Vikings step up, restructure Culpepper's contract

MINNEAPOLIS -- Daunte Culpepper has become one of the NFL's best quarterbacks, and the Minnesota Vikings wanted to make sure he's getting paid like one, too.

Culpepper and the Vikings reached an agreement on Sunday to restructure his contract, giving the three-time Pro Bowl player an unspecified raise.

Rob Brzezinski, the team's vice president for football operations, said the new deal -- given the blessing of new owner Zygi Wilf -- has been in the works since January.

Brzezinski didn't divulge financial terms, other than to confirm that Culpepper was getting an increase from the framework of the $102 million, 10-year contract extension he signed in May 2003. Culpepper's agent, Mason Ashe, also declined to specify -- but said that the raise was in the form of both bonuses and annual salary increases.

"He's a premier player in this league, and we felt like his contract needed an adjustment to reflect that," Brzezinski said. "Zygi stepped up, like he's done with everything else."

Players were unavailable for comment on Sunday, enjoying their first day off since training camp began last week. The Vikings resume practice in Mankato on Monday morning.

"It's a tremendous gesture, without a doubt," Ashe said, "that the owner recognizes his leadership and his ability and the fact that he's underpaid."

The 10-year deal Culpepper got originally, with one year left on his first contract, included a $16 million signing bonus and keeps him with Minnesota through the 2013 season. His 2005 salary, according to the NFL Players Association's website, would have been $540,000. But that's sure to go up substantially.

"We'll see what happens, and, hopefully, as time goes on we can continue to revisit it and keep it at market value," Ashe said.

The 11th pick in the 1999 draft out of Central Florida, Culpepper became a starter in his second season and helped lead the Vikings to the NFC championship. He struggled to play under control over the next two years, frequently making bad decisions and committing a bevy of turnovers -- 32 in 2002 alone.

But the 28-year-old Culpepper has excelled over the last two years, throwing for 4,717 yards and a career-high 39 touchdown passes against 11 interceptions.

"His main goal right now," Ashe said, "is winning the Super Bowl."