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Culpepper

We didn't want this story to get lost in the weekend shuffle, so we saved it for now. In an e-mail interview with Mark Craig of the Star Tribune, unemployed quarterback Daunte Culpepper explained why he has turned down two contract offers and provided some other insights into the stalled state of his career. Culpepper even admitted he contacted the Minnesota Vikings -- whom he left in 2006 after a nasty public feud with coach Brad Childress -- during his offseason job search.

(Culpepper has played in two other divisions since his departure from Minnesota but we still claim him as one of our own).

Although training camp is complete in most NFL cities, Culpepper apparently plans to wait until all the stars align before resuming his career. He held out hope for most of the offseason that a team would offer him the chance to compete for a job, and now he is on most teams' emergency lists should their starter and/or backup suffer a catastrophic injury.

"Last year there were 60 QBs that [started] in the regular season," Culpepper wrote to Craig. "Unless all 60 are better than me, I expect that my career will continue."

Nevertheless, Culpepper isn't interested in simply filling a roster spot. Most recently, he turned down an offer to join the Pittsburgh Steelers following an injury to backup Charlie Batch. Earlier this offseason, Culpepper shunned interest from the Green Bay Packers.

On the Green Bay situation, Culpepper wrote:

"When I visited the Packers, I felt real good about the opportunity to back up Aaron [Rodgers] on a good team. I just sensed that when it was time to negotiate, there were some unresolved issues that kept them from giving me a market-value offer. I think that the Brett Favre situation was in the background while they were dealing with me."

As for the Steelers:

"I was just not willing to take the vet minimum and no guaranteed roster spot."

Culpepper has acted as his own agent since firing Mason Ashe early in 2006, and it's pretty clear he needs some career advice. While there is no doubt he is more talented than some of the quarterbacks currently on NFL rosters, Culpepper needs to realize the reality of the situation: When you've torn three ligaments in your right knee and been with three different teams over the past three seasons, you don't always get to choose your landing spot.

But Culpepper is conducting himself like a future franchise quarterback who is wary of locking himself into a situation that gives the team too much leverage. That is how he felt with the Vikings in 2006, having already reaped most of the guaranteed money from a 10-year contract extension. With seven years remaining on the deal, Culpepper in essence was locked into a series of one-year contracts the Vikings could void at any time.

Culpepper is to be lauded for recognizing the perils of signing a multi-year deal. But he is taking a long-term approach to a career that, in reality, is year-by-year. And the clock is ticking on this one.