S197 wrote:I don't think arm strength is the major issue with Ponder, it's his vision, footwork and decision making that need to be improved. The good thing is that those are all coachable but it remains to be seen if he'll listen.
I thought he made strides in all 3 areas during the last month of the season. Hopefully, he'll be better next year. This will only be the second offseason during which he'll have a chance to work the coaches on this stuff.
mansquatch wrote:I think Dead Poet's comments awhile back on a "Re-Adjustment" were really the core issue with Ponder. That article that quoted his QB coach as basically saying we've seen him do it all on tape and we've seen him do the very worst also comes to mind.
The question is does he stay Jekyl/Hyde or does he morph into one or the other? In other words consistency.
I also think the injury to Harvin should not be overlooked. It didn't just take Harvin away, it also meant the passing game was basically all about KR plus a bunch of 3rd rate and/or injured WR. That is not exactly a matchup conundrum for an NFL defense. That only compounds the challenges faced by a 2nd year QB.
I do not know what Ponder will end up being, but I am fairly certain that we haven't seen the finished product yet.
Well said. I know it's been brought up many times before but the midseason struggles to pass block shouldn't be overlooked either. They coincided with Ponder's worst stretch of performances and I don't think that's a coincidence. There were some games (Arizona, Tampa Bay, Seattle...) where the pass blocking was really ugly.
Vikings coach Leslie Frazier told ESPN's Chris Mortensen that Christian Ponder will not face competition for his starting job in 2013 camp.
Mortensen recently spoke to Frazier, who said Ponder is locked in for 2013. "Leslie Frazier said, 'Go look at his games in December,'" Mort relayed. "There were a couple of games in December where they saw the Christian Ponder they drafted. ... They really believe Ponder will continue to get better. He is the starter going into the season. They expect nothing to change that. No competition." The Vikings will try to upgrade on backup Joe Webb, but it now seems doubtful that they'd seriously pursue Matt Moore, who is free agency's top quarterback.
“Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it's much more serious than that.” --- Bill Shankly
Vikings coach Leslie Frazier told ESPN's Chris Mortensen that Christian Ponder will not face competition for his starting job in 2013 camp.
Mortensen recently spoke to Frazier, who said Ponder is locked in for 2013. "Leslie Frazier said, 'Go look at his games in December,'" Mort relayed. "There were a couple of games in December where they saw the Christian Ponder they drafted. ... They really believe Ponder will continue to get better. He is the starter going into the season. They expect nothing to change that. No competition." The Vikings will try to upgrade on backup Joe Webb, but it now seems doubtful that they'd seriously pursue Matt Moore, who is free agency's top quarterback.
I really don't have too many problems letting Ponder work it out... But this is just... Well, I don't know what to say.
mrc44 wrote:
How do you figure? If Ponder doesn't work out this season at least we can draft a QB in 2014 and already have a team built around him. You act like there is someone in this draft class that is worth grabbing? this draft class is shiet. lets keep building and give him a chance. God forbid New Orleans ever listened to a bunch of people bi tching about drew brees his first two seasons, they would have tossed him out and been with out a QB. YA YA ponder is never going to be Drew Brees, my bad I did not know all you jack #### could see the future.
I'd rather we find someone with potential either in FA or in the middle rounds of the draft this year. Even the Redskins, who gave up the farm for RGIII drafted a second QB last year. It never ceases to amaze me at how much this front office continues to neglect the QB position. Even if they think Ponder is the guy, you still make contingency plans. Joe Webb is no longer a contingency plan. MBT is a long shot. This needs to be addressed this year.
S197 wrote:I'd rather we find someone with potential either in FA or in the middle rounds of the draft this year. Even the Redskins, who gave up the farm for RGIII drafted a second QB last year. It never ceases to amaze me at how much this front office continues to neglect the QB position. Even if they think Ponder is the guy, you still make contingency plans. Joe Webb is no longer a contingency plan. MBT is a long shot. This needs to be addressed this year.
Is there some indication it won't be addressed this year? The report dead_poet quoted said the Vikings will try to upgrade on Joe Webb, which implies a new contingency plan. MBT could easily be replaced too.
Matt Moore, Jason Campbell, random other completely useless bums aren't a contingency plan. Drafting a Qb in the mid to late rounds would be nice, but if they do will they even give the guy a look as a potential future QB much less if Ponder goes down again? They're doing everything they can to keep Ponder from feeling any pressure. Which is fine since they're going with him, but it also sounds like they won't even bring in someone competent to backup him up in case of injury. Of course they could, but after this season and how they handled it does it seem very likely?
I definitely hope they don't do the Ponder approach and just go into 14 draft being required to pick a QB because they have no one else to play the position....
Haven't had a chance to read the whole thread, but I'm okay with Ponder being declared the starter and not pursuing anyone like matt moore or alex smith. To me it just seems like those types at best are only slightly ahead of ponder right now but the upside is basically zero. Where they need to pay more attention is at the back up and development spots imo. I would be okay with as high as a 3rd round pick being spent on a QB to perhaps try and fill either spot. I don't think Webb should be the #2, he gave us essentially zero chance to beat the packers and that was very disappointing.
Demi wrote:Matt Moore, Jason Campbell, random other completely useless bums aren't a contingency plan. Drafting a Qb in the mid to late rounds would be nice, but if they do will they even give the guy a look as a potential future QB much less if Ponder goes down again? They're doing everything they can to keep Ponder from feeling any pressure. Which is fine since they're going with him, but it also sounds like they won't even bring in someone competent to backup him up in case of injury. Of course they could, but after this season and how they handled it does it seem very likely?
I think we'll just have to wait and see. I definitely want them to get a solid Plan B in place this year so that if Ponder flames out in 2013 they aren't back to where they were after 2010. However, saying Ponder won't face competition for the starting job is quite a bit different than saying there won't be a backup on the roster capable of competing for a starting job. I think it's probably just another way of saying Ponder is the starter and the Vikes won't be declaring an open competition for the job in camp.
mondry wrote:Haven't had a chance to read the whole thread, but I'm okay with Ponder being declared the starter and not pursuing anyone like matt moore or alex smith. To me it just seems like those types at best are only slightly ahead of ponder right now but the upside is basically zero. Where they need to pay more attention is at the back up and development spots imo. I would be okay with as high as a 3rd round pick being spent on a QB to perhaps try and fill either spot. I don't think Webb should be the #2, he gave us essentially zero chance to beat the packers and that was very disappointing.
I agree with most of this. Alex Smith would be ridiculous in my opinion. They're pretty much the same type of quarterback. Smith being the more efficient of the two, but he's also been in the NFL for 7 years to get to the point where he is now. Ponder is further ahead than Smith was at this point and I still say he has a higher ceiling.
I really like Tyler Wilson from Arkansas. Considering they have two Arkansas receivers on the roster then he may already be on their radar. He'd be a good option for a backup and even someone that could potentially take over the starting job if Ponder doesn't make it.
mrc44 wrote:From my understanding of the interview Spielman did with Paul Allen, Spielman is definitely looking at making changes to the back up QB position, and since Spielman is not big on FA, I would assume that he will be drafting a mid or late round QB.
I have no question that the Vikings will draft a QB somewhere in this draft. But without a veteran backup, that still leaves them with either Joe Webb plus a mid-to-late round rookie, or else MBT and that same rookie. Either of which is only a very minor upgrade over what they had this past season at backup. If Ponder were to go down I guarantee that the Vikings would be forced to go out and find a starter somewhere, somehow.
I don't see any way that the Vikings will waste the time or energy trying to move Webb to WR. I don't know exactly what they'll do with him, but hopefully his QB days are over. They could conceivably keep him around for special teams, but even that's a stretch. They don't really need a kick returner, and teaching him to block or tackle would also be a waste of time when there are so many hungry young guys on the roster fighting for ST spots and happy to get them.
Mothman wrote:
Is there some indication it won't be addressed this year? The report dead_poet quoted said the Vikings will try to upgrade on Joe Webb, which implies a new contingency plan. MBT could easily be replaced too.
My response was to the guy who said we should draft someone in 2014 if Ponder doesn't work out, not to Dead Poet's report.
