Daunte Culpepper

[Kentuckyravens07]

here in Kentucky land I dont hear much on the goings on with the club do many ravens' fans think that Dauntae Culpepper would be a possibility given McNair's age and Boller's inability to run an offense

[73doubledown73]

latest word on the street is that he wouldn't be a "good fit" (balto. sun article). ravens are happy w/ boller @ 2 and c-peps not down w/ the 3 spot.:eyes:

[Jggjaron]

No need for culpepper, we have 5 QB's already. and Troy will be in the running for the #2spot next year.

[awalt]

Actually we have 4 QBs now - Finnerty was cut yesterday.

[TBOERaven16]

Culpepper has never been that good anyway. Without Moss, his career went downhill. Im not on Bollers bandwagon or anything but i dont feel Culpepper is much of an upgrade over him.

[TheOrioleWay]

here in Kentucky land I dont hear much on the goings on with the club do many ravens' fans think that Dauntae Culpepper would be a possibility given McNair's age and Boller's inability to run an offense

I could see Culpepper filling in for Vick in Atlanta.

Where are you in Kentucky, Kentuckyraven07? I live just north of Cincitucky.
Lotta fun listening to "who-dey" all the time around here.

[Mista T]

Three teams (http://msn.foxsports.com/rumors/nfl#2) are reported to have dropped out running for Culpepper:


The word is that the Bucs encouraged Culpepper to make a decision by the time the team reports to training camp Thursday at Disney's Wide World of Sports. Culpepper's options appear to be dwindling and he doesn't have time to take the free agent tour. The Falcons, Jaguars and Rams have all said no to Culpepper. -- St. Petersburg Times

[TheExtraPoint]

I'd personally love to see the Ravens swoop in and pursue Culpepper, now that it appears he could come on the cheap.

It's the type of upside signing that could pay major dividends for this team, this year and beyond.

Let's say, because he's clearly not in high demand, the Ravens sign Culpepper to a cap-friendly 2 year contract.

This year, they let him attend camp, and depending in his physical progression in a return from that dramatic knee injury, either keep him on the active roster, place him on PUP, or on IR - or they cut him.

If he makes the active roster, it makes Kyle Boller expendable, which he already is in terms of his play as a back up (I've long believed Boller is extermely overrated as a back-up quarterback simply because he has tenure and starting experience in Baltimore. At some point, you have to produce at a reasonable level to be considered an "top-tier" back up as Boller has been labeled around here). Culpepper has performed at a level in his career that Boller hasn't even dreamed of approaching yet. It can't be denied. I like Boller's attitude, work ethic, and some of his physical tools - But I strongly believe the time has come to cut our losses and look into LONG-TERM solutions at the quarterback position, and I don't believe he fits that category. If he's not going to be around next year, why keep him around this year, unless he's hte best option available as a back up. If in camp, Culpepper proves he's not ready, Boller indeed would be the best availalbe option. If he proves he IS ready, Boller can move on with his career, and the Ravens can move on with their plans to succeed.

If after camp, Culpepper is placed on PUP, it gives the team 8+ weeks to analyze his continued recovery from the knee injury, allows him to further assimilate to the offense, and perhaps provides the team with a player who could make a POSITIVE offensive impact if Steve McNair were to be hurt for an extended period of time. Let's not forget out current starter's injury history. (Or Boller's for that matter).

If he's placed on IR, it's an opportunity for Culpepper to rest - remove himself completely from activity that could cause his knee condition to regress, and then get himself in a position to be a contributor next year and perhaps, if the fit is right, beyond.

Culpepper is only 30 years old. Despite what some claim around here, he's had periods of next-to-flawless quarterback play. He is physically gifted, has been productive, has a strong desire to play, and if he can simply recover fully from his injury and find an offense he's comfortable in, I strongly believe Culpepper could be an asset to the Ravens.

That's just one person's opinion.

[festivus]

If he makes the active roster, it makes Kyle Boller expendable, which he already is in terms of his play as a back up (I've long believed Boller is extermely overrated as a back-up quarterback simply because he has tenure and starting experience in Baltimore. . . .

That's just one person's opinion.

An uninformed one.

From the team's page (http://www.baltimoreravens.com/Team/PlayerBio.aspx?id=1070), Kyle Boller's stats for this past year:

33/55, for a 60% completion and 485 yards
8.82 yards per attempt
5 tds against 2 picks.
3 sacks.
QB Rating 104.0

After this year, somebody else will be lucky to have him. I have no idea what more some of you want from your backup quarterback.

We are SET at qb this year. We have a fine starting qb, a quality backup, and a possible quarterback of the future in our #3 guy. There is no reason to go sniffing around a half broken veteran someone else cast off.

[Ravenswarrior19]

33/55, for a 60% completion and 485 yards
8.82 yards per attempt
5 tds against 2 picks.
3 sacks.
QB Rating 104.0


The TD and QB Rating stats would look a lot different if not for the 2 tipped passes the went for TDs against the Panthers.

That said, the throw to D-Will against Cleveland was the prettiest thing I've ever seen in person. I'm confident with Boller as my backup.

[birdbrain]

Plus, we dont need anything to upset the sweet chemistry we have right now with this team and Culpepper= trouble....

[TheExtraPoint]

An uninformed one.

From the team's page (http://www.baltimoreravens.com/Team/PlayerBio.aspx?id=1070), Kyle Boller's stats for this past year:

33/55, for a 60% completion and 485 yards
8.82 yards per attempt
5 tds against 2 picks.
3 sacks.
QB Rating 104.0

After this year, somebody else will be lucky to have him. I have no idea what more some of you want from your backup quarterback.

We are SET at qb this year. We have a fine starting qb, a quality backup, and a possible quarterback of the future in our #3 guy. There is no reason to go sniffing around a half broken veteran someone else cast off.

I won't hate on Boller, mainly because I get the sense that he's a genuine guy who tries hard and wants to compete. In fact, I truly hope he latches on elsewhere and proves my view of his career prospects wrong. I hope he becomes a Pro-Bowler, here or elsewhere, because he's had such a rough start to his career and he could have been brought along much better than he was.

But I will give my opinion, which is there is no point trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Boller is an athlete but not a NFL quarterback. He's made the best of his abilities, but he'll never be a reliable NFL quarterback. He's not a natural thrower of the football, his impressive arm strength is negated by his wild-inaccuracy, and his field presence leaves more than a little something to be desired. That, and he's not a consistent winner. That's my view.

With that said, I'm well aware of Boller's statistics last season.

I happen to think those statisctics you provided are inflated, and largely irrelavent...

-In fact, take away a 3/3 performance in mop up duty v. Pittsburgh, and simply change the two wild-deflections caught and run in for touchdowns (one for 60+ yards) into mere incompletions (and not interceptions as they just as easily could have been), and your talking about a 53.8% passer with 3TDs and 2INTs, and a substantially reduced passer rating. That's how easily you're statistics can be negated, and why I choose not to even discuss statistics when it comes to back-up quarterbacks. Those are merely 5 specific plays. I'm sure there are even more that support my stance, and plenty that support your's (drops, wrong routes, penalties etc.)

I give Boller full credit for throwing each of his touchdown passes, but if you want to get specific and actually analyze how he's PLAYED using statistics, those are important facts in my view.

Of course you could say I'm nitpicking, but when you're looking at your back-up signal caller, you only have a small sample size to deal with. That's how I choose to look at it. Saying I'm uniformed is plainly wrong.

His work against Pittsburgh was insignificant, I hope you can agree. And the good fortune on the deflected touchdown passes SHOULD be accounted for, if you want to truly discuss his work as a back-up quarterback. There is a difference between mere statisctics and performance analysis, I hope you can agree.

Watching his performances in all of his apperences back, as I have done, I can say that he did a decent job as a back-up last year. I dont have any significant confidence that he could even replicate those performances again next year, nor were they all that good to begin with. I hope for more from my back-up quarterback, especially when the starter is as injury prone as McNair has been over the course of his career.

In fact, if the Ravens themselves had as much confidence in Boller as you seem to (and as they often falsely profess to in the media), why would they have so eagerly pursued Steve McNair last offseason, had zero negotiations with Boller about an extension to his contract which expires at the end of this season, drafted Troy Smith, and strongly considered selecting Brady Quinn as he slid down the draft's first round. Surely an extension with a player as unproven as Boller would benefit the team (financially) and Boller (job security), if it was something both sides genuinely wanted. I doubt Boller is eager to test the free-agent market after a failed stint as NFL starter and and a largely inconclusive NFL back-up career. I could be wrong.

Watch back and analyze his performances in those games he played in in 2007. If you can still tell me that Boller has the prospects to ascend beyond mediocre back-up quarterback, I'll respectfully disagree with your opinion, and move on. Are either of us right or wrong on the subject of Boller? Nope. After all, it's hard to be INFORMED when it comes to a science as inexact as the NFL quarterback position.

Now, back to the topic at hand - Culpepper. Yea, I'd like to see the Ravens take a chance on him, because it's a LOW-risk, HIGH-reward move, and I'm a fan of those. A lot like the aforementioned Troy Smith, Jared Gaither, etc.

[festivus]

In fact, if the Ravens themselves had as much confidence in Boller as you seem to (and as they often falsely profess to in the media), why would they have so eagerly pursued Steve McNair last offseason, had zero negotiations with Boller about an extension to his contract which expires at the end of this season, drafted Troy Smith, and strongly considered selecting Brady Quinn as he slid down the draft's first round.

Two things. First, lots of things go into whether a pass is completed. Some in the qb's control, some outside of it. Some completions are during 'garbage' time, some are because of defensive lapses, some are blind luck. A tipped ball is just as completed a pass as the one resulting from a brilliant throw under duress. It balances out. Boller spent the first years of his career here with wideouts Clarence Moore, Devard Darling, and Travis Taylor. His numbers stunk. Fine. Now with talent at wideout sometimes the ball bounces the other way. That's fine too.

Second, you sound like Tex. *Just* because I say he's a good backup does *not* mean I think he belongs here as a starter *or* it makes financial sense to try to retain him for next year. I would rather have Troy Smith as our backup next year. He has more upside, is cheaper then Boller, and a year from now will have some NFL-life experience. But going into *this* year, Boller is a quality backup and Smith with his raw talent is not ready to step into that role.

In your response please bear in mind I am *not* saying Boller is our quarterback of the future, I'm not even saying he's the *backup* of the future. I am just saying he was a fine backup last year and is perfectly serviceable in *that* role for this coming year. That's it.

[TheExtraPoint]

A tipped ball is just as completed a pass as the one resulting from a brilliant throw under duress. It balances out.

Completely, COMPLETELY disagree, especially when measuring the success of a back-up quaraterback with 50 total throws in a given role/time period. It all goes in the record books the same way, but it's not the same in the scope of the game of football. Statistics never tell the full story.


In your response please bear in mind I am *not* saying Boller is our quarterback of the future, I'm not even saying he's the *backup* of the future. I am just saying he was a fine backup last year and is perfectly serviceable in *that* role for this coming year. That's it.


Where in my post did I say that you thought Boller should be a starting quarterback? My take isn't that you think Boller is a starting quarterback, or the quarterback of the future, starter or otherwise -

- My take is that you're effort to refute my point that he's a mediocre at best back-up is based on skewed statistics if you actually and closely analyze them, and not just copy and paste them, albeit from a reputable source.

As for the Ravens collective confidence in Boller - I think it's very low. I don't think they are any more comfortable than I am in him seeing the field. If that's the case, why not try make efforts to supplant a player like that from the roster - ie. Culpepper. Again, that's just my take, but to call me uniformed is absurd. Why not try to get the best group plausible on the field?

I disagree with you that he's was a "fine back-up" last year, and question whether he will be "serviceable" in that role this coming season. And we should be entitled to disagree.

And even still, I'm objective enough to not like the player, but give them credit if/when they perform. For example, I was never a fan of Drew Bledsoe's, but I can just as easily acknowledge that he's had success in the league. I look at Boller with those same objective glasses - the purple ones you seem to be wearing when labeling me "Tex" might not be so objective.

Boller played very well in a two-game strech at the end of 2005. Surrounding those games were two equally dissapointing performances. He had one solid game against Cleveland last season in relief of McNair. His career in full has seen a great deal more canyons than peaks in my view, in some cases through no fault of his own. But to say that we are SET at quarterback this year with that player as our back-up to me is naive. And it's foolish to not consider any and all available options to potentially upgrade.

At the end of the day, and back to the subject at hand, I believe Culpepper is a the least worth a flier. If he can't beat out Boller as a back-up, what's the harm? You cut him and move on. That would be GREAT news to me, as I'd love to see the kid improve. If Culpepper can do it, the team improves. Where's the downside? You've yet to respond to my intial take on Culpepper, other than a one-sentence reply:


There is no reason to go sniffing around a half broken veteran someone else cast off.

Is he really half-broken? Do you know his current medical condition? Was he jettisoned because he was a bad player or because he didn't fit Cam Cameron's offense? Couldn't his struggles in Miami be attributed to the team he played for, just as you attributed Boller's struggles to his supporting cast in your own argument? Is it possible that he rushed back too soon from an extremely devastating injury? You have no problem blindly discrediting the former Pro-Bowler Culpepper as a prospect for our team, yet come flying to the defense of Kyle Boller in the exact same argument? Confusing.

[festivus]

You have no problem blindly discrediting the former Pro-Bowler Culpepper as a prospect for our team, yet come flying to the defense of Kyle Boller in the exact same argument? Confusing.
We need a short term backup.

Boller was good enough last year to earn the gig this year. Culpepper has been either ineffective or injury prone the last few years. Why bring him in, new to the system, when we have a short term answer at backup qb? Next year we'll want a young Troy Smith at backup qb, right? Why a 2 year contract for Culpepper, saddling us with 2 backups for 08, when we have Boller for essentially a one year contract, freeing us up to find a #3 in 08?

Between two backup qb's, I'll take the one who has been in the system, put up decent numbers, is under contract for only one more year, over the one who might, if we're lucky, return to his Pro Bowl form of X years ago. You quibble with my use of numbers in evaluation of Boller but you are willing to cut Culpepper a huge break by saying his problems could have been a result of Cam Cameron.

I understand your point & I accept it. I think our disagreement is a reasonable one, two legitimate points of view, and I don't care to go round and round any more. Also I apologize for comparing you to Tex. ;)

In Ozz I'll trust.

Cheers!

[Rex Thunder]

At some point, you have to produce at a reasonable level to be considered an "top-tier" back up as Boller has been labeled around here). Culpepper has performed at a level in his career that Boller hasn't even dreamed of approaching yet. It can't be denied.


Well, say what you want about Kyle and Daunte- but I'll say this- if you had given Boller a Randy Moss who was playing at the top of his game and on turf- Boller would have put up some great numbers too! Question is- did Culpepper EVER win anything???

Boller never had any offensive weapons to work with besides Heap- and even he has endured injuries that kept him out for a while- AND he was in an offense that handcuffed him. Your comparison doesn't hold water because they are completely unbalanced in where they've been, what they've been allowed to do, and who they've thrown the ball to.

If you honestly think Culpepper could've made the difference in THE RAVENS offense in those years that Boller was the starter- then you need to watch some more football. Culpepper was a chronic BAD DECISION MAKER- and in an offense that emphasized limiting your mistakes and playing conservative- he would have been awful.

Boller could sling it with the best of them in a wide open offense with lights out playmakers too!

[Kentuckyravens07]

Louisville but originally from Lexington

[Raveninwoodlawn]

Culpepper Sucks.

And how freaking long will it be before this guy is healthy...the word on the street is that he won't be healthy until the end of this year.

That will be almost 3 full seasons

[Baltoman07]

Note to extra point......remember, one of the tipped balls from Boller hit Mason in the shoulder pad in the back of the endzone. Mason was used to getting lobs from McNair and got hit by a laser from Boller. You can't say that was luck by Boller. The other tipped ball.......that was luck!

[festivus]

Tex I didn't say he was a big play qb. I said he performed capably as a backup this past season.

And somebody will bring him on, possibly to compete as a starter but more likely as a backup.

Reading comprehension, Tex. Reading comprehension.

[Greg]

You people who are sold on Culpepper and beat on Boller amaze me. Culpepper is a beneficiary of those around him, namely Moss and Carter. How many times did Culpepper throw it up only to have Moss make a circus catch to haul it in. I can recall Culpepper underthrowing Moss who adjusted and came back for the ball while the defender kept running. The commentators were all excited about how smart Culpepper was, to me it looked like a poor throw that Moss adjusted to and the defender didn't. This happened A LOT. Yet if Boller makes that throw it is a bad throw the WR bailed him out on.

Forget Culpepper. If he is better than Boller it isn't by much. I have more confidence Troy Smith can ge a good starter for us than I would Culpepper.

[Greg]

Boller isn't my boy, I don't any more believe Boller will be a good or great QB than I think he can never make it. I don't think we have seen enough to write him off or call him a legitimate starter. Like Elway, his numbers through 4 years are quite pedestrian. But Boller had terrible WRs for quite a while, since Mason has come here his numbers look much better. I know you can ignore that, many of us aren't.

As for Smith, I will judge him based on how he plays at this level for a while and not before.

And for once your prognostication is right on, it was good.

[Greg]

A while is vague because some players can explode and be immediate hits, like Tom Brady, and others can take years to develop into even decent players like Brady Anderson (he comes to mind since he was recently interviewed about Cal). Remember, he was still hitting like .220 after his fourth year, then he became a very good player for a while. The Os stuck with him because of his physical gifts. That sounds familiar.

[Raveninwoodlawn]

Why is this thread still going?

[festivus]

Greg can't resist shooting fish in a barrel.

[festivus]

Whatever, Tex.

The day you agree with me is the day I start worrying about whether I've stopped being able to listen and to think clearly, so it's for the best if you still think I'm wrong.

[Rochardrik]

Note to extra point......remember, one of the tipped balls from Boller hit Mason in the shoulder pad in the back of the endzone. Mason was used to getting lobs from McNair and got hit by a laser from Boller. You can't say that was luck by Boller. The other tipped ball.......that was luck!

If a dropped pass counts as an incompletion, and a tipped (by our player) ball into the hand of a defender counts as an interception, Then a tipped ball to our receiver also counts as a completion. And we have to admit, several of KB's int.'s were tipped by OUR receivers, and he also had a passel of dropped passes, as well! No, I'm not a Boller hugger, or hater, but to evaluate his progress with our (at the time) receivers and OL, is, to say the least, inaccurate!:hammer:

[Baltoman07]

Tex...why would they insult Boller with a "league minimum" offer? The great Tony Pashos got a millions more than that. You think a top backup makes chicken scratch? Think before you type.

[crazyraven]

He is a far cry from a top anything, and lucky to have a job.
Tex I don't like to correct you because you are usually spot on when it comes to Boller its just that -Well, he is the on top of the list when it comes to shitty quarterbacks. :D


To recap for ya, after drafting Boller the Ravens fired their OC, upgraded their receivers and OL, and still the offense sucked until they finally replaced Blunderboy with a legitimate starting NFL QB in McNair and, wala 13-3 best record ever. It doesn't take a genius to see that Boller was the problem here!

Way to break it down to an elementary level. If Boller ever balked at a the league minimum he would soon be out of the league. Nobody wants that fucker. NOBODY!

[Baltoman07]

I guess we'll see. If Boller signs for league minimum or goes to Canada, you will be right. Somehow I'm sure Boller will get more than that next year from another team. Let's see who's right.