Culpepper to Vikings: Trade me or release me

[Deuce_Wyld]

Culpepper to Vikings: Trade me or release me​

NFL.com wire reports:

MINNEAPOLIS (March 8, 2006) -- Daunte Culpepper's shaky relationship with the Minnesota Vikings deteriorated further when the quarterback said he had asked to be released if the team fails to trade him.

"If a trade does not happen then I am asking the Vikings to terminate my contract as soon as possible," Culpepper said in an e-mail to reporters.


Daunte Culpepper wants to be on the move this offseason.
Culpepper said he had asked the Vikings if he could speak to interested teams on his own behalf. He said Minnesota denied his request.

He said he appreciated that the team's new owner, Zygi Wilf, was willing to pay him a multi-million-dollar roster bonus due later this month.

"However, because of the fundamental differences I have with management regarding the approach to my personal and professional life, I think it is the best business decision for both parties to go our separate ways," Culpepper said.

He softened his message slightly by saying that if the team didn't honor his request, "then I intend to fulfill my contractual obligations to the Minnesota Vikings."

In a brief phone interview with The Associated Press, Culpepper said he had been angered by a recent e-mail he received from the team. He didn't elaborate on the contents of the e-mail.

A Vikings spokesman didn't immediately return a phone call.

Culpepper's status with the team has been in question ever since a boat party scandal on Lake Minnetonka in September. He was charged with several misdemeanors for lewd conduct; Culpepper has said he is innocent and will fight the allegations in court.

Further complicating Culpepper's situation is his continued recovery from a devastating knee injury. Culpepper missed most of last season after tearing three ligaments in his right knee during an Oct. 30 game against Carolina, calling into question whether he will be ready for the start of the 2006 season.

Even before the injury, Culpepper was having one of his worst seasons as a pro.

He recorded twice as many interceptions (12) as he did touchdowns (six) during the Vikings' 2-5 start. After he went down with the injury, backup Brad Johnson guided the Vikings to six consecutive victories, though that was due as much to an improved defense as it was Johnson's play.

Culpepper let his longtime agent, Mason Ashe, go in the offseason. He has been representing himself since then, saying he wanted to be more involved in his financial affairs, and has issued several statements to the media conveying his general unhappiness with the organization.

Culpepper signed a 10-year, $102 million contract in 2003, but much of that money was not guaranteed. He restructured his contract during training camp last season to give him nearly $8 million more in guaranteed money, but the quarterback has not been a steady presence with the team during its coaching change.

Owner Zygi Wilf fired Mike Tice after the last game of the season and replaced him with Philadelphia offensive coordinator Brad Childress.

During his introductory news conference, Childress proclaimed Culpepper the starter, though he acknowledged at the NFL Scouting Combine that the team had received inquiries about his availability.

Childress said then that he hoped to have both Culpepper and Johnson on the team this season.

"That's the mind-set," Childress said. "I don't know anything to the contrary."

AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

Copyright 2006, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved

 

[Sango]

Don't understand what his problem is.
He partly fucked up a great thing with Randy.
Played like shit when it was all on him.
And now wants out of his contract coming off a serious Injury.
He gots ta chill.......

 

[RunawaySlave]

I think he's showing great pride and maturity. He could easily sit
on the bench when he comes back and just collect his guaranteed
money. You know they will wait at least one full year for him to
come back, but he does not want to sit. And hearing the rumblings
about them trying to go after Drew Brees can't make him feel good
about returning to the starting lineup anyway

I hope he gets his wish and they release him.....so he can go straight
to Arizona and hook up with Denny Green, Larry Fitzgerald and
Boldin in that nice warm climate

 

[Sango]

well no one knows the content of the email sent to him or what his beef with management is. We all know his last season was his worst and 1 to forget. We also know for sure that his injury isn't something to take light considering he depends on his mobility in the pocket to do the great things he does. Yea it's great that it may seem that he's maturing but what is his injury status?? If the Vikings are willing to wait on him to get better, wouldn't any other team that picks him up have to wait on him also??

 

[RunawaySlave]

Yes, another team would also have to wait for him to heal
But it's one thing to come back to a team that wants you
as the starter and who believes in you (like Green does)
and another who has you more than likely sitting on the
bench when you return (if they sign Brees) and who, based
on their actions, does NOT believe in you as a leader

I'd rather be with the one who I know I'll have a chance to
play for

 

[Sango]

Yes, another team would also have to wait for him to heal
But it's one thing to come back to a team that wants you
as the starter and who believes in you (like Green does)
and another who has you more than likely sitting on the
bench when you return (if they sign Brees) and who, based
on their actions, does NOT believe in you as a leader

I'd rather be with the one who I know I'll have a chance to
play for

This is true but that's the nature of the business with a produce or else mentality. And in the absence of Randy he didn't. Although I don't want to place a great deal of blame on him, he sort of has to accept it as Leader. Even if Green took him in Arizona it'd be creating a situation out there with Kurt Warner and his backup who just needs more consistency by a sincere commitment by Green or someone willing to instill in him that he's their future QB. Yet (AZ's) their future is now, Boldin and Fitzgerald are great WR's in the making.

 

[Sango]

Espn just mentioned that Culpepper's run with the Vikes might be done. This will get interesting.

 

[RunawaySlave]

Everyone knows that, at this stage of his career, Kurt Warner is just
a stopgap kind of QB. A bridge between being competitive now, and
when you get that franchise guy to take you to the next step. He
certainly knew that when he went to the Giants, he was NOT gonna
be starting for long, yet he accepted the job anyway, as he doesn't
really have that many years left as a starter to begin with.....

Arizona's QB situation has been murky for the past two seasons...
Both QB's had trouble with Green's system at first. But did much
better, mainly based on the strength of it's two aspiring All Pro
WRs....

Dante may have had a career threatening injury, but he until his
career is officially over, he has to still be considered a franchise
QB.....the kind of QB a coach who believes in him (like the one
who gave him his first chances) can build an offense around....

Warner already knows his days as a starter are numbered. It's
only a matter of time...It won't matter who the QB is, if Arizona
trades up and gets Young, Leinhart or even a Cutler, he will become
the starter....

In Dante, here is a chance to get a potential franchise guy very
cheap....IF he were to be released.

 

[cranrab]

DC to the dolphins?

it sounds like the vikings sent DC a patriarchal email, chastising him for his role/actions on the 'party boat'...

if the vikings have burned their last bridge with DC (or vice versa), let the man go and find another squad to join... the fins would love to have DC down there...

 

[RunawaySlave]

Miami traded for Dante today...for a 2nd round pick
teams are gonna be sorry they didn't take a chance
on him. A little disappointed in the Jets for not even
trying. Instead, we are pursuing yet another BUM
in Patrick Ramsey......

So while we take Jay (Intercepterverde 2) Feidler
off the Dolphins hands and go after 2nd hand bitches
like Ramsey, the hated Fish get one of the baddest
QBs in the NFL for virtually nothing.....


I am depressed...he could've at least went to Arizona
A team I like. This is as bad as Tony Dorsett going to
the damn Cowboys

 

[Sango]

Fucking Jets blow a chance to at least place a bid. But we'll see how Pep plays out b/c the Dolphins don't have any receivers outside of Chambers. But he'll have a running game to rely on. I don't know if it's as big as the Dorsett mistake but this is BIG. Time will tell if Pep can play upto his abilities or fall into what he's known to do at times and not read defense well.

 

[RunawaySlave]

Don't forget they also have Randy McMichael. A very good,
if not all pro TE. Not to mention a very good all around type
RB in Ron Brown (and maybe Ricky).

And Nick Saban is the kind of coach that will open up the
field and challenge defenses. Exactly the type of offense
that Dante will like running

It may not happen next season, but I have NO doubt in
my mind that Culpepper will be back

 

[dam22oz]

Don't be so sold on that fact that Daunte will be back like he was back in 2004. Daunte carries alot of weight and his knee is going to give him alot of problems in the future. That injury forces him to be a dropback passer, something he clearly is not in this stage of his career. He relied on his running ability to escape his inability to read defenses. He does not have that outlet anymore so I see him him being just a mediocre QB in the future. Yeah he'll show flashes of his former self, but he will never be the same.

 

[RunawaySlave]

QB is not a position you learn in a season. Or even two or three
It takes years to learn and even the cagiest of veterans understand
that you never know it all. Dante was and still is learning. Reading
defenses comes with experinence and he is as capable of doing it
as any of the white QBs in the NFL like Joey Harrington or Jon Kitna
or whoever

Having said that, Dante was in the process of becoming great. And
he was running way less in his near-MVP season. Of course, he still
ran, but more to escape pressure than to avoid reading defenses

The thing that slowed his progress was trying to play under a coach
who CLEARLY did not believe in his ability to run an offense and played
close to the vest

Dante is also a professional athlete in his 20's. So he can recover from
this. NO athelete is "what he was" from his earlier years. ALL of them
have to learn to develop their brain and ALL football players have
injuries that will give them problems later in life