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As ESPN.com insider Len Pasquarelli reported it, "After more than a month of haggling, and intermittent acrimony in the bargaining between the two teams," the Lions accepted a sixth-round pick in the 2007 draft in exchange for the four-year veteran.

The choice can escalate to a fifth-rounder if Harrington reaches certain playing time thresholds. The teams have not indicated how much playing time is necessary to trigger the escalation.

Most importantly, from the Dolphins perspective, the deal will allow Harrington to begin participating in Miami's organized team activities, which begin on Monday. The Dolphins pushed for a resolution to the prolonged talks because they want Harrington to have time to begin learning their offense before a three-day mini-camp scheduled for June 9-11.

In case you missed it. ... Last month, Miami offered Detroit a sixth-round selection in the 2007 draft and the Lions refused to make a deal. In fact, Lions team president Matt Millen attempted during the draft to seek other suitors and was in talks with the Browns about a trade.

But because of his contractual situation, and the need for any new team to readjust a deal deemed too prohibitive for a backup, Harrington held some leverage and essentially refused to discuss a restructuring with any team but the Dolphins.

Apparently, adding the provision that can raise the compensation to a fifth-round choice was enough to satisfy Detroit officials.

Under his Detroit contract, Harrington was due a $4 million roster bonus on June 15 and a 2006 base salary of $4.5 million. Until the latest movement in talks between the Lions and Dolphins, it appeared that Millen might simply keep Harrington until just before the roster bonus became due.

Harrington last month reached a tentative two-year agreement with the Dolphins, which prompted Millen to suggest that Miami officials had acted improperly. The NFL Management Council, the league's labor arm, ruled that there was no impropriety, and that Harrington was free to deal with teams because the Lions had granted him the right to seek out potential trade partners. ...

Harrington, 27, started 55 games for the Lions and posted a record of 18-37. He completed 986 of 1,802 passes for 10,242 yards, with 60 touchdown passes and 62 interceptions, for an efficiency rating of 68.1. Harrington started 11 games in 2005, was benched at one point in favor of Jeff Garcia, and then regained his starting job.

The Dolphins, of course, view Harrington as an insurance policy against the possibility that starting quarterback Daunte Culpepper, who is still rehabilitating from surgery to repair three torn ligaments in his right knee, might not be available at the outset of the regular season.

If Culpepper cannot open the season, Harrington would be the Dolphins' starter. ...

However, as Miami Herald staffer Armando Salguero wrote in a blog entry posted this afternoon: "The Dolphins are pleased the Joey Harrington trade is complete. That's a good thing.

"But they are REALLY pleased Daunte Culpepper's rehabilitation from knee surgery is ahead of schedule. That's great. ..."

Salguero went on to note that until now the team and the player have been guarded in their comments about the rehab so as to not set high expectations and then disappoint fans if those expectations aren't met.

But privately, Salguero reports the team is absolutely thrilled with Culpepper's continuing return to health.

When Miami's "official team activity" (OTA) days starting on Monday, Culpepper will be allowed to make limited rollouts in yet another sign of progress for the knee.

Head coach Nick Saban told reporters last week that his most recent visit to Dr. James Andrews, who performed the surgery last November, showed that Culpepper is nearly at 100 percent extension on the knee.

Salguero was quick to remind readers that doesn't guarantee he will not suffer a setback.

He also warned that players recovering from reconstructive surgery like Culpepper's typically aren't back to their old selves for up to 24 months after the surgery.

But the Dolphins are still pointing at seeing Culpepper in the season-opener.

They will try to prevent any setback by not pushing Culpepper in practice early in training camp and probably not playing him much (if at all) in the preseason, especially the first two games.

But that Sept. 7 season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers?

According to Salguero: "Right now, it looks great. ..."

While I'm willing to keep an open mind when it comes to Culpepper's chances of hitting the field against the Steelers, I also have the luxury of taking a wait-and-see approach.

I'll also note that some observers aren't sure about this move. Kansas City Star columnist Jason Whitlock, subbing for Jim Rome on ESPN's "Rome Is Burning" this afternoon, warned viewers that Harrington's acquisition is a sign that Culpepper isn't where he needs to be.

Still, If Culpepper starts doing all that Salguero and others close to the situation are predicting he will, I won't hesitate to jump on board the bandwagon.

I just need to see a little something before buying that ticket. ...

Stay tuned. ... I'll obviously have more on Culpepper's progress in the coming weeks and months and I won't hesitate to let you know where I stand on that status the minute he demonstrates it's time to make that call.