Coats blog

[RamWraith]

For three seasons in Minnesota, Scott Linehan and Daunte Culpepper were all but Velcro-ed to each other. Linehan was the Vikings’ offensive coordinator from 2002-04, and Culpepper was his quarterback. They maintained a close bond and friendship.

Friday night in Oakland, the two will have a reunion of sorts. The Raiders still haven’t signed No. 1 overall draft pick JaMarcus Russell, and Culpepper will start at quarterback against the Rams in preseason game No. 3.

“I’m extremely happy for him,” Linehan said. “I think he’s found a place that certainly can use him, with the young quarterback they drafted who’s not in camp yet. I know he’s battling for the job. If I were a betting man, I know he’d be the guy. He’s just a great player.

“He’s had a career setback because of an injury, and it takes a long time to come back off of those kinds of knee injuries. They’re very severe, and last year (in Miami) he wasn’t the same. I see a lot more of the old Daunte now on tape, running around and making plays.

“Unfortunately, we have to play against him. I always felt very good going into every game with him as our quarterback that we were going to have a chance to win.”

***

Linehan plans to play the starters for at least a half, and then let the second-teamers finish up. But he’ll also sprinkle in some of the on-the-bubble players for another look before the first round of cuts (rosters must be down to 75 by Tuesday).

Players in that category include RBs Kay-Jay Harris and Rich Alexis; OL Milford Brown, Adam Goldberg, Adam Parquet and Claude Terrell; TEs Aaron Walker and Dominique Byrd; WRs Derek Stanley and Dominique Thompson (won’t play because of rib injury); DL Eric Moore, Trevor Johnson, Keith Jackson and Tim Sandidge; LBs Raonall Smith, Quinton Culberson, Jamal Brooks and Tim McGarigle (probably won’t play because of a hamstring injury); CBs Josh Lay, Harrison Smith and Darius Vinnett; and S Andre Kirkland and Jeffrey Dukes.

***

Many of the players and coaches attended the funeral Thursday morning for Kathy Garrett before leaving for Oakland. Mrs. Garrett, 38, was the wife of tight ends coach Judd Garrett. She died Monday after a brief illness.

Judd Garrett delivered an eloquent and moving eulogy.

All for now…

[laram0]

Culpeppers going to get crushed vs our RAMS D. :r:l