The Minnesota Vikings have plenty of issues to address outside of their current search for a new head coach after firing Leslie Frazier when the regular season ended. The team has a quarterback issue on their hands after Christian Ponder, Matt Cassel and Josh Freeman proved unsuccessful as starters. With the team entering a slight rebuilding phases, which quarterback stays and which quarterback leaves?
According ESPN's Vikings beat writer Ben Goessling, Ponder will be the odd man out as the team is expected to part ways with the one-time first-round draft pick. Goessling said that the Vikings gave Ponder his last chance with the team after the quarterback got another shot at being the starter in November. The team is set to release him and let another franchise give him a fresh start.
That would leave Cassel and Freeman on the roster. Freeman came by way of Tampa Bay after getting released by the Buccaneers. The quarterback has already stated that he intends on re-entering free agency with the goal of signing a long-term contract with another team.
"I don't know -- it all really depends on the situation at that time," Freeman said, via ESPN.com. "Having had an opportunity to choose a team earlier this season and picking the Vikings, I still think this is a great place, great people, staff from the top on down. But that's not something I'm concerning myself with at the moment."
All signs point to the Vikings drafting another rookie quarterback in 2014 with the hopes that this one turns out better than Ponder did for them. Minnesota has the No. 8 pick in the 2014 draft. That likely eliminates the team from getting a quarterback like Teddy Bridgewater, but could open them up to someone like Johnny Manziel or Blake Bortles. A trade is also an option, but do not expect Adrian Peterson to be a part of that.
Despite earlier reports, the Vikings look likely to hold on to the running back in order to stabilize the rebuilding offense. Having Peterson will help any young quarterback the team takes on. That experiment failed with Ponder, but Minnesota remains confident things will work out in 2014.
The Vikings will also likely hold on to Cassel as a veteran backup. The quarterback played strong in the final weeks of the 2013 season and Minnesota will use him to help develop whoever comes in as the potential starter.
