Why is Ponder still on the team???

[tnvikesfan]

Can someone please give me a legitimate reason for this to be happening? He can't handle pressure, he is a panic thrower, he is NOT an NFL caliber QB but yet he's STILL on the team? Why do we not have a couple more rookies who MIGHT have a shot at 3rd string competing and dump the King of Choke?

If we have a 'whole new mindset' etc., why is the QB position the SSDD? I understand Cassel and bringing up Bridgewater, but this whole hanging on to Ponder business because it's the last year of his contract is ridiculous!

It's time to cut bait, folks.

[dead_poet]

The Star Tribune just commented on this, so I think I'll share. He's more valuable than many fans realize despite their hatred.

The Vikings are expected to keep three quarterbacks. It would be very surpising if they cut Christian Ponder, has seen a slight increase in reps recently. He’s still locked in as the third string quarterback with the race for the starting position is between Matt Cassel and Teddy Bridgewater. Both should be active for every game barring injuries and Ponder inactive. It’s smart for the Vikings to hold on to their 2011 first round pick in case Cassel or Bridgewater suffer an injury. Even if they don’t, there will be injuries that occur at the position for one the 31 other teams. Ponder is a valuable backup quarterback, in my opinion, and will be a trade asset once teams deal with injuries at quarterback.

And this is your weekly reminder that Blaine Gabbert was traded from the Jaguars to the 49ers for a sixth round pick and possible conditional 2015 pick.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/vikin ... 28151.html

[Mothman]

The Star Tribune just commented on this, so I think I'll share. He's more valuable than many fans realize despite their hatred.

That's just it: the Vikings are looking at the situation rationally, not with the pent up anger and emotion of disgruntled fans. Ponder is still an asset, not a great one, but an asset nonetheless. He actually IS an NFL-caliber quarterback, though not a starting-caliber QB. It amazes me that so many people can't look around the league, look at the overall QB depth in the NFL, consider Ponder's good performances (not just the bad ones) and see that he has some value as an NFL backup.

We've seen teams that appeared to be on the road to the playoffs struggle or fail to save their seasons after losing their starting QBs. Heck, it's happened in our division a few times in recent years. GB was in trouble last year until they picked up Flynn and he helped keep their hopes alive until Rodgers came back. The 2011 Bears were 7-3 and appeared well on their way to a playoff berth when Cutler went down. They didn't have a good enough backup to survive that setback and they ended up going 1-5 the rest of the season (that wasn't all due to QB performance but it was a very big factor).

I realize a lot of people can't stand Ponder but he's still young and in his first and only full season as a starter, the Vikings won 10 games and made the playoffs. From an NFL team's point of view, that probably makes him a QB at least some teams would feel they can work with, a player who might be able to come off the bench and help them win.

There are more reasons to keep Ponder right now than to cut him.

[720pete]

Can someone please give me a legitimate reason for this to be happening? He can't handle pressure, he is a panic thrower, he is NOT an NFL caliber QB but yet he's STILL on the team? Why do we not have a couple more rookies who MIGHT have a shot at 3rd string competing and dump the King of Choke?

If we have a 'whole new mindset' etc., why is the QB position the SSDD? I understand Cassel and bringing up Bridgewater, but this whole hanging on to Ponder business because it's the last year of his contract is ridiculous!

It's time to cut bait, folks.

Can you name for me a player that would be a better third string quarterback for the Vikings right now than Christian Ponder?

[mmvikes]

Can someone please give me a legitimate reason for this to be happening? He can't handle pressure, he is a panic thrower, he is NOT an NFL caliber QB but yet he's STILL on the team? Why do we not have a couple more rookies who MIGHT have a shot at 3rd string competing and dump the King of Choke?

If we have a 'whole new mindset' etc., why is the QB position the SSDD? I understand Cassel and bringing up Bridgewater, but this whole hanging on to Ponder business because it's the last year of his contract is ridiculous!

It's time to cut bait, folks.

We need a third stringer as insurance in case of injury. He is still on a rookie contract so he is not expensive. I don't think many NFL teams have 3rd string QBs who have in the past carried their teams to a 10-6 record and the playoffs. There is No reason to just dump him.

[S197]

As I mentioned in another thread, he's going to get a lot of work in this preseason without that 4th QB on the roster, which hasn't happened since I can't remember when. It's likely they decided early on he's too far ahead of a UDFA to make it worthwhile to pick up one so instead give him the reps during the game to see how he works in Norv's offense and/or showcase him a bit against guys who are unlikely to make an NFL roster in hopes of drawing trade interest.

[mosscarter]

carried their team to a 10-6 record and playoffs? you have to be kidding me.

[HardcoreVikesFan]

What sense does it make to move on from Ponder at this point? If a move was going to be made, it should have been made months ago. Who knows, maybe we will luck out and be able to trade him later in the season?

[jackal]

three reasons

he is cheap

were hoping someone gets enough people hurt to want to trade a late pick for him ..

there trying to pressure the other two and hope he gains confidence and play closer to
what we thought he was going to be..


The fans hate Ponder with a passion; they want to see him fail ..

[Demi]

The fans hate Ponder with a passion; they want to see him fail ..

Too late. He's already failed. And it has nothing to do with anything the fans wanted. Nobody wanted to see him fail. It was just obviously to 99% of the football public that he WAS going to fail...

[jackal]

Too late. He's already failed. And it has nothing to do with anything the fans wanted. Nobody wanted to see him fail. It was just obviously to 99% of the football public that he WAS going to fail...

Obviously you weren't at the Browns game last year .. The fans wanted to hang him that day ...

[purplehaze]

Ponder is still an asset, not a great one, but an asset nonetheless.

May I please correct your quote there Moth. Ponder is a liability. And a great one at that.

[720pete]

May I please correct your quote there Moth. Ponder is a liability. And a great one at that.

Do you know of a better 3rd string QB we should have on the roster right now?

[Mothman]

May I please correct your quote there Moth.

No, you may not.

[Just Me]

Do you know of a better 3rd string QB we should have on the roster right now?

This really is the answer to the OP's original question. Who exactly are we going to cut Ponder for? Given that he can play (at a back-up level) in the NFL, why cut a 'proven' back-up? We might end up with another Josh Freeman...