dolphins deal for qb today??

[Predatory_Fins]

The Dolphins' search for a new quarterback intensified Saturday, when an early morning visit to free agent Drew Brees led to lengthy evening discussions with Minnesota Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper.

The Dolphins are expected to have a new quarterback by the end of today, two sources said. The decision on which quarterback — Brees or Culpepper — will be based on today's meeting with Brees in South Florida.

The Dolphins, who anticipate landing one of the two, began courting Brees shortly after sunrise Saturday, the first day of free agency, a source said.

After the meeting on Saturday, Brees boarded a plane at noon to meet with the New Orleans Saints. He was to stay overnight, meet with the Saints again in the morning, then fly to South Florida for a more extensive meeting with the Dolphins.

Nick Saban and Randy Mueller did not want Brees to accept an offer from the Saints without talking to them, the source said, prompting their early flight. New Orleans is expected to offer a large amount of guaranteed money to Brees.

Rumors also swirled through league circles that Culpepper, who tore three ligaments in his knee in a game last year, traveled from his Orlando home to meet with the Dolphins in Davie. While those rumors couldn't be confirmed, discussions between the two parties did take place, several sources said.

[NYFin]

I think Daunte's a plan B for the Dolphins and that, if they miss out on Brees today, they still won't trade for Culpepper today.

Why show the interest?  To keep Brees from thinking he's the only one they want in hopes of getting better negotiations with him.  The Dolphins also hope that Brees is really more interested in the Fins and just using the Saints to up the offer from the Dolphins.  So maybe the Saints and Daunte are just pawns in what is really a game between Brees and the Dolphins.

But enough of the conspiracy theories.  I don't think they trade for the Vikings yet because the Dolphins don't want to burn $6m on Daunte's roster bonus this year.  Unless they can get him to agree to renegotiation that gets him to move the money around.  If Daunte agrees to a such a re-negotiation and secretly let the Dolphins examine him yesterday, then maybe there'll be a trade (3rd-rounder perhaps as I doubt the Vikings can really bleed a 2 from the Fins) for him.  Short of that though, I figure the Dolphins will wait for him to get cut by the Vikings and compete for him with other teams.

[NYFin]

Florio's stalking my posts again.   

Okay, not really.

POSTED 12:33 p.m. EST; UPDATED 12:58 p.m. EST, March 12, 2006

 

BREES DOESN'T WANT TO JOIN SAINTS

 

The scuttlebutt in league circles is that quarterback Drew Brees doesn't want to join the Saints, but that he's talking to them in the hopes of driving up the offer made by his preferred destination, the Miami Dolphins.

 

Word is that the Saints envision Brees as a short-term starter who would handle the job while Matt Leinart or Vince Young or Jay Cutler get ready to play.  As a result, the Saints are offering the kind of deal that Kurt Warner signed two seasons ago in New York as Eli Manning got ready to play -- a two-year contract that is essentially a one-year deal.

 

The problem is that the Fins don't want to pay the same kind of money in 2006 that the Saints are willing to invest.  Instead, Miami is giving Brees the opportunity to earn big money over the long term.

 

So the Saints are banking on Brees' shoulder being fully healed in time for the 2006 season, and the Dolphins are being more cautious.

 

In the end, Brees' best play might be to take less money in the short term with an organization that is far better equipped to succeed over the long haul.

[YoFuggedaboutit]

In the end, Brees' best play might be to take less money in the short term with an organization that is far better equipped to succeed over the long haul.

I agree there.  Here's why I think Brees won't take the highest offer. He'll turn down extra millions in order to have a shot at a title  Think about it for a moment.......

New Orleans- Owner is so stingy he makes Scrooge look like Ghandi. Stadium is messed up. Coach has no head coaching experience.  Team's recent record ranges from mediocre to horrendous and there seems to be no relief in sight. 

Miami- Great stadium. Sunny beaches crowded with women in thongs. Rich owner who wants to win. Smart GM and coach.   Winning record blemished by that one bad season.  Appears to be on the rise. 

I'd give up an extra $1 to $2 million a year to play in Miami.

[jtex316]

Rich owner who wants to win??

Is this the same H. Wayne Huizenga we're talking about here?

[YoFuggedaboutit]

Rich owner who wants to win??

Is this the same H. Wayne Huizenga we're talking about here?

Uhhhhhh yes.

[gocowboys31]

Uhhhhhh yes.

Wayne huizenga wants to win at his price. You dolphin fans are lucky WANNY did the honorable thing and resigned or else he'd still be the coach. Lord knows WAYNE wasnt about to drop the hammer on WANNY.


Miami is fortuanate their dealing with Tom Benson here, because if this were jerry jones or dan snyder huizenga would've withdrawn his name from the bidding along time ago.


Huizenga isnt as great as you think.

[YoFuggedaboutit]

Wayne huizenga wants to win at his price. You dolphin fans are lucky WANNY did the honorable thing and resigned or else he'd still be the coach. Lord knows WAYNE wasnt about to drop the hammer on WANNY.


Miami is fortuanate their dealing with Tom Benson here, because if this were jerry jones or dan snyder huizenga would've withdrawn his name from the bidding along time ago.


Huizenga isnt as great as you think.

Wayne likes to fire people in a humane way.  He did the same thing to Shula back in 1995. 

Additionally, I am aware that Huizenga's pockets aren't as deep as Jerry Jones's or Dan Snyder's. 

[Thundergod]

Football IS Miami,  as long as the Dolphins are competitive people will go to the games in hopes of making the playoffs year in and year out.  Wayne Huipinga isn't really losing $$$ with the Dolphins so as long as asses are in the seats I believe he could care less about winning the SB. 

He had 2 franchises that were on the cusp of being great (Panthers and Marlins)  and he sold 'em both because no one gave a rats ass in Miami and he was losing too much.