Alumni club

INDIANAPOLIS--St. Louis Rams coach Scott Linehan has heard the comparisons, but with no disrespect to LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell, he’s no Daunte Culpepper. Not yet, anyway.

“JaMarcus is going to have to go to a couple Pro Bowls first to be compared to Daunte,” Linehan, the Vikings’ former offensive coordinator, said today.

Culpepper suffered through an injury-shortened first season in Miami after undergoing triple-ligament knee surgery in 2005, but Linehan warned not to count him out.

“I know with his injury, Daunte has kind of fallen off the map here lately, but you better not write him off,” he said. “That guy will be back.”

Linehan also said the Rams are still hoping to sign prospective free agent Kevin Curtis, who could be the top receiver in free agency if he hits the market.

“I’m just going to remain optimistic about it,” Linehan said, “but I also know it’s a business and we’re not going to be devastated if it doesn’t happen. We’ve got to have an alternative plan. We’ll cross that bridge if we come to it.”

In addition to being a high draft priority, wide receiver figures to be on the Vikings’ free-agent shopping list, with Travis Taylor expected to hit the market.

--Don Seeholzer