Culpepper Vows to Block Trade Attempts By TIM REYNOLDS, AP Sports Writer 4 hours ago DAVIE, Fla. - Trent Green's first practice with the Miami Dolphins was apparently Daunte Culpepper's finale in South Florida. Frustrated by the team's decision to let him only participate in individual drills, Culpepper walked off the practice field _ accompanied by a member of Miami's security staff _ about an hour into Friday's start of a three-day minicamp and vowed that he'd block the Dolphins' plans to trade him. It was the latest entry in an up-and-down week for Culpepper. On Monday, he was told his surgically rebuilt right knee was strong enough to let him practice. Tuesday, he learned the Dolphins were trading with Kansas City for Green. Wednesday, the team told Culpepper they wanted to trade him, prompting his Thursday request for a release. "Any team that's interested in my services, just sit tight," Culpepper said. "I'm not going to agree to a trade." Dolphins coach Cam Cameron said he couldn't give any details about the team's plans for Culpepper, but acknowledged that the fact Culpepper is his own agent does complicate matters. "We've got to do what we think is in the best interest of the Miami Dolphins with the player in mind and his family in mind," Cameron said. "That's where we're at." Culpepper was among five quarterbacks _ himself, Green, Cleo Lemon, rookie John Beck and Gibran Hamdan _ when the first of Friday's two practices began. He started the day alongside them all, lofting easy passes to receivers and doing other simple drills. But when it came time for more team-specific work, Culpepper was little more than a spectator. He claimed Dolphins quarterbacks coach Terry Shea told him he was being barred from team drills, so Culpepper left the field and headed into the weight room, where he remained for the rest of the morning workout. "I thought I'd be able to at least do something," Culpepper said. Green said he and Culpepper spoke briefly before practice, but only mainly about past knee injuries and rehab stints _ avoiding the Dolphins' current quarterback situation. "I didn't think it was strange," Green said. "He was out there going through some reps and individual drills, but there was no awkwardness on my part." The Dolphins want to trade Culpepper, telling him so just before completing the Green trade and essentially giving last year's marquee quarterback acquisition notice that his time in South Florida was ending. But Culpepper, who is his own agent, wants to choose his next destination himself. "He's still a great guy," Dolphins defensive lineman Vonnie Holliday said. "He's been a great teammate. But this is a business ... and I feel for him." Culpepper suffered a serious right knee injury in 2005, was traded by the Minnesota Vikings to Miami for a second-round pick that offseason and surprised many by starting the Dolphins' first four games last season. He was hampered by knee problems, was sacked 21 times in those four games and ultimately was shut down for the remainder of the year. He missed most of the Dolphins' offseason sessions because of continued knee rehabilitation, and said Friday's practice was "a test" of where he is physically. "I still have a ways to go," Culpepper said. Meanwhile, Green was on the field with his new team for the first time. He wanted out of Kansas City because he felt the Chiefs wouldn't give him a fair chance to beat Brodie Croyle and Damon Huard for the starting QB job there this year, and worked out a contract with Miami several weeks ago. "It was good to get out there," Green said. "I've been anticipating this for some time. It was nice to get out there." It took more than two months for the Dolphins and Chiefs to agree on terms. Kansas City eventually settled for a fifth-round pick in exchange for Green, and could wind up with Miami's fourth-round selection in 2008 depending on how the 36-year-old quarterback fares this season. Many Dolphins, even those who wanted to see Culpepper succeed in Miami, welcomed Green with open arms. "He's a leader," Holliday said of Green, his former teammate in Kansas City. "And that's what we need right now." Culpepper is owed $5.5 million for the upcoming season and said the structure of his current deal _ which runs through 2013 and is worth $51.5 million _ will make it nearly impossible for another team to trade for him. If Culpepper doesn't restructure that deal, it's a virtual certainty no other team would be willing to make a trade with Miami for him. "I definitely expect to be released," Culpepper said. "I will not be traded." Copyright 2007 The Associated Press.
The best spot for Culpepper would be the Ravens. Let McNair have one more year at QB, then Culpepper can have his last ride starting in 2008 as starter.
what did he expect? they gave up a 2nd rounder for him a year ago, of curse they try to trade him before they just cut him. I can?t see any team going for him. Nearly every team seems to feel comfortable about their QB-situation. I can see him as a Backup somewhere for little $. Maybe even at NE. They despratly want to win a SB this year, but if brady goes down, there isn?t really a Plan B. A reunion of Culpepper and Moss could keep them in the mix if Brady would be out for some weeks.
You're not alone on that. Check this out. :up: Snap Judgments Where Culpepper should go and more NFL nuggets Posted: Friday June 8, 2007 3:42PM; Updated: Saturday June 9, 2007 1:27AM http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/don_banks/06/08/snaps/index.html ? If I'm Daunte Culpepper's agent -- which is to say I'm Daunte Culpepper, who represents himself -- there are three teams that seem to make the most sense as his pivotal next landing spot in the NFL. Keep in mind that if Culpepper chooses poorly here (assuming he's released by Miami and not traded), it could be three strikes and you're out for his career: 1. Jacksonville -- With Jaguars starter Byron Leftwich having a tenuous grasp on the No. 1 job as he enters the final year of his contract, and backup David Garrard having fared worse the more he played last season (he lost his final three starts), Jacksonville is the one team where Culpepper, if healthy, could actually interject himself into the starting discussion in the season's first half. Plus, Culpepper would love to stay in Florida, where he was raised and starred in college at the University of Central Florida. The Jaguars seemingly have interest, and they also could afford to be patient with Culpepper's continued rehabilitation from his late 2005 knee surgery. 2. Green Bay -- Brett Clemens, ... er ... Roger Favre .... sorry, I mean, Brett Favre has to retire some day. And though he has yet to get his shot to prove himself one way or another, 2005 first-round pick Aaron Rodgers doesn't seem to have done enough to erase all doubt that he's the heir apparent in Green Bay. The Packers can well remember what Culpepper is capable of when he's right. He hurt them a time or two during his Minnesota days, including a Vikings' first-round upset at Lambeau Field in the 2004 playoffs -- which happens to be Green Bay's most recent trip to the post-season. Again, with Favre in place for at least one more season, the Packers could afford to give Culpepper time to get his legs back under him, and to salvage his flagging confidence level. A one-year look-see in Green Bay could wind up paying dividends for the Packers if Rodgers is judged not ready to take over in 2008. 3. Baltimore -- Steve McNair is 34, plays older than that on some Sundays, and is entering his 13th NFL season. The Ravens backup, Kyle Boller, is expected to leave via free agency after this season. Rookie Troy Smith is on hand, but Baltimore merely took a flyer on the 2006 Heisman winner in the fifth round and will have no major investment in him. Culpepper and Ravens head coach Brian Billick didn't cross paths in Minnesota -- Billick left in late January 1999, just before Culpepper was drafted that April -- but Billick might be intrigued with the notion of trying to restore Culpepper's game, and could sell him on the success that McNair had in the Baltimore system a year ago. As we found out again last season, with their defense, the Ravens don't need a quarterback to hang up gaudy numbers in order to win.
NFLPA to help Culpepper By Jason Cole, Yahoo! Sports June 10, 2007 NFL Players Association lead attorney Richard Berthelsen said Sunday that the union plans to file a grievance on behalf of Miami Dolphins quarterback Daunte Culpepper that Berthelsen hopes will force the team to cut or trade Culpepper as soon as possible. "This is similar to the Steve McNair case last year where Tennessee wouldn't let him come to work out at the team facility because they were afraid they were going to be responsible for his salary if he got hurt," Berthelsen said. "We filed a grievance over that and we prevailed, which helped ultimately force the trade of McNair to Baltimore." Culpepper was barred from taking part in team drills during Miami's three-day minicamp this weekend. The Dolphins told Culpepper on Wednesday that they plan to trade him now that they have dealt for quarterback Trent Green. Culpepper has said on three occasions that he will block any trade and refuse to renegotiate his $5.5 million base salary for this season, although the Dolphins have given him permission to speak with other teams about a trade. Culpepper said in a release Saturday that he had spoken with NFLPA executive director Gene Upshaw about the matter. Culpepper said he had been cleared by Dr. James Andrews and by Miami team doctors early last week to participate in the minicamp. The Dolphins' NFLPA player rep, Jay Feely, told South Florida media over the weekend that he spoke with both Culpepper and Miami coach Cam Cameron about the matter. Feely indicated that the Dolphins were keeping Culpepper out of team practice because of his surgically repaired right knee. "He has to decide what's best for him individually. I know that Coach Cameron wants to do what's best for our team," Feely said. "I don't have a problem with the way (the Dolphins) are proceeding. If I did, I'd tell them." Even so, Berthelsen said the contention by the union will be that a team can't hold a player and bar him from working out just to protect their rights to trade him. "Under the provisions of the standard player contract, players are compelled to stay in excellent physical condition and be ready for the season," Berthelsen said. "How do you do that? By practicing with the other players on the team. If the team will not allow him to practice because they don't want to be liable for his contract, the team should release him. They can't keep exclusive rights to you just because they think you're worth a draft pick." The Dolphins had no immediate comment on the matter. Coach Cam Cameron said after the team concluded its minicamp Sunday that there was no update on Culpepper's situation. http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_y...g=jc-nflpaculpepper061007&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
