Camp officially opened Thursday at Mankato, and Mike Zimmer marked the occasion by naming the guy who in his mind is the #1 quarterback. Not shockingly, the name he named is Matt Cassel.
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But don’t get ahead of yourself in thinking this means Matt Cassel is the Vikings’ starting QB. Zimmer won’t go that far just yet.
Zimmer said via 1500ESPN.com:
"In my mind I have Cassel as the No. 1 quarterback going into camp. I don’t have a starter in mind yet. [The players] are going to determine who the starter is on the practice field about how they go about their business, how they perform in the preseason games. I understand the quarterback’s a big situation."
Zimmer said he’s glad to have Norv Turner on board to help him make a determination about the starter. He also said he’s not averse to starting Teddy Bridgewater if it comes to that:
"I have no problem playing a rookie quarterback, or a ninth-year veteran or a fourth-year veteran. We’re going to do what we think is best collectively as a group."
Hey, I guess that leaves the door open for Christian Ponder to win the starting job, even though he goes into camp not as the #1.
Open competition, baby.
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