The Minnesota Vikings are coming into the season looking to rebound after a rough 2013 campaign and with Teddy Bridgewater coming in as a rookie, the team could be rebuilding over the next couple years even if Matt Cassel starts and that is one reason why the team has yet to trade Christian Ponder, as Mike Zimmer and Norv Turner want to keep an experienced backup on the roster barring any injures or other issues this season.
The Vikings have a number of questions on both sides of the ball heading into training camp, but the offense is where the focus will be, as the team drafted Teddy Bridgewater in the first round and has the best running back in football in Adrian Peterson. Following the draft Mike Freeman from Bleacher Report wrote that the Vikings and Peterson could be headed for a split eventually and if the team struggles this season, the trade rumors will once again come up.
Ponder came up in trade rumors this offseason after the way he played last year and things really started heating up after the team declined his fifth year option. Ponder did not play up to expectations last season and he could be traded eventually, but the Vikings feel best keeping him for now. Bridgewater comes in as a first round draft pick after the Vikings traded back into the first round to get him and while he may not start right away, he is the QB of the future now.
Cassel comes back after signing a two year deal and he comes in after playing well last season for Ponder, playing in all five wins for the team and starting most of those games. Ponder now looks like a wasted first round pick and the Vikings are hoping he can play better behind Cassel this season to keep pressure off Bridgewater. According to ESPN.com, Bridgewater will get his chances to start or to move up on the depth chart this summer, as Mike Zimmer is planning on giving the rookie reps with the first team offense. Offensive coordinator Norv Turner has praised both Bridgewater and Ponder and one reason the Vikings have not traded Ponder is to give them insurance barring an injury or if Bridgewater isn't quite ready to play yet.
Last season the Vikings went just 5-10-1 and ranked in the bottom half of the league in passing yards per game and now they are hoping to bounce back with Turner in the fold. The team ranked 23rd in the league in passing yards per game and according to ESPN.com, chances are Bridgewater gets at least one start this season, as the report says that "78 percent of rookie first-round QBs" have started games in their first season and that gives him a chance to step up. If the Vikings start Bridgewater on the reg, it likely means the season is not going well or Cassel is injured.
