Is Culpepper Saban's first big mistake?

[JR4]

Consider
cons:
1. Culpepper's Int/TD ratio is not very good. Moss made it better.
2. His injury could be a long term problem - If he can't scramble as well
how effective will he really be as just a pocket passer?
3. His leadership skills have been questioned - why should that change?
4. He is known to be all about money not team.
5. Thinks he is a 10M/yr QB and is not getting paid that way.
Pros:
1. He is big and hard to bring down.
2. If he can run - he will add to Fins already good run game.
3. He has a strong arm.
4. He is probably an upgrade to Frerotte.
5. Has an 8 yr contract remaining -8M CAP this year 5M salary next - can cut after this year.
6. Knows Linehan's offensive system.

There are probably other points.

So what's your gut say?

 

[BigMike]

I say its a bad move - Saban must be looking for a Rohan Davey, who did werll for him. Anyone listen to ESPN radio this week? A Minn writer was on saying the kid is immature, has constant mood swings -- one minute hes a great guy, team player and the next he's an angry tool.

 

[Major **********]

Not by a long strech!
Taking the Miami job was his first big mistake.

 

[Flying Fungi]

I say it is an excellent move because of what Saban did with Rohan.


Culpepper is 1000 times more polished than Rohan ever became. This could fall directly under the category of Culpepper being a better player for one coach than for another. And while Minn. had serious RB depth, Culpepper never played with a Ronnie Brown. Further, Daunte put up sweet numbers playing in FL in school. I simply don't see Nick Saban allowing Culpepper to suck for Miami.

 

[Patriot Missile]

Time will tell.

 

[Major **********]

Time will tell.

WOA!
You are really going out on a limb there PM!

 

[arrellbee]

My guess is that the crucial thing about Culpepper is that he is a scrambling QB. When is the last time a scrambling QB (not just a guy who runs once in a while) won a superbowl ?? That QB style is a double-edged sword. Why would an OL block their hearts out when it probably doesn't make any difference on many of the plays ? Why would receivers really concentrate on their routes when seldom does the QB really hit them in route timing. Everythings becomes ad hoc and unpredictable. So you live and die on individual plays by the QB. Against poorer defenses, you probably win a fair number of games. Against better defenses, you probably lose more than you win. What people look at are the spectacular plays that a QB like Culpepper makes without adding up the plusses and minuses. It's strange, because there's an obvious tally - the win - loss record.

I think you have a very good point, BigMike. It looks like Saban likes the 'athletic' QB style. It can work fairly well in collegiate football but not very well at all in the NFL. I'm beginning to have serious doubts as to whether Saban 'gets' it when it comes to putting together an NFL team.

Until proven otherwise, I am no longer concerned about Miami challenging the Pats.

 

[Feep_FLA]

We will see. Culpepper can be a "force" when healthy. Time will tell. He's not a pretender QB that's for sure......

 

[R_T26]

either way he's better then the schmoes they have had @ qb since Marino left.

 

[Feep_FLA]

either way he's better then the schmoes they have had @ qb since Marino left.

Amen! I think Culpepper in Miami is a good shot for Saban. Can't be any worse than what they've had lately by a long shot....

 

[smg93]

While I've said before that I'm glad Miami picked up Culpepper rather than Brees, to say that this was a mistake on Saban's part is pushing it in my view. Culpepper is a much better QB than Miami has had in years. I don't really see him as a "running QB" a la Mike Vick at all. Yes, Moss did make him a better QB but then again, Moss would more than likely improve Tom Brady's stats as well. If Daunte can get those knees healthy he'll be a tough foe and I believe that anyone who doesn't think that is kidding himself. I'm pretty sure that BB would rather gameplan for Gus Frerotte rather than Culpepper.

 

[jeremiahct]

maimi has an excellent recievign core; not to mention that they needed a quarterback and got the best available wauterback with the least amount of doubts or baggage. This was a great move for them, and it isnt gunna help us at all.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

maimi has an excellent recievign core; not to mention that they needed a quarterback and got the best available wauterback with the least amount of doubts or baggage. This was a great move for them, and it isnt gunna help us at all.

I'm not so sure they got the QB with the least amount of doubts and this one certainly has more baggage. He was by all accounts their third or fourth choice. If Brees is healthy he is a fine QB and it's a given Rivers gets dealt. Daunte was healthy for the first half of last season and he was abyssmal. He has shown little leadership on or off the field. He appears to have some ego issues. He is likely to overcompensate in an effort to prove his value going forward. That could lead to real on field discipline problems which an A type personality like Saban could go ballistic over. He will be dealing with an entirely new offense, as will his talented WR's. And of course if Miami improves (or Daunte believes he personally did) he'll want that new deal in Miami or else.....

 

[italian pat patriot]

Culpepper is definitely an upgrade considering the last poor QB Miami had in the recent past...

of course time will tell, but today the Dolphins have finally a more then decent qb

 

[hwc]

I question whether Culpepper can adjust to the kind of disciplined offense that Saban will insist on. I don't see Saban as the kind of guy who will tolerate a QB freelancing or just closing his eyes and heaving the ball downfield. I don't see Culpepper as the kind of QB that would necessarily flourish in a disciplined cerebral offense. Brees would have probably been a better fit.

 

[workhorse]

Consider
4. He is probably an upgrade to Frerotte.

Just probably?

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Good question. I think of Saban as a member of "The Belichick School," and since I couldn't imagine BB making a move like this, I find it hard to believe. It also has implications for the kind of offense they would run around him, and I don't see that Culpepper is consisten with what I THOUGHT

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Good question. I think of Saban as a member of "The Belichick School," and since I couldn't imagine BB making a move like this, I find it hard to believe. It also has implications for the kind of offense they would run around him, and I don't see that Culpepper is consistent with what I THOUGHT Saban was going to try to build in Miami. So, the poster who took grief for replying "Time will tell" might not be too far off the mark. Let's see what Saban's up to before we write the signing off.

 

[JoeSixPat]

Saban's not afraid of making mistakes - neither is BB - who has been known to make a few himself.

Every player presents a degree of risk.

My feeling is that Culpepper is a high risk/high reward player. His salary and injury present a high risk that will hurt the team's cap situation if he doesn't return to form.

The reward is that he his a MUCH better QB than Ferrotte, even if he isn't playing at 2004 levels.

Ultimately Culpepper's salary makes him a bigger risk than other FA QBs but the reward is potentially greater as well.

We won't know if its an actual mistake for quite some time.

 

[dhamz]

I say it is an excellent move because of what Saban did with Rohan.


Culpepper is 1000 times more polished than Rohan ever became. This could fall directly under the category of Culpepper being a better player for one coach than for another. And while Minn. had serious RB depth, Culpepper never played with a Ronnie Brown. Further, Daunte put up sweet numbers playing in FL in school. I simply don't see Nick Saban allowing Culpepper to suck for Miami.

Does Dante get to play in the SEC like Rohan did?

I'm not sold on this move because the guy is mistake prone. In 81 games he has 86 Ints and 81 fumbles (36 of which were lost).

The guys who have win titles in recent years simply don't do that:

Brady 66 picks in 80 games, 47 fumbles 22 lost
Ben 20 picks in 26 games 4 fumbles 3 lost
Brad Johnson 102 picks in 108 starts 54 fumbles 23 lost

Dante is either laying it on the ground or throwing it to the other team twice a game. If Saban can't fix that, he isn't going to win with Culpepper.