The Minnesota Vikings are not invested in the future of Christian Ponder. The team has denied his fifth-year option meaning they have no plans on moving on after his contract is up. However, that does not mean Ponder is available for trading. After getting demoted from starter to backup for the 2014 season, general manager Rick Spielman says Ponder still has a roster spot on the team.
It has been reported for months now that Ponder was available for trading. The former first-round draft pick failed to live up to expectations during his time in Minnesota and the team was forced to try other options during the 2013 season. The Vikings are back on the market looking at quarterback options after Ponder's disappointing tenure with the team, but with uncertainly in the first-round options, Spielman intends to keep the quarterback through his contract.
"That would leave us with one quarterback. I would not do that," Spielman said, via ESPN.com. "We're going to need two quarterbacks. Three. Christian's still a very young quarterback. He's shown flashes, but he just hasn't been as consistent as you want yet. You can't be afraid. If there's a guy there, regardless of position, that you have strong feelings for, whether it's at 8 or 40 or wherever it is, or 16, then you take him. The one thing you cannot be afraid [of] in this job is to take chances or take risks on guys you feel strongly about. When you don't do that, I don't know how you get better."
Spielman is right, Ponder is still young and has shown flashes of talent. Ponder is more of an example of a quarterback that simply was not ready to start after getting drafted, but Minnesota took him with the No. 12 pick because they needed an immediate starter. Ponder just has not been that guy. Spielman says the team denied the quarterback's fifth-year option in order to keep their financial options open, not to trade him.
The general manager also denied the team is interested in striking a deal for current St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford. He is another player having his future questioned, but everyone from head coach Jeff Fisher to now the office of the Vikings is denying his availability. There is no telling if Bradford would be an upgrade for Minnesota or not considering he is coming off a season-ending ACL tear.
The Vikings have downplayed interest in any of the first round quarterbacks. Spielman does not see a future Russell Wilson or Peyton Manning in the bunch, but the team could still take on a late-round player to become that third quarterback. The Vikings are under pressure to finally find a quarterback that can stabilize the team for the future, but if Ponder is not that player than who is?
