NFL Total Access: Daunte Culpepper
This offseason, the Dolphins decided to stop waiting for Chargers quarterback Drew Brees to lower his contract demands and opted to give the Vikings a second-round choice to acquire quarterback Daunte Culpepper. Now, if Daunte Culpepper returns to the quality of play he displayed in 2000 through 2004, he could have a tremendous second half of the 2006 season. The Dolphins have all the offensive pieces in place to produce great offensive numbers except one. Without knocking Miami’s departed 2005 starting QB Gus Frerotte’s performance, that one piece is a quarterback with a strong arm and mobility. Three-time Pro Bowler Culpepper is exactly that type of quarterback. Though he is not Randy Moss, WR Chris Chambers had a Pro Bowl season in 2005. Chambers is able to get separation from corners and has enough speed to get past safeties. Culpepper’s most dangerous throw is the deep pass. Culpepper is a mobile QB, averaging 463 yards rushing per season from 2000 through 2004. The Dolphins struggled with scoring TDs from the goal line in 2005 and Culpepper is an excellent goal-line quarterback. Culpepper will receive solid run game support from RB Ronnie Brown and the Dolphins’ pass protection and offensive passing scheme looks better than in any year since Dan Marino retired. Depending on how his knee feels he may not start opening day. We'll have to watch his progression through the preseason to determine how valuable he really is come opening day and fantasy drafting.
Here, Daunte Culpepper wows the masses in Miami early in the preseason. I'm only hearing good news, but here's what the analyst think..
