Thread: Brad Wants to Start

Johnson seeks starting role
Having proven his ability to still be a starting quarterback in the NFL, Brad Johnson appears to be taking steps to ensure he doesn't begin the 2006 season as a backup.
Judd Zulgad and Mark Craigstar Tribune Staff Writers, Star Tribune
Last update: January 05, 2006 – 1:02 AM

Having proven his ability to still be a starting quarterback in the NFL, Brad Johnson appears to be taking steps to ensure he doesn't begin the 2006 season as a backup.
According to a person with knowledge of the situation, Johnson told Rob Brzezinski, Vikings vice president of football operations, that he wants to be traded if he isn't going to remain the starter.

Johnson's agent, Phil Williams, did not deny the fact his client wants to start but disputes the fact a trade demand was made. "It is more complicated than that," Williams said. Johnson declined to comment through Williams on Wednesday; Brzezinski said he had no comment via e-mail.

"I am aware that Brad did meet with Rob, whom he respects a lot, and in the course of their talk I have no doubt that Brad said something along the lines of, 'I am a starting quarterback in the NFL and love being a starting quarterback in the NFL,' " Williams said.

"The dynamics in Minnesota are what they are and this has nothing to do with individual players other than the fact that any quarterback in the NFL who is as good a starter as Brad is wants to be a starter. That should be obvious to anyone. He loves Minnesota but again the dynamics being what they are, if he were not the starting quarterback in Minnesota, he would like to be starting somewhere. Wouldn't anybody?"

Those dynamics involve injured Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper and the team's plans for him.

After being unable to find a starting job on the free-agent market last March, Johnson agreed to a four-year deal to return to the Vikings and serve as Culpepper's backup. Johnson, 37, became the starter when Culpepper tore three ligaments in his right knee in the first half Oct. 30 at Carolina.

Johnson, who finished the 2004 season as a backup in Tampa Bay, led the Vikings to a 7-2 record over the final nine games, including a six-game winning streak that put the team back in the playoff hunt after a 2-5 start.

Culpepper, though, is due a $6 million roster bonus in March and Vikings officials continue to be optimistic he will be ready for the start of the regular season. If that is the case, assuring Johnson of the starting job will be difficult.

Asked after Sunday's victory over Chicago in the regular-season finale, Johnson addressed the possibility of starting next season. "Hopefully someone out there will appreciate my value," he said. "I'm sure everything is going to take its course. ... I am just going to let things play out."

Said Williams: "Brad knows that he can have success as an NFL quarterback for several more years so of course he wouldn't want to be designated as a backup anywhere. The circumstances from 2004 [when Johnson was benched in Tampa Bay] that dictated he started the season in 2005 as a backup are unfortunate and yet they are in the past.

"I'm pretty sure that most people around the NFL realize that Brad Johnson is the Brad Johnson of old and is a starting quarterback. But again, I say, wouldn't anybody? So it's not that big of a deal. Whatever was said and however it was interpreted I can't comment on, but I can say the part about Brad wanting to be a starting quarterback is absolutely factual, and he deserves to be."

Loney in Arizona today

Vikings offensive coordinator-line coach Steve Loney flew to Phoenix on Wednesday night and will interview for the Cardinals' vacant offensive line coaching position today.

If the Cardinals offer Loney the job, it's believed he will have only one day to accept it. With so many job openings throughout the league, Cardinals coach Dennis Green wants to move fast for competitive reasons.

http://www.startribune.com/510/story/164016.html

All I can say is I think he should start also, and I hope he does.

he only has a year or 2 left, I can see why his position. I say just take c-peps rehab real slow, let his heal 100% and maybe brad will start 1 more year and c-pep returns 100% the year after. I honestly dont think c-pep will ever be 100% again tho, we should make sure to have a real good back up from here out.

Heres what we should doo....Take culpepper's rehab, and do the best we can...we need him to heel as fully as he can...then if needed, brad can start next year, he really showed that he can still win games in this league! If pep's ready for training camp, let him and brad deul it out for the starting spot!

Our new coach will go with the better qb...

Can't blame Brad for that.

He is a starting QB he has prooven it time and time again.

A lot is going to depend on our coaching situation but I think Brad will be starting somewhere else next year.

I can see this thread turning ugly in a few pages down the road.

He is under contract.

At this point, he may very well be starting next year if DC is unable to play right away.

Last, no use to discuss it until we get a new coach. The coach makes that decision and could tell him the day after he is signed that BJ will be the starter and then change his mind a minute before the first game of the season.

Coach has the final say!

"Del Rio" wrote:

Can't blame Brad for that.

He is a starting QB he has prooven it time and time again.

A lot is going to depend on our coaching situation but I think Brad will be starting somewhere else next year.

I am a DC supporter all the way.

With that said, Brad should be told that he is competing for the starting job.

It comes back to what we were saying about DC earlier, make him earn it.

Also, we paid him a lot of money to be a back up. He signed the contract, he needs to stay. Unless there is a clause in the contract that says he can shop himself around??????

Rember, it is a business, and $6 mil in March will weigh heavily in the decision (sadly).

What are we gonna get for a 37 year old quarterback in a trade? To me this is just going to be a major headache because we will A) be without a backup, B) have a QB "controversy" C) Have unneeded headaches from trying to find a trade for a guy we brought in to be a backup.

Letting Brad go would be a disaster. Even IF CP looks good in camp, won't have much of an idea of his recovery until a few games in. If CP is marginal, who else but Brad do we go to? Yes, he's under contract, I guess we also have to make him "happy". An early test for Wilf & co.