Miami Herald article tends to support the hypothesis
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Posted on Tue, Oct. 10, 2006
MIAMI DOLPHINS
Harrington named starter, Culpepper out indefinitely
Dolphins coach Nick Saban said Daunte Culpepper will not return to the starting lineup until he regains his 'explosion,' which might not be until next season.
BY ARMANDO SALGUERO
asalguero@MiamiHerald.com
Joey Harrington is the new starting quarterback, and Daunte Culpepper has been shelved. But that unambiguous change Monday left the Dolphins with a vague and troubling question:
Can Culpepper return this season?
The Dolphins have benched Culpepper indefinitely until he regains what coach Nick Saban called his ''explosion,'' and regaining that gift might take an extended period of time.
There were whispers around the club Monday that Culpepper might not return to the lineup for weeks or, in the worst-case scenario, not until next season.
''I don't have a timetable for it because I don't know when it's going to happen,'' Saban said. ``We'll evaluate it on a week-to-week basis.''
Culpepper does not cherish the idea of being out of the lineup for any amount of time, and that was one reason he and Saban were involved in a heated exchange Friday.
The disagreement between the coach and quarterback happened because Culpepper wanted to take more repetitions during Friday's practice even as Saban was trying to lighten his load.
The coach did not refute the argument occurred, but dismissed its importance.
`NOT AN ISSUE'
''I confront players on the field all the time,'' Saban said Monday. ``There's not a player that's been here that's been disrespectful to me. And Daunte was never disrespectful to me.
``If I confronted him on the field, I think that's family business. I really do. And I don't think that's anybody else's business. I think that's what coaches and players do. I have done that to other players, so it's not an issue. And this is not an issue. It's not an issue to me. It's not an issue for him. We talked about it. It's not an issue.''
There seems to be no lingering bitterness from the exchange on Saban's part.
''I would be disappointed in him as a competitor if he didn't want to play,'' Saban said of Culpepper. ``That's what he is, that's what I admire about him. He's a tremendous leader, he's got a presence, he really, really wants to play. I respect that.''
But no amount of respect is enough to douse Culpepper's competitive fire to play now and throughout this season. That is why teammates say privately that Culpepper is unhappy at the prospect of not playing this week and probably for quite a while.
Culpepper left the locker room Monday before media was allowed to enter. He has declined to talk about anything since Wednesday.
Saban, meanwhile, confirmed that the former starter isn't thrilled with his new status.
''I respect the fact he's disappointed that he's not where he wants to be or not out there playing with his teammates,'' Saban said. ``I respect that. It's not a bad thing.''
It certainly isn't a bad thing for Harrington, who will get his 57th start in 60 NFL games played Sunday against the Jets. The Dolphins will give Harrington a clear majority of the first-team repetitions in practice while putting Culpepper on a rehabilitation program and giving him fewer snaps.
NOT PERMANENT
''We're going to work with Daunte, improve his movement, give him some reps in practice and get Joey ready to play in the game,'' Saban said. ``Does that make [Harrington] the starter? I guess that makes him the starter. But that can change anytime in the future.''
It apparently will not change, however, until the Dolphins are convinced Culpepper has regained much of the mobility he enjoyed before his right knee injury last October.
That injury, while healed, has sapped Culpepper's ability to escape from defenders in the pocket as well as the open field. And that has turned him into a target other teams have sacked 21 times.
Culpepper underwent a battery of tests Monday to determine how close -- or how far -- he is from regaining his mobility, and the program to improve that mobility has begun.
''It's an explosive-movement-type program that might help him regain the quick-burst-type movements,'' Saban said.
The Dolphins apparently will know exactly the right time for Culpepper's return to the starting lineup, because the indications will be clear.
''When he doesn't limp at all when he's playing, and he can move laterally and quickly,'' Saban said. ``It's not just straight-ahead running, but in lateral explosive movements. That's what we'll be looking for.''
That is what raises the possibility Culpepper might be out an extended period.
Typically, players who undergo reconstructive knee surgeries, as Culpepper did, can play within one year or less after their surgery, but don't fully regain their explosion until two years or less after their surgeries.
If the Dolphins hold Culpepper to the strict standard of waiting until he is completely recovered, the player might be out of the lineup months, which would be too late for him to participate this season.
Armando Salguero can be heard weeknights 6-7 on Newstalk 1360
), Joey, Walters. That's it. Play one league, but some guys hoard 3 qbs for some unknown reason. Grad showed some *grit* and solid decision making, and I refuse to put my fantasy team in Joey's hands, even for a bye week, after watching him implode in DET. Not blaming Harrington for ALL his failures in the motor city (see Kitna), but most of em'.
The interesting thing about Culpepper is that he hasn't been awful as a FANTASY qb, because he's been getting garbage time / late yards. But I can definitely see why Miami 1) doesn't want to risk further injury for future years and 2) doesn't think he's getting the job done now 
That said, notice that Harrington is NOT on that list of who I'd drop him for. Somehow I have more faith in Plummer, Frye and Alex Smith than Joey? Wow. No wonder I'm in 11th place 
)Im liking Chambers' outlook with Joey more than I was with Daunte. And mark it down -- if Joey starts against the Lions on thanksgiving, he will be money. 
