Prediction for next season starting QB will be ......

[IrishViking]

Jesus I am agreeing with Demi...


This is imo already the most talented coaching staff in my life time. With the best track record to boot. I think expectation should be higher now than anytime in the last 12 years barring the favre 09

[dkoby]

Ponder as an adequate backup?

Oh my goodness some people will never give up. Like the TJoke fans thinking all he needed was a real shot somewhere and a change of scenery.

Agree, can we please turn the page and enter a new age of Vikings football with the MOST talented players from the past roster and a bunch of new guys added through the draft. All this Ponder talk is depressing. If he is on the roster at all, I hope is is the emergency 3rd string QB. Joe Webb??? really? Maybe in some form of special teamer. The guy can run and jump but other than that.....

I hope we get even younger than we are now and Slick Rick can pull off some more deals to add talent.

We were like 8th in scoring this year WITH ponder. Imagine how much better we can be with a decent QB.

And just a side note, If you have a hole in your roster AT QB, It is your biggest hole. There are no other holes that are bigger. Bar none. You can still win a few games, but it is still your biggest hole.

[majorm]

Ponder is fine as a backup. As is T-Jack. Do I want either on the Vikings anymore? No.

But they're good enough to be employed by NFL teams.

Do you know how many God awful backup and 3rd string QBs there are in the league?

Yes. But I'll bet every single one of them can throw the ball better than Ponder. I DON'T think he's good enough to have any kind of QB job in the NFL.

[majorm]

Eastern Illinois prospect's last name is Garafolo I'm rather sure and was discussed on PA's show today.

OH MY GOSH!! PA is in LOVE with this kid! And "Draft Nasty" Corey Chavous thinks a lot of him too. Check him out. He does look the part. Maybe the Vikes could grab him in the second round and he could turn into another Russell Wilson.

[psjordan]

I know you can't stand Ponder and I apologizing for nitpicking but I'm going to do it anyway.

I think Ponder has already shown that he can be a serviceable QB (ie: adequate, good enough to win some games). They won 10 games with him as a starter in 2012. Last year, in 4 of the games in which he was QB, they were leading going into the final minute of the game and then lost or tied. We can debate forever about whether the QB should have made more plays in those games or not but the fact is, in each game they had leads and were in position to win in the final minute and they couldn't get the defensive stops they needed. To me, the 10 wins in 2012, the win over Washington this season, the 4 games mentioned above, Ponder's passer rating being over 100 in two of his last 4 starts, all point to a QB who is at least serviceable, a QB who could come off the bench and help a team with a decent defense win some games.

Up to this point, he's struggled with the mental aspects of the game more than anything else and as erratic and frustrating as his performances have been, I won't have a problem with it if Spielman and Zimmer decide to keep him on the roster next year as a backup. If they can put 2 better QBs and a worthy developmental QB on the roster instead, I'll be fine with that too (as long as we don't end up with a scenario like Cassel, Schaub and a 7th round rookie) but Ponder's not incompetent. He actually has value and who knows? It's even possible that a new QB coach and an experienced OC like Turner could help him improve.

The Vikings have a lot of work to do so if they choose to keep Ponder and put their cap money to use elsewhere, I won't be disappointed in them because I don't think it would be an unreasonable choice.

Having said all of that, the best thing for Ponder would probably be to play elsewhere. He strikes me as the classic case of a player who really needs a change of scenery.

I agree with all of that BUT I think the "change of scenery" he needs actually just walked in the front door in the persons of Zimmer and Turner.

I would bet a bag of donuts that the current plan is to "see what they have" in Ponder, once those two and underlings get ahold of him this offseason.

I feel so strongly about the "art" of teaching and coaching that it would not bother me in the least for the staff to give it a go with Ponder. There is certainly not much to lose in giving him an offseason and a chance.

[psjordan]

Yes. But I'll bet every single one of them can throw the ball better than Ponder. I DON'T think he's good enough to have any kind of QB job in the NFL.

I think you'd be amazed at what proper mechanics can do for perceived "arm strength" and "accuracy".

Can the new staff fix Ponder's mechanics? I don't know. Can they help him with reading progressions? Absofreakinglutely.

I say give the new staff and Ponder a shot at offseason, OTA and preseason work. If he still hasn't improved, we have not lost a ton. It's not like we'll have to cut a great player to keep him around that long.

[PurpleMustReign]

I agree with all of that BUT I think the "change of scenery" he needs actually just walked in the front door in the persons of Zimmer and Turner.

I would bet a bag of donuts that the current plan is to "see what they have" in Ponder, once those two and underlings get ahold of him this offseason.

I feel so strongly about the "art" of teaching and coaching that it would not bother me in the least for the staff to give it a go with Ponder. There is certainly not much to lose in giving him an offseason and a chance.

Im ok with that as long as they give all three equal looks, and not just annoint either of them as the starter. I really want to see what Freeman can bring.

Sent from my SGH-T769 using Tapatalk

[majorm]

I think you'd be amazed at what proper mechanics can do for perceived "arm strength" and "accuracy".

Can the new staff fix Ponder's mechanics? I don't know. Can they help him with reading progressions? Absofreakinglutely.

I say give the new staff and Ponder a shot at offseason, OTA and preseason work. If he still hasn't improved, we have not lost a ton. It's not like we'll have to cut a great player to keep him around that long.

In the famous words of John McEnroe, "You can NOT be serious!!"

You would actually be FOR giving Ponder ANOTHER shot?!!! What kind of glutton for punishment are you?!! And they do NOT need to waste one minute of offseason time or training camp working wth this lost cause. They'll need to spend that time with their new rookie QB.

He's had way too many chances already. Turner is NOT going to come in here and FIX him. He's played enough games. We know what he is. We know what he is NOT. WE HAVE SEEN ENOUGH!!!

Why not bring Tebo in here? Maybe Turner can fix him too. He doesn't have nearly as many starts as Ponder.

[psjordan]

You would actually be FOR giving Ponder ANOTHER shot?!!!

Absolutely. It reflects how poor of a job I think the prior coaching staff did TEACHING!!!!

There - I am sure my caps and double wallbangs made you understand, so we're good here.

After seeing how this staff handled Josh Freeman for one game, I am amazed that no one feels Ponder's pain over his career here.

Has he struggled for the most part? Sure. Do I blame him entirely? No. I don't know what % of his suckitude he owns, since I have no idea what Frazier et. al. tried - or didn't try - to teach him.

For the cost of, what, basically nothing? I'm willing to find out what the new staff can do with him. And you'd better find a wallbang holster because I think it's 50/50 they keep him around for a bit.

And why did you stop at Tebow? Why not throw J.P. Losman and Joey Harrington into your logic pool?

[King James]

Why are people alright with a qb tht has at best 6 wins in the tank? The guy is not going to take this team anywhere! Do some fans just want to constantly have their Sundays ruined? I would like to wear my jersey out and around after the game wins, and that's not going to happen with Poser at qb.

How is 3 seasons not enough time!?!?? I just don't get it.

Edit: Norv will not spend his time with ponder when there are two other qb's already on the roster that are better.

To be fair, Ponder only has one FULL season under his belt.

[Mothman]

Absolutely. It reflects how poor of a job I think the prior coaching staff did TEACHING!!!!

There - I am sure my caps and double wallbangs made you understand, so we're good here.

After seeing how this staff handled Josh Freeman for one game, I am amazed that no one feels Ponder's pain over his career here.

Has he struggled for the most part? Sure. Do I blame him entirely? No. I don't know what % of his suckitude he owns, since I have no idea what Frazier et. al. tried - or didn't try - to teach him.

That being the case, how can you conclude that they did a poor job of teaching and that Ponder wasn't just unable to consistently apply what he was being taught?

[Mothman]

Why are people alright with a qb tht has at best 6 wins in the tank?

You do realize they won 10 in the only full season he started, right?

[Webbfann]

Why are people alright with a qb tht has at best 6 wins in the tank? The guy is not going to take this team anywhere! Do some fans just want to constantly have their Sundays ruined? I would like to wear my jersey out and around after the game wins, and that's not going to happen with Poser at qb.

How is 3 seasons not enough time!?!?? I just don't get it.

Edit: Norv will not spend his time with ponder when there are two other qb's already on the roster that are better.

Three, actually.

[psjordan]

That being the case, how can you conclude that they did a poor job of teaching and that Ponder wasn't just unable to consistently apply what he was being taught?

If that were my "conclusion", then I'd be saying Ponder should be our 2014 starter. "Lack of teaching" reflects my feelings on the matter, not my conclusion. Again, why the forced black and white? My guess is that he was woefully undercoached based on what I witnessed with the entire roster. My guesses have been wrong plenty of times.

My "conclusion" is summed up "I have no idea what Frazier et. al. tried - or didn't try - to teach him", which is why I'm advocating an offseason for he and the new staff. And as I stated, he may still end up sucking, but the cost is minimal to find out and no one is really clear what the heck the prior staff did with him.

If he goes through two entirely different staffs and still sucks, well heck that certainly points in one direction rather than the other, yes?

[NextQuestion]

An unnamed coach told the New York Post that Mark Sanchez "would be a starter as soon as he walked in the door for us."
The coach of this quarterback-needy team said his organization has already internally discussed adding Sanchez in anticipation of the Jets releasing the former No. 5 overall pick. Yes, somebody still thinks highly of a quarterback coming off labrum surgery on his throwing shoulder and 52 turnovers between 2011-12. Some possibilities include the Raiders, Jaguars, Vikings and Texans -- each of which are expected to draft a quarterback in May. Perhaps the 27-year-old Sanchez will be seen as a bridge guy for a rookie. The top quarterback free agents available right now are Michael Vick, Josh McCown, Josh Freeman, Shaun Hill and Chad Henne.
Source: New York Post
Jan 22 - 9:35 AM

from rotoworld