Preseason trade talk

[VikingHoard]

Starters usually get less reps as preseason goes on though. Ponder might only attempt 1 pass before getting yanked

If Ponder keeps up his 1:2 ratio on interceptions to pass attempts he might not be the starter all the way through preseason!

[PurpleMustReign]

Starters usually get less reps as preseason goes on though. Ponder might only attempt 1 pass before getting yanked

You don't watch much preseason, do you...

[PacificNorseWest]

Not a Toby fan, but he's better served here this season. He has blocking/pass catching ability and he fills the void of needing a backup RB. Let him walk in the offseason. They can find another RB in the draft or Free Agency. With Spielman and co.'s ability to find talent, they should be able to get a very good backup with the plethora of options these days.

I'd also prefer Simpson to stay as well. He may have a decent season yet...We don't know. If he's a dud again then let him go.

In the NFL, you're usually better served keeping players due to depth reasons and those players understanding the system (don't wanna start from scratch with a new face mid-season). That can be more valuable then trading for draft picks or such just before the season starts. That's why you don't see many trades in the NFL. Especially during the season.

[BGM]

The only trade possibility with Toby is if there is a team that is desperate for an RB. In a case like that, the Vikes might be able to pick up a 3rd, if the team was in dire straits. However, if I am a GM, I sit and wait for him to hit the market and get him for nothing. He won't stay here, he wants to go to a team where he at least has an opportunity to get significant carries. That is the situation in which he does best.

[allday1991]

I love the idea of getting a forth for toby gerhart but I think the majority agrees it is not going to happen. If Simpson continues to show nothing cut him, he wouldn't get anything in a trade and I wouldn't complain if Burton keeps up the effort and earns simpsons spot during pre-season. It will be interesting to see the finally WR core (Jennings, cp, wright, burton, webb maybe?).

[PurpleKoolaid]

I'll agree that the pass was not on perfectly on-target. I'll even concede that it would have been a good-great catch for Simpson to haul it in. But....isn't that what we expect of a wide receiver? I'd like to see him make some catches to justify his title (if nothing else).

I kinda hoped we could have a QB that could throw a ball to a WR that wouldn't have to stop his route and make amazing catches. Kyle could not have caught that ball. Im so tired of Ponder being so off target. As far as Simpson, he wont be here as a scapegoat when the season starts I don't think.

[Demi]

You don't trade below average players in the last year of their contracts.
No other team in the NFL would be that stupid.

[Just Me]

I kinda hoped we could have a QB that could throw a ball to a WR that wouldn't have to stop his route and make amazing catches. Kyle could not have caught that ball. Im so tired of Ponder being so off target. As far as Simpson, he wont be here as a scapegoat when the season starts I don't think.

Look at the play again. Despite a previous poster saying the pass was behind Simpson, it was not. Ponder lead him a little too much. Simpson has to extend his skillets (erm hands) and the ball bounces off his hands contributing to the interception. Simpson didn't leave his feet (not that he should have to, but he wasn't even "laid out" in the air to extend his reach).

His first pass was perfect. Admittedly it was a much easier pass to throw (curl route). So our minimum requirement is that our QB throw a perfect ball for every pass he makes? Brady/Manning/Rodgers doesn't meet that litmus test.

Look - I don't particularly think Ponder is all that great. (I don't think he is all that bad, either). He's kinda "meh." But if I'm wrong and your right (Ponder really does stink as badly as you believe): Simpson is only hurting the team because he apparently can't catch a ball unless it is perfectly thrown. This doesn't give the staff a chance to objectively evaluate Ponder's performance. If Simpson doesn't want to be a so-call scapegoat, there is a quick fix for that: Catch the ball when it hits your hands!

[Funkytown]

If Simpson doesn't want to be a so-call scapegoat, there is a quick fix for that: Catch the ball when it hits your hands!

While I somewhat agree with this, it was a bad pass by Ponder. It was more of Ponder's fault than Simpson's. Why throw Simpson under the bus because Ponder missed the throw? There is no doubt in my mind that Ponder can own up to the missed opportunity/timing issue, why can't people just accept it for what it is and. simply. move. on? It's not even a big deal. Definitely not big enough of one to be throwing Simpson under the bus for that one play.

[Mothman]

While I somewhat agree with this, it was a bad pass by Ponder. It was more of Ponder's fault than Simpson's. Why throw Simpson under the bus because Ponder missed the throw? There is no doubt in my mind that Ponder can own up to the missed opportunity/timing issue, why can't people just accept it for what it is and. simply. move. on? It's not even a big deal. Definitely not big enough of one to be throwing Simpson under the bus for that one play.

It looked to me like they were both at fault. Ponder put the pass too far in front of Simpson. Simpson didn't get his hands out there fast enough to make the grab. It looked like a catchable pass but it would have been a difficult catch. Let's not overlook the unblocked blitzer coming at Ponder that forced the quick throw either. As usual on a play like that, several things went wrong and as you said, it's not a big deal.

[Funkytown]

It looked to me like they were both at fault. Ponder put the pass too far in front of Simpson. Simpson didn't get his hands out there fast enough to make the grab. It looked like a catchable pass but it would have been a difficult catch. Let's not overlook the unblocked blitzer coming at Ponder that forced the quick throw either. As usual on a play like that, several things went wrong and as you said, it's not a big deal.

Football is a game of inches.

I still think it was more of Ponder's fault, but either way, my main point was: It's not a big deal! These things will improve in time. I have no doubt. I'm certainly not in panic mode yet after preseason game 1!

[Just Me]

While I somewhat agree with this, it was a bad pass by Ponder. It was more of Ponder's fault than Simpson's. Why throw Simpson under the bus because Ponder missed the throw? There is no doubt in my mind that Ponder can own up to the missed opportunity/timing issue, why can't people just accept it for what it is and. simply. move. on? It's not even a big deal. Definitely not big enough of one to be throwing Simpson under the bus for that one play.

My point wasn't to say it was more Simpson's fault than Ponder's. Earlier in the thread I conceded it wasn't the best thrown pass and that it would have taken a good-great effort to make the catch. If Simpson routinely made the catches he should, this would be a "non-issue." All receivers drop passes (even Cris Carter from time to time, though extremely rare) so I'm not expecting him to make all of them. I do have an expectation that as a wide receiver he will make some difficult catches. I'm just not seeing that out of him.

It wasn't the best throw Ponder has made and I'm not a Ponder apologist. My post was about Simpson's ability (or lack thereof) to catch the ball consistently, not Ponder's sub-par performance in throwing it. That one play, in isolation, is not a big deal. When viewed in the context of Simpson's inconsistent performance over his tenure with the Vikings it makes it worth commenting on. YMMV

[smoothoperator]

ponder was being blitzed heavily, he found an open guy, made a throw that lead simpson who got stone hands. not a big deal. i watched the packers preseason game with my girlfriend (shes a packer fan) and they looked atrocious, but i know its only the first preseason game and it means nothing, just like this pass.

[mansquatch]

The Simpson thing is silly. He has no equity right now due to injuries and a suspension.

Gerhart is actually an interesting idea, IMO. I think Toby is gone after this year. He is good enough to start and be an above average RB in the league. He knows it and so do the Vikings. Therefore he is going to go out and get paid. This begs the question, would the purple spend a ton of cap space on a back up RB?

So in that light, if someone were willing to trade for Gerhart, i think it might be worth considering since you'll get a draft choice for him vs. seeing walk out the door in FA. The question is what level of draft choice is worth the insurance policy that Toby represents?

The flipside of this is that I doubt any team will trade for Toby because they know he is hitting the market next year anyways. I agree with the take that it would mean a team being desparate for a RB. Given the way that position is treated in the league these days, I think they'd just sign someone off the street.

[mondry]

I don't think it's worth trading Toby, at the very best I see a 4th rounder out of it and should anything happen to Peterson keeping Toby around is more important than a 4th rounder would be, even if he is gonna walk next year (which I agree 90% chance of it happening I think, he's pretty much said it sucks getting such little play time) Basically in whatever draft, we could drop a 3-4th round pick on another back up and be fine, especially since the top running backs in this draft were what, 2nd rounders I think?