The Minnesota Vikings have a major quarterback question for 2014 after Matt Cassel voided his deal and now Mike Zimmer must find another option past Christian Ponder and some possibilities include a trade for a name like Ryan Mallett, Matt Schaub or Kirk Cousins, while pending/soon to be free agents like Michael Vick, Josh McCown and Brandon Weeden are also in the mix.
The Vikings are coming off of a very tough season that saw the team win just five games after making the playoffs in 2012 and Christian Ponder was the player that led them there, but after last season it looks like he is done as the starter in Minnesota. There is a new regime in charge with Zimmer at head coach and Norv Turner at offensive coordinator and they will not be beholden to Ponder and could ultimately trade him if the right deal comes along.
The Vikings were terrible when Ponder was under center last season and that is what led to Cassel getting starts and injuries hindered Ponder's progress as well. Cassel showed that he can still be a starter in the league after the way he played at the end of things in Kansas City, as he won three of the six games he started and he also ended up playing for Ponder in the two other wins, making him a part of all five last season. Cassel ended up playing in nine games overall and passed for over 1,800 yards with 11 touchdowns and a limited offense and that could lead to a new starting gig.
Cassel could even end up back in Minnesota, but that is looking unlikely and he opted out of his deal after playing more than he expected. Cassel now sees himself as a potential starter and with a number of teams in the market for a quarterback, he could be a hot commodity, especially for a team looking for a veteran to hold the tide over for a younger player. The Raiders, Browns and Buccaneers all could be in the mix and the Vikings themselves now have decisions to make.
Cassel will be 32 years old and Michael Vick is 34 and with josh McCown up there in age, the Vikings could go that route, or they could look to the younger players on the market (or who will be on the market). Mark Sanchez and Brandon Weeden may be available and while that doesn't quite move the meter, it is an inexpensive and non-risky move that could pay off down the line.
The Vikings also could look to trades, as Matt Schaub, Kirk Cousins and Ryan Mallett may be available and those could be potential options over the NFL draft in May. The team may want a player like Johnny Manziel, Blake Bortles or Tweddy Bridgewater, but picking eighth runs the risk of missing out on those players and that makes the trades interesting, as those could be first round "talent" type players that could be had for less than a first round pick. The Vikings have major decisions to make and they could try and revamp the offense after ranking in the bottom part of the league in passing yards per game.
