As the Minnesota Vikings prepare for a Sunday matchup against the Seattle Seahawks, they are still working out their issues at quarterback. As of now, Christian Ponder is taking a majority of the first-team snaps, Josh Freeman and Matt Cassel are anxiously awaiting a chance to prove themselves. Ponder appears to be the starter for the immediate future, leaving Leslie Frazier to answer questions about the futures of the two remaining quarterbacks.
Freeman earned a start against the New York Giants after signing with the Vikings when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers decided to end their time with the quarterback. His first appearance in a Minnesota uniform did not go well at all, leaving him on the bench in favor of someone else. Have Vikings fans seen the last of the Freeman experiment? Frazier will not commit to anything just yet.
"[H]e's working hard, doing everything he can in practice and in meetings to continue to improve and put himself in a position to at some point, to help our team," Frazier said, via the Pioneer Press. "But yeah, we're pleased with his work ethic and the way he's progressing."
Freeman appears more likely to be inactive on Sunday, marking the fourth game he has missed since making a start in New York. The team is paying him $166,667 a week to sit on the bench, so Frazier might need to start deciding how he feels about the quarterback's future soon. If Minnesota were to release him, the team would owe Freeman nothing in money thanks to his contract and termination pay with the Buccaneers.
"I'm a competitor," Freeman said. "You live to play on Sundays. You don't live to play throughout the week, although practice is a huge part of it leading up to Sundays. But it's a role that they've placed on me for now, and I'm going to continue to work. And I know the other two guys are going to continue to work, too."
Meanwhile, Ponder continues to try and prove himself as a starting quarterback in the league. The quarterback is battling a left shoulder injury that is keeping Frazier from committing to him in Week 11, but according to practice reports, Ponder is leading the first-team offense a majority of the time. Wide receiver Greg Jennings did give the quarterback an endorsement after a few days of good throws.
"Ponder looked good," said Jennings. "He practiced and (was) getting the game plan in and making some throws."
Freeman admits he is lacking understanding of the Minnesota offense which could be playing a large role in why he has not been active in some time. At this point, his future with the Vikings will probably end of after the year. If Ponder under performs again, he could be on the same track.
