It's Trent Green's team now

BY ARMANDO SALGUERO

asalguero@MiamiHerald.com

Take a deep breath because Friday's bedlam surely was enough activity to leave anyone thoroughly winded.

There was the trade to move Daunte Culpepper the Dolphins were trying to make, which was not completed before the erstwhile quarterback coaxed his way onto the practice field for the first time in six months, then followed that surprise appearance with a dramatic walk off the field after only 60 minutes, which was followed by him saying he was lied to and that he would not accept any trade.

It was a soap opera in cleats and it pretty much involved every player on the Dolphins roster, seeing as Culpepper said coaches announced his pending end of days with Miami in front of the entire squad during a morning meeting.

But amid all the drama surrounding Culpepper and the coming collision between his desire to be released and the team's desire to trade him, it should be noted the Dolphins accomplished one significant thing.

They settled their quarterback position.

It doesn't matter that Culpepper is still casting a shadow over this franchise. It doesn't matter that Cleo Lemon was still taking the first-team snaps. It doesn't even matter whether Paris Hilton is in or out of jail.

MAIN POINT

All that matters is that Trent Green was on the field for the first time, and he's going to be Miami's starting quarterback in 2007.

Worry about Culpepper's fate, if you like. Worry about uncertainty at some other position, if you must. But quarterback?

No worries for now.

Cam Cameron, the Sherpa picked to guide Miami to the offensive mountaintop, wasn't feeling great about the quarterback position a few days ago.

Asked Friday if the change in personnel has changed his mind, Cameron responded with an emphatic, ``Yes.''

''Anytime you are fortunate -- and let's realize how fortunate we now are to have a proven winner who is a veteran as a part of our team -- I think that can be nothing but a plus,'' Cameron said. ``Why? You know what I believe. It's a leadership position. It starts with that. It's a toughness position. It's a mental position. Everything is gravy after that. And [Green has] exhibited over an extended period of time those characteristics.''

Green, in his familiar No. 10, didn't exactly take over in his first practice. He doesn't know all his teammates and hasn't really bonded with any of them. He's also filling in the missing pieces of the offensive system because Cameron has changed approximately ''10 to 15 percent'' of the scheme's terminology since he and Green last worked together in 1996.

But it will not take long before Green is the star and leader of Miami's offense.

''I think there's great potential for this offense,'' Green said. ``This is an offense I've been in my whole career so I believe in this system. I know it can work. I know that there are ways to have success in this offense by putting guys in position to have success.

``And that is something that Cam and I have communicated about.''

That doesn't mean there aren't questions to be answered. Green soon will be 37 years old and would have to be a physical marvel to have his latter days surpass his former. He also won't have the benefit of playing behind one of the best offensive lines in the NFL as he did in Kansas City.

But none of that will keep him from succeeding more than any Miami quarterback has since Dan Marino retired.

UPGRADE AT QB

Green is today a more talented quarterback than gritty Jay Fiedler or goofy A.J. Feeley. He is more accurate than inconsistent Gus Frerotte. He is a known quality, which Sage Rosenfels still is not. And, despite his concussion of a season ago, Green is still a lower injury risk than Culpepper.

Cameron says there is nothing Green cannot do now that he could do four or five years ago, when, incidentally, Green was starting a run of three consecutive 4,000-yard passing seasons.

And that little issue of protection?

Green thinks Miami's unsettled line will nonetheless be good enough to help him succeed.

''I think so,'' he said. ''If you look at San Diego's offense the last couple of years, you don't have that Willie Roaf or Will Shields type -- the perennial 10- or 11-year Pro Bowl players,'' he said. ``You had guys that are still making names for themselves. I think it's been proven that you can have success with unproven guys and with the scheme, the coaching and obviously with the talent level, there's definitely an [opportunity] for having success on this offense.''

That ultimately is what the Dolphins were trying to do Friday amid the drama -- ensure some level of offensive success in 2007.

To that end, Culpepper walking off the field for the last time after a practice was nothing more than a distraction, while Green walking on the field for the first time was the real attraction.

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