There's nothing more important to the Jets than the health of Chad Pennington. If he remains in the lineup for 16 games they've got a decent chance of making a repeat voyage to the postseason. If he doesn't, though, it's hard to picture Kellen Clemens or Marques Tuiasosopo leading them to anything but a Top 10 selection. That's why Michael David Smith is making a bold suggestion to Mike Tannenbaum and Eric Mangini in today's New York Sun.
Miami Dolphins quarterback Daunte Culpepper is in NFL limbo. He's still under contract, but the Dolphins have locked him out of their practice facilities. Culpepper is protesting the team's actions, an arbitration hearing is scheduled for June 29, and he is expected to win his grievance and become an unrestricted free agent. When that happens, the Jets should offer him a contract...With Culpepper as Pennington's backup, the Jets wouldn't have to worry that they were one Pennington shoulder injury away from having their season implode before their eyes. Culpepper isn't the star he was a couple of years ago, but he's a capable enough quarterback that he could take over the team if Pennington got hurt.
It's a pretty sound argument. Culpepper is coming off consecutive injury-plagued campaigns and won't get a starting job in the NFL next season. Smith argues that Jacksonville, the landing spot most often mentioned for Culpepper, isn't the right place because he's not a sure bet to get the #2 job ahead of David Garrard behind Byron Leftwich. As a #3, Culpepper would have no chance to play himself into a starting job in 2008 but if push came to shove with the Jets he could well find himself managing an offense in a playoff game. For the Jets they've seen too many seasons go down the drain because of Rick Mirer, Ray Lucas, Brooks Bollinger and Vincenzo the Old to write off the benefits of a talented quarterback behind Pennington. Clemens may turn out to be a NFL starter but he's untested and could doubtlessly spend another season learning without retarding his development. It's an interesting thought from Smith and one that the Jets should certainly explore.
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