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Former Lion says Culpepper will start at QB

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Alex Marvez

Alex Marvez is a Senior NFL Writer for FOXSports.com. He has covered the NFL for the past 17 seasons as a beat writer and is the former president of the Pro Football Writers of America. He also is a frequent host on Sirius XM NFL Radio.

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Updated Feb 15, 2009 3:53 PM ET
     
 
Daunte Culpepper didn't win a game as Detroit's starting quarterback in 2008, but one of his former teammates says he will have the chance to end that losing streak this coming season. Ex-Lions wide receiver Mike Furrey said Culpepper will return under center heading into the 2009 campaign. "I've spoken to a couple of my friends who are backups there and I know [the Lions] are going to name Daunte Culpepper as the starter," Furrey said during a Sunday morning appearance on Sirius NFL Radio. Signed to a two-year contract last November because of injuries to fellow quarterbacks Jon Kitna and Dan Orlovsky, Culpepper was initially considered a stop-gap at the position. The Lions were 0-5 with Culpepper before returning to Orlovsky for their final three games. Neither player was able to help Detroit avoid becoming the first 0-16 team in NFL history. Having announced his retirement at the start of the 2008 season, Culpepper was out of shape when joining the Lions and had little time to practice with his new teammates before being thrust onto the field. Culpepper posted a 52.2 completion percentage with four touchdowns and six interceptions while also being sacked 14 times. The fact that Culpepper is due a $2.5 million roster bonus on February 27 as well as a $2.5 million base salary for 2009 raised questions about his future in Detroit. Culpepper, though, did show flashes of his days as one of the league's top quarterbacks from earlier in his 10-year NFL career. He will now be reunited with new Lions offensive coordinator Scott Linehan, who held the same position in Minnesota during Culpepper's heyday from 2002 to 2004. Culpepper has played with Detroit, Oakland (2007) and Miami (2006) since suffering a serious knee injury in 2005 while with the Vikings. "He's going to be a leader," Furrey said of Culpepper. "He's had the knowledge to play the game for a long time. He's been very successful. It's tough for anybody to come in toward the middle or end of the season and revive a team that has been downward spiraling the whole time." Even if Culpepper is pegged as a short-term starter, it doesn't preclude Detroit from selecting a quarterback in late April with the draft's top overall pick. Matthew Stafford (Georgia) and Mark Sanchez (Southern Cal) are considered the top prospects at the position, but both are early-entry juniors who may need more seasoning before being ready to push for starting positions. Keeping Culpepper will likely lead to the departures of Kitna and Orlovsky. A three-year Lions starter, the 36-year-old Kitna is set to earn a $500,000 roster bonus along with a $2 million base salary in 2009. Orlovsky is set to leave via free agency. After attempting only 17 passes in his first three NFL seasons, Orlovsky started seven games and played in three others in 2008 when Kitna went on injured reserve with a back injury. "Danny is looking and ready to go someplace else," Furrey said. "He's done well enough to deserve a chance to start or at least compete for a starting spot somewhere. I know they've asked him to come back and be the backup." As for Furrey himself, he is optimistic about signing elsewhere within the next two weeks in what will likely be a slot receiver role. The six-year veteran enjoyed his best season with the Lions in 2006 when catching 98 passes for 1,086 yards and six touchdowns. Injuries limited Furrey's production the past two seasons and contributed to last week's release by the Lions. Alex Marvez interviewed Mike Furrey while co-hosting on Sirius NFL Radio.
Tagged: Daunte Culpepper, Jon Kitna, Lions, Dan Orlovsky, Mike Furrey

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