer in the league. There is a reason why the Vike let Culpper go, it the same thing that happened a few years ago with Cordel Stewart Pitt found a team that was dumb enough to give up a Draft pick for him and was a wash out (Bears traded for Stewart who also gave up for the 1st round Bust of Rick Mier) Miami wont be able to get a pick for Culpepper because another team is not going to make the same mistake they did.

If Daunte is healthy the Fins have a solid QB, give him an adequate line, ala Manning, Brady and a solid receiver ala Harrison, and Branch..and Culpepper can deliver, its unfortuate he had a tough injury, and rushed back too soon. Culpepper when healthy is easy a top 10 QB in the league.......stop hatin, with opinions, and hate with fact.

Can Minnesota trade Brad Childress to South Florida for another go around with Daunte? I would be okay with "getting my roll on" again from Section 230.

We'll also throw in two polished ****: Brooks Bollinger & WR McMullen (two of the little general's many bobos he brought with him to the Midwest).