Culpepper trade sets off flurry of NFL roster moves

Two star quarterbacks found new homes on Tuesday and two talented but troublesome receivers went on the open market.

Daunte Culpepper landed in Miami and Drew Brees in New Orleans, a few hours before Terrell Owens was released by Philadelphia and Keyshawn Johnson was cut by Dallas. For the Eagles, parting ways with Owens was inevitable. But the Cowboys' move was unexpected and is sure to fuel speculation that Owens could be headed to the Cowboys, where he could never have coexisted with Johnson, sometimes dubbed "Me-shawn."

The quarterbacks played off each other.

Brees, who had been considering Miami and New Orleans, agreed to a six-year deal with the Saints shortly after the Vikings traded Culpepper to the Dolphins for what was reported as a second-round pick. However, Brees' agent, Tom Condon, said his client had been leaning toward the Saints in the last two days.

Not only did that take the two experienced QBs off the market but it raised another question: Does New Orleans dangle the second pick in the draft for teams seeking Southern California quarterback Matt Leinart? Aaron Brooks, the Saints quarterback for the past five years, is likely to be released, adding another quarterback who still has some value to the market.

Both Culpepper and Brees are coming off major injuries.

Brees, a standout for the Chargers the last two seasons, injured his throwing shoulder in the team's final game last season and underwent surgery.

The Saints will pay him $60 million over six years, $10 million guaranteed.

Culpepper threw just six touchdowns and had 12 interceptions last season, playing just seven games before he tore three ligaments in his knee.

Another veteran quarterback, Jon Kitna, is going to Detroit, according to his agent, Michael Moye. Kitna backed up Carson Palmer in Cincinnati for two years after being named the NFL's comeback player of the year in 2003, his first season with the Bengals and his only one as a starter with them.

Then there were the receivers. Owens and Johnson were partly responsible for a clause in the new labor agreement that prevents teams from benching players by deactivating them.

It first happened with Johnson in Tampa Bay in 2003, when coach Jon Gruden deactivated him for the final six games for disciplinary reasons. The Eagles did the same last season with Owens, suspending him for four games, then deactivating — or "Keyshawning" — him.