The selection of Christian Ponder in the first round on Thursday was designed to fill the Vikings’ quarterback spot for the long term.
He might not be the short term solution to their needs under center, however. Jason La Canfora of NFL.com is reporting that the Vikings are still likely to go after Donovan McNabb this offseason. La Canfora spoke with league sources who told him that there’s a “high probability” that McNabb makes his way to Minnesota.
This isn’t particularly surprising news. In fact, it is a good deal less surprising than the selection of Ponder with the 12th overall pick of the first round.
Even Ponder’s biggest supporters concede that it is going to take some time for him to be ready to take over the reins of an NFL team. Bringing in a veteran like McNabb would give the team someone more qualified to start (and, the Vikings hope, win) until he’s ready while also ideally serving as a mentor for Ponder. Joe Webb, the only in-house possibility as a starter, doesn’t really fit the bill on either count.
Leslie Frazier said that Offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave endorsed the idea of bringing in someone with more experience to go with Ponder, Webb and Rhett Bomar.
“I think that balances out a position, not just quarterback, but to have some young, developmental talent and also have some veterans -- because players not only learn from coaches, they also learn from their fellow players.”
He didn’t expressly state a preference for a starter or a backup, but adding an option that allows them to bring Ponder along at the right pace seems like the most prudent decision.