The Dolphins' final minicamp of the offseason begins today with a soap-opera feel as incoming quarterback Trent Green takes the reins from lame duck Daunte Culpepper, who on Thursday demanded his release in a letter to coach Cam Cameron and General Manager Randy Mueller while taking a shot at management.
Also on Thursday, Dolphins defensive tackle Vonnie Holliday was backpedaling in an effort to distance himself from a national publication on-line story in which he criticized the Dolphins for selecting returner/receiver Ted Ginn Jr. over quarterback Brady Quinn with their first-round pick.
Holliday said Thursday his comments were taken out of context and the SI.com reporter "made something out of nothing."
Culpepper's comments couldn't be misconstrued as they came in an e-mail from the soon-to-be ex-Dolphin.
"I must say the impatience the organization displayed in both encouraging me to rush back on the field last year and then rushing me out the door this year is disappointing," Culpepper wrote.
Without naming names, Culpepper, for the first time, seemed to be blaming former Dolphins coach Nick Saban for pushing him to start the 2006 season after undergoing major reconstruction of his shredded right knee just 10 months earlier.
Culpepper's mobility was limited, and as a result he was sacked 21 times in leading the Dolphins to a 1-3 start before he was shelved for the rest of the season. He also re-injured the knee and needed more surgery in November.
Culpepper, who acts as his own agent, said he doesn't want to burden his "next team" with his back-loaded contract that calls for approximately $51.5 million over the next seven years, including $5.5 million this season.
"I feel it is necessary to obtain a release rather than seek a trade so that I would not bring the excess baggage of my present contract to a new team," he said. "I feel like my next team should have the opportunity to get to know me as a man and a player before they make any long-term commitment."
Culpepper also said that he wasn't given a fair opportunity to win the starting job even before the April draft because of "established relationships." He was obviously referring to Cameron's long-standing connections with quarterbacks Cleo Lemon and Green.
Cameron recently said that he wouldn't evaluate Culpepper until he was 100 percent healthy. That seems unlikely now with Culpepper's imminent departure.
Culpepper said the Dolphins have given him permission to speak to other teams and that if he isn't released by today, he plans "on fully participating in this week's minicamp."
Although Culpepper said he had been given complete clearance from his surgeon and team doctors to return to the field on Wednesday, he chose not to while he was mulling his "next move."
Teams who possibly could be in the market for Culpepper's services are the Jaguars, Patriots, Raiders, Rams and Ravens.
Meanwhile, Holliday admitted that while he was initially shocked by the pick, his comments to the SI.com reporter weren't "characterized correctly."
"With the ninth pick they took a guy who is basically a kick returner -- a hurt kick returner," Holliday told SI.com. "Here we are in June, and he hasn't been in camp yet. Maybe he'll come in eventually and become a better route-runner and make some plays. But I couldn't believe it then, and I can't believe it now."
Holliday said he was only trying to identify with the angry Dolphins fans who booed the pick of Ted Ginn Jr. at the team draft party.
"He turned it into me bashing our organization and trashing Ted Ginn Jr., and that's not what I did," Holliday said. "I've never been that kind of guy."
"I have no idea about Ted Ginn Jr.. I just knew there was a quarterback concern and Brady Quinn is sitting there and I think we're picking him with the ninth pick and we don't. ... Our scouts saw that wasn't the right route."
Ted Ginn Jr., who sprained his left foot in the BCS Championship Game on Jan. 8, was at the Dolphins facility Thursday. Now that his class at Ohio State graduated Thursday, he is allowed to participate in all Dolphins-related activities. However, his lingering foot injury may limit him this weekend.
DT Soliai signed
The Dolphins signed defensive tackle Paul Soliai, the fourth-round pick out of Utah, to a four-year deal.
Soliai, a 6-foot-4, 344-pounder, is vying for playing time with second-year defensive tackle Fred Evans in the defensive-line rotation behind tackle Keith Traylor.
Meanwhile, Director of Pro Personnel George Paton has left the team to take a similar front-office position with the Minnesota Vikings, according to a source.
