Christian Ponder Will Get First Team Reps In OTAs

Much was made of the news that rookie Teddy Bridgewater would be receiving first team reps in OTAs alongside incumbent starter Matt Cassel, but maybe that wasn’t such a big deal after all. Apparently, every Vikings quarterback will be getting first team reps in OTAs.

Yes, even Christian Ponder.

Albert Breer reports that Cassel, Bridgewater and Ponder will split time with the first team when the first round of OTAs begin on Wednesday. He also says that Ponder has dropped 2% of his body fat and gained five pounds of muscle in the offseason.

So when the season starts he’ll look way ripped standing on the sidelines.

The significance of this plan to evenly distribute the first team reps in OTAs? That is anyone’s guess. Maybe Mike Zimmer just wants to create the impression among his players that everyone is equal and no one has won a job.

Zimmer preaches open competition, and splitting the first team reps among his QBs may be his way of showing everyone that he truly means it. This could provide extra motivation to marginal players who otherwise might think they are not really in the mix.

It’s also a way of calming the Teddy Bridgewater hype and reminding everyone that, though people are ready to anoint Teddy the starter, that is a long way from being decided.

No doubt, people are going to read all sorts of stuff into this move. But we shouldn’t let it sway us in our assessment of the Vikings’ depth chart. Cassel is still #1, Bridgewater is still #2 and Ponder is still #3.

And that’s not going to change based on the stuff that happens in OTAs.

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