News & Info/Headlines

In an article published early Friday, Miami Herald staff writer Jason Cole advised readers that the Dolphins expect Minnesota to release quarterback Daunte Culpepper before the Vikings are scheduled to pay him a $6 million roster bonus on March 17.

Because of that belief, Cole adds, the Dolphins have resisted the offer to trade for Culpepper, who also is scheduled to make $2 million in base salary for the 2006 season.

The Dolphins and Vikings recently discussed a trade for Culpepper. Although no exact compensation was discussed, the Vikings are asking for more than the second-round pick that was reported this month.

Cole's report will undoubtedly come as a surprise to Culpepper, who said on Thursday he was assured by owner Zygi Wilf that the Vikings have not spoken to other teams about a potential trade.

As St. Paul Pioneer Press beat writer Sean Jensen first reported, Culpepper released a statement saying that he and Wilf talked on the telephone about his present situation.

"He told me that the Vikings have not yet spoken to other teams about trading me," Culpepper said. "I shared my disappointment with the lack of communication and the false reports about me demanding more money coming out of Minnesota. I have requested further talks so that we can explore options for the future."

Culpepper said he offered to move that troublesome $6 million roster bonus to another date, to help the Vikings.

"I have made a good faith gesture toward the organization by offering to move my roster bonus around if it will help clear more cap space to sign free agents," Culpepper said. "If I am not traded, I want to help coach [Brad] Childress make a serious run for the championship this year."

Culpepper said he realized that his contract includes no more guarantees since he tore three of four ligaments in his right knee in October.

"With all the discussion about me being traded or cut has helped me realize that the contract I have ran out of guarantees the day I was injured," Culpepper said. "Therefore each year they pay you to play is a gift. I expect that if there are no changes to my present contract, then I should prepare for a year-by-year commitment.

"When I am ready to hit the field this year, wherever it may be, I plan on being better than ever and enjoying the ride."

Maybe so. ...

But in an article published this morning, Minneapolis Star Tribune staff writer Sid Hartman offered the veteran signal caller some very sage advice: "Memo to Daunte: The smartest thing you can do if you want to remain with the Vikings is to get up here, start working with the new coaches and do your rehabilitation here instead of Florida.

"That will give you a chance to get things straightened out. ..."

True enough. It's worth noting, however, that Childress -- while acknowledging the rough start of their relationship -- praised Culpepper on Wednesday for his dogged approach to rehabilitating his right knee.

According to Star Tribune staffer Kevin Seifert, the Vikings dispatched new athletic trainer Eric Sugarman to Florida this week to update Culpepper's progress. Sugarman reported that Culpepper is on schedule, and Childress said it is not out of the question that Culpepper could participate in some non-football drills during spring mini-camp.

That, of course, assumes Culpepper is still with the team at that point, a possibility Childress did not address Wednesday. But in his first comments since reports that Culpepper has been shopped (made prior to Culpepper's statement that Wilf has assured him that's not the case), Childress said he considers him part of the team until he is told otherwise.

"I just think we got off to a rocky start," Childress said. "But that happens sometimes when emotions run high. But he's doing a great job with the rehab and I'm happy to hear that. Nothing else happens unless the knee gets rehabbed."

Culpepper suffered three tore ligaments in his right knee Oct. 30, and most doctors project at least a 12-month recovery period. As Seifert suggested, that timetable concerns most teams who might otherwise be interested in trading for Culpepper, but Childress said Culpepper is doing everything he is asked.

"Eric Sugarman was down there Monday," Childress said. "He watched him work out, got permission to put his hands on him. Suffice it to say, he looked good. For three months [after surgery], he's doing a good job."

It would certainly appear that Childress' comments were aimed at an audience that had to include the team's -- Miami and Baltimore for starters -- that have reportedly been in contact with the Vikes regarding a trade, so Culpepper's subsequent insistence regarding Wilf's assurances add considerable intrigue.

Unless Cole's report that Culpepper will be cut is accurate.

If that's actually the plan, Wilf's assurances might fall out of the "out-and-out lie" category to "simply disingenuous" status.

Whatever the case, it would appear somebody isn't getting the whole story here. ... Stay tuned. We obviously haven't heard the last of this one. ...

In the meantime, it's worth noting that a handful of Vikings teammates came out in support of their beleaguered QB this week.

According to Jensen, tackle Bryant McKinnie, tight end Jermaine Wiggins, defensive tackle Kevin Williams, nose tackle Pat Williams and cornerback Antoine Winfield all said they hope Culpepper remains their teammate and that the team would be worse off without him.

"That's crazy," McKinnie told Jensen when asked about the speculation of Culpepper being traded. "I don't agree with trading him. Last year, they traded Randy Moss.

"We already made one mistake (trading Moss). Don't do it twice. If that's the case, let me go."

McKinnie said the Vikings have had a smooth offseason and that he is looking forward to returning to team headquarters soon to meet the new coaches and staff. But McKinnie, who is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent after the 2007 season, said he would not want to remain a Viking if Culpepper is gone.

"I didn't like the trade last year, so I'm definitely not going to like this trade," McKinnie said. "Trading would not solve anything. What's that going to do? Make somebody else's team better that we might have to play against?"

Wiggins said judging Culpepper by his 2005 season is unfair.

"The guy has been to three Pro Bowls, and in 2004, if Peyton Manning doesn't have the year he had, Daunte would have been an MVP contender," Wiggins said. "Obviously, last year he got hurt and we didn't play well as a team, and that reflects on him. A lot of it had to do with us as a team, and we weren't doing the things we needed to do. But people in the media will put the brunt of it on his shoulders, because he is the quarterback."

McKinnie also told Jensen he is surprised the Vikings haven't been more sensitive to and forthcoming with Culpepper.

"The man went through a lot this season," McKinnie said. "The team should at least let Daunte know what's happening. He's got a lot of stress right now. They should be upfront with him."

Added Winfield, "He's been injured, and he doesn't know his future. If I were him, I'd be like, 'Dang, does this team even want me here?'"

Wiggins said he and other teammates have been frustrated with all the speculation involving Culpepper.

"As players, it kind of concerns us because everything is done by anonymous sources," Wiggins said. "As players, we'd rather stuff be straightforward, whatever it may be, so you can focus on the guys who are going to be on your team and what direction people want to go. But this is a business, and we have to realize that. There's a lot of things that come of it, good and bad."

Pat Williams said he wouldn't believe the trade rumors until someone makes a public comment.

"Our owner hasn't said anything, so I don't believe it," he said.

McKinnie applauded the play of Brad Johnson but wondered about his future.

"Brad did a great job," McKinnie said of Johnson, who will turn 38 in September. "But you can't say he's a long-term quarterback. Not taking anything away from him, but how many more full seasons can he last?"

For what it's worth, Hartman reported this morning that Childress said he was very impressed in his recent visit with Johnson, who flew in for the specific purpose of getting to know the new coach.

"I liked how he [Johnson] talked, how he wanted to play and wanted to be a winner," said Childress, who added he believes the 36-year-old Johnson still has some good football left in him.

Johnson was equally impressed by Childress.

"We used to steal their plays when he was in Philadelphia [and] I was in Tampa," Johnson aid. "We watched all their stuff.

"I really think he's the perfect guy for the team to kind of get in the direction it needs to go in. I think he's the perfect guy for the people of Minnesota that will relate. I really think it was a good hire, whether [Wilf] lucked into it or whether he got the guy he wanted. I really think he's the right guy."

Johnson is under contract for three more seasons.

There have been rumors that former coach Mike Tice promised Johnson he would get him out of the contract if he had a chance to become a starter elsewhere.

But Dave Blando, the director of football administration who signed Johnson to his current contract last March, has told Hartman in previous conversations before the present administration came in that he was not informed of any such agreement and that Johnson's agent would have mentioned that if it was true. ...

One last note here. ... According to Cole, the Dolphins continue to examine all their options at quarterback. Team officials are expected to speak with the agents for San Diego quarterback Drew Brees if the Chargers and Brees are unable to work out a contract extension by the end of next week.

The Dolphins also are monitoring what Tennessee will do with Steve McNair and what Washington will do with Patrick Ramsey.

On Thursday they held further talks with agents Tom Condon and Ken Kremer regarding quarterback Tim Couch.

By the way. ... Condon and Kremer also represent Brees.