I'm not sure Daunte Culpepper would consider it a compliment, given that he's still trying to earn the first-string job.
But SI.com's Don Banks has C-Pep ranked the third-best backup QB in the league, in an evaluation of all 32 teams. Only Oakland's Jeff Garcia (who many believe will supplant JaMarcus Russell) and Michael Vick in Philly are rated higher.
Says Banks about Culpepper:
It's entirely possible, and maybe even likely that Culpepper could wind up beating out Matthew Stafford and starting for the first month of the season or so in Detroit. But at some point this year, the Lions are going to be tossing the keys to the No. 1 overall pick and that means Culpepper will be headed for backup-dom. Having shed 30 pounds this offseason and gained some of the mobility back that he hasn't had since his 2005 knee injury, Culpepper looks good again and is an easy top-five choice when it comes to No. 2's.
After years of struggling with a revolving door and crushing disappointments at QB, it's weird to think of it as a solid, no-worries position in Detroit. I'm not sure we're there yet, but it's fun to imagine.
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