The Minnesota Vikings are coming into the season after struggling in 2013 and now the team is looking to bounce back, but if they don't the future could see Adrian Peterson traded to the Cowboys if the team rebuilds and that likely means Christian Ponder is traded and Teddy Bridgewater will be starting for the Vikes over Matt Cassel.
Bridgewater was a first round pick for the Vikings this season and they traded back into the first round to get him after previously trading earlier in the top 10 with the Cleveland Browns and that was when everyone thought Johnny Manziel would be selected. The Vikings made the Browns think that they were going to take Justin Gilbert with their pick in the top 10 and that's why the teams traded picks
The Vikings opted to take Anthony Barr with their pick in the top 10 after trading with the Browns and now they think he can be a long term starter in their defense. The Browns later moved up in the first round to get Manziel and the Vikings may have been looking to pick him as well, but they ended up with Bridgewater at the end of the first round instead. The Vikings brought back Matt Cassel on a two year deal this offseason, but he is not a long term solution for the team at the position.
Cassel played well last season and played in all five of the Vikings wins and he took over after Christian Ponder was ineffective and injured during the season. The Vikings said that Bridgewater will get first team reps this offseason and while that doesn't mean he will start, it gives him a chance to get experience and also to move up on the depth chart. Turner has praised Ponder despite the rumbles of trade rumors and right now it looks like he will remain with the Vikings this season
The trade rumors first popped up after the team did not pick up the fifth year option on Ponder, who was a first round pick a few years ago and never caught on as the starter for the Vikings. Ponder helped lead his team to the playoffs the year before and then was injured before the playoffs matchup and then last season he struggled as the team went just 5-10-1 on the year. The Vikings did not have much going on offense apart from Adrian Peterson and the team was playing so badly that some columnists in the Minnesota area started writing that the Vikings should consider trading Peterson at some point and now that could happen if the team struggles again.
The Vikings struggled passing the ball last season and now Cassel and Bridgewater will try and get the rushing and passing games more consistent. Mike Freeman wrote after the draft that the value of running backs is dropping and that a split could be coming in the future for the two and it may be after the season that a split happens, especially if the team struggles again this year.