Jun 19, 2012; Eden Prairie, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder (7) throws during drills at Vikings minicamp at Winter Park. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-US PRESSWIRE

TVA previews the 10 storylines that will be consuming our lives starting on July 26 when the Vikings report to Mankato (full camp schedule available from Vikings.com).

1. Christian Ponder

There is no quarterback controversy in Minnesota. Christian Ponder is the clear-cut #1 QB over Joe Webb. That’s been made plain to us over-and-over again. And really, it’s the only decision that makes sense for the Vikings. Ponder was a #12 overall pick and more importantly he was Rick Spielman’s pick. Webb was a 6th round pick by that bald guy who isn’t here anymore. Which guy are you going to stake your future on if you’re Spielman and Leslie Frazier? You have to ride Ponder. You have too much invested in him.

Every move made this offseason on the offensive side was made so Christian Ponder’s life would be easier. They re-tooled the offensive line. They added receiving weapons. They even brought in a better-blocking fullback who can hopefully pick up a few more pass rushers. Translation: The Vikings will do everything within their power – and within reason financially – to make it work with Christian Ponder.

But, what if something unexpected happens in camp. Like, what if Christian Ponder just absolutely stinks it up like a sick dog. You do have Joe Webb sitting there. Joe Webb has played just enough to tantalize people. What I’m asking is, how long of a leash is Christian Ponder on? If he does struggle, how long will he be allowed to continue struggling before Joe Webb enters the picture?

Joe Webb is not even with Ponder going into camp nor does he deserve to be. If everything goes according to plan for the Vikings, Webb will enter the season as the back-up and will end the season as the back-up. But plans go wrong. Wheels fall off. I’m not saying I anticipate Christian Ponder having a bad training camp and a quarterback controversy being sparked. I’m just saying, those things happen.

And you know who loves a good quarterback controversy? The media. That’s why they pay such close attention to young, unproven quarterbacks. Secretly they want the quarterback to struggle so the back-up enters the picture. I’m not saying the media people in the Twin Cities are rooting for Christian Ponder to play bad and Joe Webb to creep up on him, I’m just saying they wouldn’t cry if it happened.

My point here being, the media are going to scrutinize Christian Ponder heavily, because he’s a young, developing quarterback and that’s what reporters do with young, developing quarterbacks. And if there’s even a hint that he’s not getting the job done, there will be a quarterback controversy in the media even if there isn’t one inside the Vikings.

But to start off, there’s no quarterback controversy. Everyone’s bought in on Christian Ponder as the #1 (except the super-Webbheads). Most likely Ponder will breeze through camp like the solid pro he is and sail on into the season. That’s when the struggles will begin, but we expect struggles with this team while they continue building their offensive identity. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Ponder’s going to have bad games. Really bad games. Flat-out stinkeroo games. Hopefully he’ll have some good games too and start looking like a real consistent pro quarterback somewhere around mid-season.

I’m not even that worried about Ponder right now, to be quite frank. The secondary is more of a concern, and the receiver corps, and the linebacker corps and the offensive line. So why is Ponder the #1 camp storyline, exactly? I don’t think he should be – that’s just me personally – but I also understand how these things work and what people like to focus on and particularly what the media like to focus on. So Ponder is the #1 storyline like it or not. Young, developing QBs are always the #1 storyline.

Trust me, the scrutiny won’t bother Ponder. He’s a level-headed guy who already knows how to play the media. He’ll be relaxed. He won’t feel Joe Webb breathing down his neck. At least not at first. Get back to me in a few weeks. At that point, this storyline that isn’t a storyline might become an honest-to-goodness storyline.

Previous Top Training Camp Storylines:
10. Breaking In Blair Walsh
9. Percy Harvin Watch
8. Defensive line
7. Matt Kalil
6. Adrian Peterson
5. Linebacker – What the Heck is Going On Here?
4. Right Guard Battle
3. Wide Receiver Bonanza
2. Sorting Out the Secondary

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Jun 19, 2012; Eden Prairie, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (28) runs drills by himself at Vikings Minicamp at Winter Park. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-US PRESSWIRE

TVA previews the 10 storylines that will be consuming our lives starting on July 26 when the Vikings report to Mankato (full camp schedule available from Vikings.com).

6. Adrian Peterson

AD is dead-set on being ready to participate, at least in limited fashion, once training camp begins. The Vikings on the other hand seem determined to take a conservative approach with their star player as he returns from major knee surgery. This I believe is what they call a disagreement. How will it be resolved? A conversation will take place between Peterson and GM Rick Spielman. This conversation will go something like this:

Adrian: “So Rick. I’m feeling pretty good and I think I’m ready to go 200% at the start of camp. Possibly even 300%.”

Rick: “Well Adrian that’s great but I don’t need to remind you, you are coming off major knee surgery. And we are paying you a whole bunch of money. So maybe we should cool it with the 200% thing?”

Adrian: “I know I know. But I’m just itching to get out there. I wanna show everyone that I’m still the same old Adrian.”

Rick: “I understand that big man but look at things from our point-of-view. How stupid would we look as an organization if we let you go out there for meaningless training camp drills – by the way, don’t tell Percy Harvin I said practice was meaningless – and you got hurt? We’d get crushed…”

Adrian: “Like if you let me and Christian Ponder play in a pointless late-season game against Washington and we both ended up getting hurt?”

Rick: “Ha, good one AD. Yeah exactly.”

Adrian: “Okay I understand. You don’t want me to get hurt. So what am I supposed to do all day while my teammates are out there grinding?”

Rick: “Good question. Maybe you could just hang out on the sidelines shouting encouragement.”

Adrian: “Maybe I could stage some hill races with the rookies. Give those guys a taste of the AD speed.”

Rick: “Or here’s another idea. A checkers tournament.”

Adrian: “Checkers?”

Rick: “Or backgammon if you prefer. Or maybe get some jigsaw puzzles.”

Adrian: “I don’t know. Maybe I should just go back to Texas until the season starts. There are a couple new clubs I wanna hit down there.”

Rick: “Um, Adrian…”

Adrian: “Just kidding boss. You should see the look on your face right now. Hold on while I take a picture.”

Rick: “That’s funny Adrian. Actually you know what? I’m thinking maybe you should skip camp. Everyone will just bug you with questions about the arrest anyway. You don’t want to be a distraction do you?”

Adrian: “Don’t worry about me being a distraction boss. If you ask me, you should be more worried about Percy.”

Rick: “Percy’s fine. Everything’s fine.”

Adrian: “You sure about that? When was the last time you talked to him? This morning?”

Rick: “Good point. I better call him.”

9 days till camp. It can’t get here fast enough.

Other Top Training Camp Storylines:
10. Breaking In Blair Walsh
9. Percy Harvin Watch
8. Defensive line
7. Matt Kalil

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Jun 19, 2012; Eden Prairie, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings general manager Rick Spielman watches Vikings minicamp at Winter Park. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-US PRESSWIRE

The Vikings are surely acting like the “issues” between them and Percy Harvin are no big deal, even though those issues reportedly prompted Harvin to ask the team for a trade. GM Rick Spielman spoke on Wednesday from Winter Park and assured everyone that Harvin will not be traded, despite his request, and that things will be worked out.

“From our standpoint, the Minnesota Vikings, we have no interest at all in trading Percy Harvin,” Spielman said. “We drafted Percy Harvin here, he’s a key part of our organization and a key part of our football team. Any issues that are out there or are reported, we always handle those internally and will continue to handle those internally.”

“It’s part of the NFL,” Spielman continued. “There’s always going to be some players where you have to deal with specific issues and you have to deal with them internally, get them resolved and move forward.” Spielman said he expects Harvin to report for training camp like “all our players that are under contract.”

Your move, Percy Harvin. And what will that next move be? I wouldn’t even care to predict. Harvin’s “issues” appeared completely out of the blue and for all I know may evaporate just as suddenly. Harvin did show up for minicamp this morning but sat out of the walkthrough, instead spending his time on the sidelines watching. He left without speaking to the media as you would expect.

Harvin’s silence and Spielman’s necessary circumspection force us into pure speculation mode as regards Harvin’s issues. The favorite theory is that Harvin wants his contract redone, but that’s sort of boring and straight-forward. We want juicy conspiracy theories. The best one so far has been put forth by Mike Florio: He believes Randy Moss might be behind this whole thing. He thinks Moss might be whispering in his buddy Harvin’s ear, goading him into forcing a trade so San Francisco can swoop in and nab him. Is Brett Favre in on this too or is he too old now?

That’s fun. But a more likely explanation is that Harvin got told some stuff this week that he didn’t want to hear and went all Drama Queen on it. Gosh only knows what the team could’ve told Harvin that set him off. Supposedly it’s not an issue with his role in the offense, because according to Bill Musgrave, Percy is fine with the offense and fine with him and fine with everything. Maybe they informed him he would be required to show up for practice more than once a week, migraines or no migraines?

I’m starting to suspect Percy Harvin is just a tad mercurial. Let’s hope Rick Spielman and company know how to handle this situation without it blowing up. I suspect that, in the end, the “issues” will be smoothed over the same way such issues normally are: By the guy with the issues getting a bunch more money. But that won’t happen until after this season most likely, when Harvin’s final market value has been better established. Two years out from the end of a rookie deal for a guy who still has question marks hanging over his head is too soon to make a commitment one way or the other. For both sides, this thing needs to play out a lot more. Percy just needs to settle down, shut his yap and play football. And let the chips fall where they may when it comes to his future.

And if Randy Moss calls, don’t answer the phone.

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