Empty the Bench

There goes the story of the top two quarterbacks taken in the 2002 NFL Draft, or at least the first few chapters of it. After Joey “Blue Skies” Harrington was issued his walking papers earlier this year by the Miami Dolphins, the Houston Texans decided trade prospects were not great for David Carr and released him outright.

When these former franchise-savers entered the NFL, it was said ad nauseum that their careers would forever be linked to each other, and that comparisons were inevitable. Well, they’re both out of jobs, both have never achieved any significant measure of success as professionals, and both are now likely faced with overcoming major confidence issues. Chances are that Carr will be picked up within a week or two by someone like the Raiders, Browns, or Vikings, but the future is less uncertain for Joey. Sadly for Harrington, playing for the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL is his best prospect at the moment:

The Toronto Argonauts have gained exclusive CFL rights to former Detroit Lions starting quarterback Joey Harrington by placing his name on their negotiation list. The best part? It could be Joey Harrington vs. Mike McMahon in Toronto.

McMahon, of course, was Joey’s backup in Detroit for quite some time, and the Mike vs. Joey debate was always a rager in Motown. Joey just can’t win, can he?

In other news, Joey’s former Miami Dolphins teammate, Daunte Culpepper, could also be faced with finding another new home next season. The Palm Beach Post reports that new head coach Cam Cameron will hold an open competition for his team’s starting QB job, and that if KC Chiefs QB Trent Green is indeed traded to Miami, as has been widely speculated, Culpepper’s tenure in Miami could go the way of the Dodo.

The Dolphins have three quarterbacks, including Daunte Culpepper. Cameron said Culpepper continues to be in “rehabilitation mode” with his right knee and “he’s making progress.” Cameron expects Culpepper to participate in the team’s quarterback school, which begins the first week in April.

“Whoever our quarterback winds up being, it will be a guy that has earned the job,” Cameron said. “The great quarterbacks don’t want it any other way. I’ve never been around a quarterback that was given a job. That’s our approach.”

We have no idea what’s going to happen in Miami. If Green and David Carr are brought in, however, the writing will undoubtedly be on the wall in big, bold letters for Culpepper.