Vikes QB big story in Mobile… While the draft is ostensibly the focus in Mobile this week, the big story in town concerns the immediate football future of Minnesota QB Daunte Culpepper whom the Vikings may look to trade this off-season. In particular, Culpepper's name has been connected with possible to moves to Baltimore and Oakland, while teams like Miami, Arizona and the Jets are sure to be interested in indeed Culpepper becomes available. Culpepper’s already somewhat dicey relationship soured last week when he came to town reportedly in search of a raise he says the team promised when he renegotiated his current deal last year. That was after Culpepper had a terrible year in 2005 – he had twice as many interceptions as TD passes – in which he was only 2-5 in the games he started before suffering a season-ending knee injury which required major surgery. And just for good measure, Culpepper is one of the Vikings’ players charged in that infamous boat party. Culpepper, who has a $2M base salary for the 2006 season, is scheduled to get $6 million in bonuses March 14. Right now, Baltimore appears to be the favorite to land Culpepper, although Ravens’ G.M. Ozzie Newsome denied there have been any trade talks between the two teams. What Newsome didn’t say though was that the Ravens wouldn’t be interested in acquiring a quality veteran QB like Culpepper to help balance out the Ravens’ defense-heavy team. And there would be a certain irony if the Ravens were to acquire Culpepper as they passed on him with their #1 pick in 1999 to take CB Chris McAlister. It would also be an irony if Culpepper were to end up in Oakland where he would be reunited with former Vikings’ teammate Randy Moss who went to the Raiders in last winter’s big off-season deal. The pair reportedly had their differences during their final year together in 2004, however, Moss has been quoted as saying that he would welcome Culpepper in Oakland. The other big question here, of course, is what it will take teams like the Ravens to acquire Culpepper. Certainly figure that a 2006 #1 pick will be high on the Vikings’ wish list as part of a compensation package. For the record, of the teams likely to have some interest in Culpepper, the Jets have the highest 2006 first rounder – the 4th pick overall – however the Jets likely won’t be willing to part with that high a pick on a player who may not be ready to play at the start of the season; indeed, the Jets already have a QB in that category in Chad Pennington who is coming off a second straight off-season shoulder surgery. Meanwhile, Oakland has the 6th or 7th pick – the Raiders will flip with the 49ers for the #6 selection, while Arizona picks 10th, St. Louis 11th, Baltimore 13th and Miami 16th. The Dolphins, for one, have reportedly been watching Vanderbilt QB Jay Cutler at this week’s Senior Bowl practices in Mobile. .
