10 Teams That Dropped the Ball on Culpepper
4 Sep
By now, you’ve probably heard that quarterback Daunte Culpepper announced his retirement from the NFL today. While Culpepper hasn’t exactly been lighting up the stat sheets in recent years, it’s a surprising development given that he’s only 31 years-old and only four years removed from an MVP season, where he threw for over 4,700 yards and one score short of the 40 touchdown mark. Seems like almost every NFL team would have some room on their roster for a guy with Culpepper’s resume. But here’s 10 in particular that have no excuse for not signing the Central Florida alum.
Minny is emerging as one of the league’s most talented teams on both sides of the ball – but quarterback is by far the biggest weakness. Which makes this seem like the most logical destination for Culpepper, if for nothing else for the poetic justice of it all. Besides, Tarvaris Jackson’s 70.8 QB rating last year (1,911 yards, 9 TD’s, 12 INT) suggests that Jackson is far from reaching any elite quarterback level. Does anyone think that Culpepper can’t at least match Jackson’s production?
This one probably resulted in a pick.
I almost don’t feel like wasting space with this because the Kansas City Chiefs have fallen into obscurity. They have an elite runningback in Larry Johnnson – but not even he could muster more than 3.5 yards per carry in 2007. Culpepper doesn’t make this team playoff-bound, but he certainly makes them more interesting than Damon Huard, right?
Let me see…Mike Nolan and Dr. York would rather head into the season with J.T. O’Sullivan leading the Niner huddle with Alex Smith backing him up. There’s no room for Culpepper here — REALLY?!?!? A lot of people think that Nolan is on the hot seat this year, and if he gets shown the door with O’Sullivan leading his depth chart and Culpepper still watching from his couch at home, I will NOT feel sorry for him. Just disgusting.
Troy Smith? Joe Flacco? Troy Smith? Joe Flacco?…When this is your “quarterback controversy,” you don’t leave a 22,000+ yard veteran QB walk away from the game due to a lack of interest from teams. The Baltimore Ravens have a lot of pieces in place to make a serious run at the playoffs, but no one can reasonably expect them to do that with unprovens like Smith and Flacco throwing the rock. Culpepper at least gives them a chance.
Baltimore fans, your 2008 starting quarterback!
Much like the Ravens, the Falcons are entering the season with an unknown at QB in rookie Matt Ryan. I understand Ryan is supposed to be the new face of the franchise and the future of Atlanta football. So why put that in jeopardy by throwing Ryan to the wolves immediately? Did Atlanta management not notice the fact that they have QB terrorists like the Bears, Chargers, and Vikings on their schedule? Why not let Culpepper navigate those waters with Ryan understudying from the sideline?
Behind Door #1: Kyle Orton. Door #2: Rex Grossman. Seriously, how long do people need to bitch and moan about the quarterback situation in Chicago until management does something about it? Why not get a third door named “DAUNTE CULPEPPER.” Would anyone in Chicago spend more than a second before deciding to open that third door and throwing the other two into the wood chipper?
Culpepper certainly wouldn’t let THAT happen
Obviously, Culpepper wouldn’t be starting in Big D. Tony Romo nailed that job better than he did Jessica Simpson. But Jerry Jones wants nothing more than to win – do you think the Cowboys have any shot should Romo go down with injury, and Wade Phillips turns to WR and backup option Sam Hurd, or 3rd stringer Miles Austin? But you plug in Culpepper and the D Machine keeps chugging right along, right?
Nice grab…by the backup QB
Except for the departure of Brett Favre, this is largely the same squad that went 13-3 in 2007 and fell just one game short of reaching the Super Bowl. But you and I both know that the absence of Brett Favre is no small obstacle for the Pack. With Aaron Rodgers leading the offense, it’s hard to know what to expect. Will this be a team that goes back to the playoffs, or will Rodgers and Green Bay stumble? No matter what Aaron Rodgers ends up doing, Daunte Culpepper would have been a MUCH better QB insurance policy than rookies Matt Flynn and Brian Brohm.
But Aaron…what did the ball ever do to you?
Why not? The Patriots bring in guys like Junior Seau back from retirement, John Lynch (though they ultimately cut him), and Deltha O’Neal. Wouldn’t Culpepper be a better back-up to Pretty Boy Brady than Matt Cassel? If Culpepper wants a ring before he really calls it quits, doesn’t Belichick Studios give him the best chance to do that?
But can Tom Brady let Randy Moss reunite with an old flame?
When you’re only pulling in 600 people for a home game against the Atlanta Braves, something clearly needs to be done. A circus act of Culpepper in left field should be enough to bump attendance up to AT LEAST 675 for the rest of the year.
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