Daunte on the trading block.....

[Mudcat21]

I'm really starting to like the way Ziggy is running his operation!

[nofishfisherman]

I don't like that idea at all. You just won't get fair value for him. Look at the Moss trade, we got a LB that barley avoided being cut in training camp and a WR that is a few years away from being any sort of a player.

And Moss was healthy. What do you guys think we are going to get for Culpepper? Maybe a low first round pick or maybe even a 2nd rd pick and a mediocore player. Its not worth it.

I think we need to find out if the 2004 Culpepper is the real Culpepper or if the 2005 version is more the real guy. I think the 2004 guy will return.

[Flash]

Let him go. He is a LOSER. What does he think. He's severly damaged goods. Bad ankle, bad knee, broken back, etc. and he wants to double his pay? If the Vikes get anyone with a pulse, they will be better off. Send him over to Dennis Green. He drafted the bumb, now live with him. I am not a Daunte Culpepper fan as you can tell.

Flash

"Set the Hook"

[Mudcat21]

Alright, we don't trade him. Hang on to him and give him the raise he so richly deserves. He comes in and plays in Novemeber and is gun shy and the knee isn't working out. Now what are we going to get for him? With this route atleast there is the speculation that he might do something and we could get something for him. Let him get his "Roll On" somewhere else!

[rundrave]

I have always had a love or hate relationship with culpepper, he has his pros and cons, but alot of cons lately:

- Suffered probably one of the worst sports injury you can get, he hasnt even come back and played a down of football to prove he is %100 healthy, or ever will be.

- demanding, not negotiating a $10 million dollar raise, and for what? Can you say T.O. all over again.

- Love boat scandal shows what a class act this guy is, or lack there of.

I think the vikes need to cut their losses, we are losing alot and personally I think a great player. But the team needs to move on to more positive things and right now culpepper is nothing close that.

[nofishfisherman]

I would never give the guy the raise he wants. I would try to keep himand see how he comes back. If you still want to trade him later you will get more value for him if he is healthy. Now they are talking about getting nothing more then a 2nd round pick according to the Star Tribune.

Good luck to the vikes with Brad at QB, you will need a new QB in 2 years at most. And franchise QB's never hit free agency. Better get lucky in the draft.

[buzzsaw]

If Ziggy is unhappy with his demands and I'm sure he is, Duante is gone!

[Raj22]

I say get rid him, he does not want to be here anyway. Maybe we can pick up that guy from Green Bay. I heard he might retire if he can't have another shot at the Super Bowl.

[John Mickish]

Goodbuy. I don't have the trust in him and I don't think anyone else does either. We could have the best recievers and running backs in the leage but if he has another year of the "dropsies" (which would be his third) it won't do us any good. One bad year is a fluke, two bad years is the start of a trend. Earlier I heard rumors of trading him for Eddie George. Now Eddie won't carry us but he would be a positive influence, unlike Daunte.

[hamrej23]

i think we keep him one more year. vikes cannot let a qb of his caliber go. Brad Johnson is no comparison to him athletically, so if we have the right coaches, and system, daunte will be fine. daunte is three times the player as of eddie george who doesnt play, and is better than a second round pick also.

[metrojoe]

Does anyone believe he could actually learn and run a west coast offence?....10 million???....bah, cut him loose. Let him hobble around on someone elses sideline.

[mnvikingsfreak]

daunte made pro bowls for a reason and should of been MVP in 2004 and its not because of randy moss he was hurt almost all of 2004 this will be a stupid move to get rid of him p.s. carson palmer has the same damage in his knee are they going to give up on him?

[nofishfisherman]

Quote:

---

Earlier I heard rumors of trading him for Eddie George. Now Eddie won't carry us but he would be a positive influence, unlike Daunte.

---

You realize the George is a third string RB at the end of his career? I bet he's not even going to play next year.

[Dave B]

He wont fit in with the new offense-he is gone.

Free agents never work out?????

Brad Johnson-Super Bowl Champ, Tampa

Trent Difler-Super Bowl Champ, Baltimore

Kurt Warner-Super Bowl Champ, Rams

Mark Rypen-Super Bowl Champ, Wash

Doug Williams-Super Bowl Champ, Wash

[John Mickish]

On second thought I think I'd turn Daunte into a middle linebacker. He is a heck of an athlete, just not smart enough to be a QB. I'd take a smart QB over an athletic QB anyday.

[nofishfisherman]

Why do you say he isn't smart enought to be a QB? He seemed smart enough last year. He didn't just go take a stupid pill all of a sudden.

[JIvers]

Moss was not healthy when he was traded to the Raiders--he missed four games his last season with the Vikings, and missed several more this year with Oakland. Ask any Oakland fan if Moss can single-handedly can turn a team around. Moss has always had durability issues, and his indifferent attitude towards off-season conditioning may be catching up to him, but that is no longer Minnesota's problem, nor is Moss's attitude.

Culpepper could still be a great QB in the right offense...but that offense is not the West Coast offense Childress has brought with him. No one is suggesting that Brad Johnson is a long-term solution at QB, but he doesn't need to be. There are young QBs available via free agency or the draft.

Johnson is better-suited to run the West Coast offense than Culpepper, whose skills are more suited to a wide-open offense that emphasizes long passes and rolling out the QB. As plenty of other people have noted, Culpepper suffered a very serious knee injury, and that is especially bad for a QB who relied on his mobility to make plays. Culpepper looked absolutely horrible this season when he had to be patient and work the short passing game, and that does not bode well for him if he stays in Minnesota with the West Coast offense in place. His injury will hurt his trade value, but I still think it is best to trade him for whatever value can be had, or release him if no one is interested.

[bigbucks]

You're argument based on his intelligence doesn't make a lot of sense & as most of the time the middle linebacker calls the defensive plays, wouldn't that mean he'd a have to be pretty intelligent too? I'm not necessarily agreeing or disagreeing with your general comment on his intelligence, but assuming you were right wouldn't that just screw up the defense?

Assuming he completely recovers from the injury, which is a big assumption, I think he can be very successful if the coaches understand his abilities & inabilities & figure out how to design plays that he can be successful with.

[bucketmouth64]

I say get the best deal possible. Who in their right mind would ask for $10 million raise if they don't want to play here? That means he wants $18 million/season. Gee, wonder what my boss would say if I asked for a $100,000 raise? Obviously, Pep has had his last playing days for the purple. He will only be a problem child now if they don't unload him. Wilf doesn't want distractions (i.e. Moss). It will be interesting once free agency opens up. Some other team can watch small hands Pep fumble a few times a game. I'm liking how Wilf is handling his team.

[ozzie]

The guy is a loser......They gave him a raise then he endures a major injury after starting out this season looking pathetic. He says I am not being shown appreciation in Minnesota after the injury when the organization was doing all it could to accomidate him. (let him rehab in florida let him use private jets to bring him to minnesota, even a major investor kept him company while in the hospital) The guy is a selfish piece of crap that can't hold a football and thinks the world of himself. Spit on him......Get what they can and move on. He had one season with decent numbers but they didn't have a running game and they had the most explosive wideout getting double/triple covered even when he played injured. Yeah Moss didn't play every game that year but every game he was projected to play and defenses were designed with the thought that Moss was going to play. Get rid of him and watch him throw bad passes and fumble the ball somewhere else!!! ROLL ON DAUNTE... ROLL ON RIGHT OUT OF MINNESOTA

[John Mickish]

Nofish, you are right to a point. Most of the defence calls are made by a linebacker, and most teams use four and some use three. The linebackers are not all in there all the time, many middle linebackers are pulled in long passing situations. All offensive calls are made by the QB and all teams use only one. He is a very big and strong guy and would make a great linebacker where you could just tell him to "hit da guy wit da ball" and pull him out for the nickel or dime package. I personally don't feel he is smart enough to read a complicated defense and adjust to it. Yes, he can run and he can throw long but he lacks the ability to pick apart a good defense, especially when he lacks a big weapon. Who would you rather have as the QB, Daunte or Rothlisburger? One is big and strong and one is smart.

[buzzsaw]

Here's his latest quote from ESPN: Gee, do you think somebody else wrote this for him?!!

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Daunte Culpepper wanted to make sure there was no misinterpretation: He's concerned with getting healthy, not speculation about his future with the Minnesota Vikings.

And Culpepper, unless he's told otherwise by owner Zygi Wilf, plans to play quarterback for the Vikings this fall.

He didn't respond specifically on Thursday to a report that the team is considering trading him because of his recent requests for more money. But Culpepper offered his take on the rumors that have surrounded him since the season ended.

"I have found over the years that people with knowledge of the situation are usually the most ignorant, and anonymous sources are usually synonymous with cowards who don't want to go on the record," Culpepper said in an e-mail to ESPN and The Associated Press. "My position has been and continues to be that I am focusing on rehabilitating my knee so that I can come back and play the game I love at the highest level.

"Until I hear different from Mr. Wilf or the new 'triangle of authority' at the Vikings, I plan on playing quarterback for Minnesota. Trying to delve into speculation, innuendo, rumor or anything else of this nature would be a waste of energy. I choose at this time to spend my energy on getting healthy. Thank you for relaying this message to the public."

[jighed]

my favorite word is two words "lets go"

[cybermuskie]

I say trade him to the Jets for there 1st round pick (#4) and take Cutler! Put him behind Johnson for awhile(won't happen but I can dream)

I don't know if you saw this from ESPN Insider:

Vikes to deal Culpepper?

<Feb. 16> The Vikings seem willing to trade Culpepper, following a six-week period in which the 29-year-old has attempted three times to seek an upgrade to his contract, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports.

The Vikings are currently gauging Culpepper's trade value around the NFL, with the team reportedly seeking a second-round draft pick.

Culpepper, who is due a $6 million bonus on March 14, angered owner Zygi Wilf by asking that approximately $10 million be added to his contract this season -- increasing his total 2006 compensation to a staggering $18 million. Culpepper contends the Vikings promised last summer to address his contract further after the 2005 season; the team has denied that claim.

Baltimore, Miami, Oakland and the New York Jets are among the teams expected to pursue quarterbacks this offseason. The Baltimore Sun recently speculated that the Ravens might be interested in placing their franchise tag on running back Jamal Lewis and then trading him for Culpepper.

However, Culpepper's health remains a question mark. After suffering a major knee injury last season, the Pro Bowl quarterback will be unable to practice until the summer at the earliest. A team taking Culpepper would have to view him as a starter for 2007 and consider playing time in 2006 a bonus.

[8-Ball]

Show him the door. How can he in his right mind (if it is right) ask for a 10 million dollar raise after playing so god-awful last season? Anyone else out there think maybe he is demanding this ridiculous raise as a way of forcing the issue of being traded-that he does not want to come back here because he stunk last year, the love boat crap, etc? We won't get squat for him, but he needs to "take the high road, with his hand on the plow", as our favorite ex-coach so eloquently put it a few years back... dump him.

[JIvers]

Unless Culpepper has a no-trade clause written in to his contract, I don't think it is his call to make on whether he is traded or not. And remember: this time last year, Red McCombs was loudly denying any intent to either sell the team or trade Randy Moss.

We don't know how much substance there is to any particular trade rumor, but the signs clearly point to DC playing somewhere else next year. Wilf seems to be adopting a house-cleaning mode, and unfairly or not, Culpepper has been tainted with the Love Boat affair. The demand for ten million a year after the season he had is evidence that either DC is detached from reality, or is trying hard to get out of Minnesota. I also think it unlikely that this many trade rumors would keep surfacing without there being something to them.

I doubt that the Jets or anyone else would give up a first-round pick for him with his knee situation, so I don't put much stock in that scenario. The Jamal-Lewis-for-Culpepper rumor likewise sounds unlikely, although Lewis had a bad season, and is on the down-side of his career, which decreases his trade value. Culpepper to Miami or Baltimore for a second or third round pick seems more likely to me. Arizona is still a possibility, as is Oakland, but the Cardinals just re-signed Kurt Warner, and the Raiders don't seem to know where they want to go on or off the field.

[John Mickish]

Did you see Rich Gannons interview on TV last night? He basically said Culpepper is an idi0t. The Vikes have done thousands of cantracts and Culpepper has done zero. He (Pepper) has no idea of what he is doing.

[cybermuskie]

Found this little piece on ESPN's Insider today:

March 17 deadline for Culpepper? The only way anything will happen on a Daunte Culpepper trade is if the Vikings let him visit other teams and take physicals before March 17. Why is that date important? It's the day that Culpepper is due a $6 million roster bonus, and if he gets that money, he will remain a Viking. The fact the Vikings had all day to refute the trade rumors and even had a news conference in which they said nothing, shows there is a problem in the team's relationship with Culpepper. Obviously, Culpepper has angered the team by asking more than once for salary increases even though he's one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in football. Figure this to be a fishing mission to see if there are teams interested in trading for him. The Vikings have a history of this. They let rumors spread about Randy Moss during different points of two offseasons and finally ended up trading him to the Oakland Raiders last year.

Vikes' history a cautionary tale: If the Vikings are using the same tactics as they did in trading Moss, they better have learned something. They did a horrible deal on Moss. Linebacker Napoleon Harris played only 25 percent of the downs. Wide receiver Troy Williamson played only 29 percent of offensive downs. For giving up the game's most dangerous deep threat in Moss, that's pathetic value. Culpepper is one of the game's most gifted quarterbacks. If they are going to give him away like Moss, that doesn't speak well for the new ownership. Moss and Culpepper in exchange for two players who played less than 30 percent of the downs and maybe a second-round choice is giving away a franchise's assets. The only two teams that might be interested that make sense are the Ravens and the Dolphins. Culpepper is recovering from surgery to three of his four knee ligaments. He probably won't be ready to practice until September and may not be ready to play until October or later. The Ravens have the cap room for Culpepper and are always looking for one-sided deals. The Dolphins want a long-term quarterback, and they may be willing to wait for Culpepper. The Jets and Oakland could be interested but they don't have the cap room. It would cost $8 million this year to get Culpepper.

[John Mickish]

Cyber, Moss what hurt last year and wasn't a threat at all, catching 4 TD's all season. He was suffering from the same hamstring injury that he had with the Vikes 2 years ago. He was once the number one threat in the NFL, and if he never heals to 100% he will be just another reciever. If he get healthy the Vikes made a bad choice, if he dosen't they made a good choice. The same thing is happening with Culpepper. Is the money he is owed worth the risk to have a lame duck sitting on the sidelines or would the money be better spent somewhere else? Culpepper is a very highly compensated QB and has had some very good years, but he has also had some very bad years. IMO the good year to bad year percentage ratio don't add up to what he is getting paid and I'm sure the people that count in the office are looking at it that way too. It's totally a money vs. performance issue. I'm sure if he was a little more consistant that would have helped his cause. It wasn't always his fault but unfortunatly the QB is always in the spotlight and gets the blame. The QB is the only position on the team where you can change only one player and have a major impact on the entire roster.

[cybermuskie]

MN,

I agree with you! I just posted what I had found on a membership site (espn insider)so we all can see what they are saying. My gift to fellow FM'ers!