Apparently the Vikings have not been overwhelmed with trade offers for former first-rounder Christian Ponder.
So now they’re talking him up, and trying to salvage his value to their organization.
Clearly buried behind Matt Cassel and the latest savior Teddy Bridgewater, Ponder didn’t even play in Saturday’s preseason game against the Cardinals. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have a plan for him.
“I don’t think there will be just two quarterbacks,” Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said, via Matt Vensel of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
Offensive coordinator Norv Turner knows — after blowing through Brandon Weeden, Brian Hoyer and Jason Campbell last year in Cleveland — how quickly things can change.
“I was obviously very disappointed in the opening game the way our fans reacted to Christian because I think he’s done everything he can do,” Turner said. “He’s working his butt off. I think he’s a guy who is going to be valuable to our team.”
That value might not be tangible, but Ponder has at least handled this the right way, and hasn’t turned into a distraction such that they’ll be glad to get rid of him. And while his prospects are dim, he did lead (or handed them off) them to the playoffs two years ago, so they may be hoping they can find that spark of acceptability again.