Minnesota Vikings Position Battle: Quarterback

It’s that time of year where a team is loaded up on talent at many positions.  Sadly, not all of those players will go on to make the 53 man roster or the practice squad.  This the the first installment in the Minnesota Vikings position battle series and is all about the quarterbacks!

Let’s take a look at the passers currently on the roster:

• #5 Teddy Bridgewater (rookie)
• #7 Christian Ponder (entering 4th season)
• #16 Matt Cassel (entering 10th season)

Here’s a quick breakdown of each of these guys.

May 31, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater during the 2014 NFLPA Rookie Premiere at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Teddy Bridgewater is a first round draft pick and a rookie.  He is being brought in to the organization as the hopeful quarterback of the future for the Minnesota Vikings.  However, with an excellent preseason, Bridgewater could find himself as the team’s starting quarterback going into the regular season.

Christian Ponder is the wild card of this group.  As a former first round draft pick, the Vikings have invested a ton in this young man.  Sadly, they appear ready to cut ties with him after not picking up the fifth year on his contract.  Ponder will have to be impressive in camp to secure a spot on the roster.

Matt Cassel will enter the preseason as the penciled in starter for the Minnesota Vikings.  After paying him more than a typical NFL backup quarterback makes, Cassel will be the man that all the other QBs are aiming to be better than in camp.  But will he play well enough to hold on to the starting job this year?

My Prediction:

Starting Quarterback: Teddy Bridgewater

Backup Quarterback: Matt Cassel

Analysis

The concept of keeping three quarterbacks on the roster is nearly obsolete these days, so there will probably be one man that doesn’t make the cut.  I expect Bridgewater to win the starting job in camp.  With Cassel outperforming Ponder in every instance of his game, Ponder would be the odd man out.  If the Minnesota Vikings need a QB3 in a pinch, they could always turn to rookie running back Jerick McKinnon, who played quarterback in college.

The Vikings will most likely try to trade Ponder.  If they are unable to find a trade partner, it wouldn’t be shocking to see him outright released during final cuts.