Are the Vikings blowing smoke?

By: Larry Fitzgerald
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
Originally posted 2/22/2006

If the Vikings’ star quarterback Daunte Culpepper is traded, as has been suggested by several stories written in recent weeks, is it because the Vikings have decided Culpepper should join Dennis Green and Randy Moss as former Vikings?

 

The question is, are the Vikings rebuilding again? Culpepper should remember that the Vikings traded Hall-of-Fame quarterbacks Fran Tarkenton and Brad Johnson and brought both players back. Culpepper said, "Until I hear from Ziggy Wilf or the new triangle of authority at the Vikings, I plan on playing quarterback for Minnesota."

 

Tarkenton was 0-3 in three Super Bowls, and Johnson, remember, won a Super Bowl with Tampa Bay. Neither player, however, had reached Pro Bowl status when they were traded. Culpepper has been a Pro Bowler three times, and he just turned 29.

 

Culpepper fired his agent, Mason Ashe, several weeks ago, because he finally realized Ashe did a poor job on his last contract. Ashe negotiated a 10-year $102 million contract for Culpepper that basically had little if any signing bonus or guaranteed money.

 

The average career of an NFL player is just under four years. In 2003 Culpepper, with Ashe as his agent, signed a bad deal, period. Everybody knows that NFL players take the greatest risk; each play could be their last, but still the players play on year-to-year contracts.

 

Unlike the National Basketball Association players and Major League Baseball players, there are no guaranteed NFL contracts. Case in point: Antonio Davis, the veteran NBA forward who was recently fined $780,000 for going into the stands during a game to defend his wife, who was being harassed by a drunk at the United Center in Chicago, has played for several teams and makes $13.6 million guaranteed. Jalon Rose, another less-than-average NBA pro, is owed $18.5 million; both players have guaranteed contracts. This is why the NFL and the Players Union are on a collision course.

 

Culpepper's deal paid him $1,540,000 in 2003, $1,535,000 in 2004, $1,540,000 last year, and $2,500,000 for 2006. Remember, this is 2006, and with the contract going up comes the problem. Starting in 2007, Culpepper's deal jumps to $5,500,000; in 2008 it hits $6 million, and in 2009 again $6 million. From 2010 to 2013, Culpepper would make $34 million.

 

It's what you call a pipe dream contract not worth the paper it was written on, or a bad deal.

 

Culpepper is coming off a bad year in which he threw six TD passes and 12 interceptions. His record last year was just 2-5 as a starter; his career record is 38-42 as a starter and 2-2 in the playoffs.

 

Since his injury, when Culpepper tore three ligaments in his right knee, he has had to listen to how his value has gone down, and that if the Vikings traded him before March 17, 2006, they could only get a second-round draft pick in return. Working without his agent Ashe, Culpepper at last got Vikings owner Ziggy Wilf to add some guaranteed money to his deal.

 

Last year he got $4 million in August, and the Vikings added $3.5 million to his next expected payday of March 17, when the Vikings owe him $6 million. But will he see it? Or will the Vikings release him, making Culpepper an unrestricted free agent?

 

Brad Childress is the new head coach and Fran Foley is the new player personnel VP -- who knows what these guys will do? Or if they know what they are doing! Former Viking great Warren Moon said, “Brad Johnson did what he was supposed to do as a backup last year. That's the reason the Vikings brought him in, because he had experience and he's had success, and if he was asked to play he was supposed to go in and do a good job. And he did that.

 

“But Daunte Culpepper is the future of the Minnesota Vikings,” said Moon, “and if he comes back from his injury and he's healthy, he should be the guy. Just look at what he’s done over the course of his young career. His numbers are right up there with any quarterback comparable in the league.

 

“I hope the Vikings are smart enough to understand where Daunte is in his development and how long he can play for the Vikings at a high level compared to Brad Johnson, who's had a great career but is definitely on the downhill of his career,” Moon said.

 

Remember, last year was the first year of Culpepper’s career without the great Randy Moss, maybe the greatest deep-threat receiver in NFL history. And Culpepper was trying too hard, still playing for Mike Tice, his head coach for four years, who had training wheels on and was better known for scalping Super Bowl tickets.

 

Remember, Offensive Coordinator/Quarterback Coach Scott Lenihan left for Miami last year, leaving Culpepper with no Moss, no Lenihan, and a rookie offensive coordinator in Steve Loney.

 

In 2004 Culpepper had a sensational year; his combined total of 5,123 yards was the best in NFL history. He also threw 39 TD passes, and his QB rating was 110.9, fourth-best in NFL history.

 

It is amazing to me how a pattern has developed that quarterbacks like Peyton Manning ($34 million), Chad Pennington ($18 million), Matt Hasselback ($16 million), and Tom Brady ($14 million) get signing bonus money that's guaranteed when quarterbacks like Michael Vick and Culpepper don't get signing bonus guaranteed millions. They have to play to get paid.

 

The players I mentioned all got guaranteed signing bonus money before they played. It's not right -- they are definitely treated differently in the league, and the question is why. The NFL should take a serious look at how these star quarterbacks get deals that don't measure up with the majority.