Decision on Ponder's option may not be easy

[Mothman]

Musgrave had of games where he looked like a elite offensive coordinator. His failure to implement his two tight end set, which was suppose to be a big part of our game when he got here. Yet he rarely got the ball in Rudolph's hands and the other TE we had was non existent. I forgot his name but the TE who came from Seattle. Then I see Rudolph light it up in the Pro Bowl and Eli Manning got more use out of him than Ponder was ever able to.

If it were true that they "rarely" got the ball into Rudolph's hands, he would never have made it into the Pro Bowl. Rudolph had 53 receptions and 9 TDs in 2012 on a team whose primary weapons were Harvin and Peterson.

[King James]

If it were true that they "rarely" got the ball into Rudolph's hands, he would never have made it into the Pro Bowl. Rudolph had 53 receptions and 9 TDs in 2012 on a team whose primary weapons were Harvin and Peterson.

Maybe it's just me, but I felt like the Vikings could have done more with him. He made some nice plays but I never seen him dominate a game like he did in the pro bowl. He should be putting up numbers like Rob Gronkoski every year. I understand he was injured last year before you bring that up but the previous two years. He has talent to be a primary target.

[Mothman]

Maybe it's just me, but I felt like the Vikings could have done more with him. He made some nice plays but I never seen him dominate a game like he did in the pro bowl. He should be putting up numbers like Rob Gronkoski every year. I understand he was injured last year before you bring that up but the previous two years. He has talent to be a primary target.

You can only have so many primary targets but I agree they could probably do more with him. However, I disagree that he should be putting up Gronkowski-like numbers every year. Rudolph doesn't have the kind of speed and ability to separate that Gronkowski possesses.

He had a great Pro Bowl but remember, the rules are different in the Pro Bowl and defense is "softer" in that game.

[The Breeze]

Ponder is like the forum herpes.

Personally, I don't think he would make a bad option as a backup/emergency guy. I've felt that way about him since about halfway through last season. He does have talent in spite of what some insist on projecting.


The big risk in all of it, IMO, is if he's pressed into action and tears his ACL or something then they take a huge cap hit.

Glad I'm not the one having to decide. I'd prolly keep him just in case Cassel gets crushed and we don't wind up with a pro-ready guy through the draft. No sense throwing another kid into the fray before he's ready....especially with the inconsistent play of the o-line over the past few seasons.

[King James]

You can only have so many primary targets but I agree they could probably do more with him. However, I disagree that he should be putting up Gronkowski-like numbers every year. Rudolph doesn't have the kind of speed and ability to separate that Gronkowski possesses.

He had a great Pro Bowl but remember, the rules are different in the Pro Bowl and defense is "softer" in that game.

Rudolph has hands though. He doesn't have to depend on getting separation. If the QB puts the ball in the right place, he would probably still catch the ball while be draped over a defender most of the time. I still think he can put up Gronk numbers. Maybe even Tony Gonzales. Basically what I'm saying is, by the end of his career, he just be in same category with all the other great TEs. That won't happen if he isn't used properly. Rudolph should be an easy go to guy because you shouldn't have to worry about him dropping many passes. Rudolph and Jennings would make great primary targets this year in the passing game. I would even make Rudolph my first read.

[Purple bruise]

You can only have so many primary targets but I agree they could probably do more with him. However, I disagree that he should be putting up Gronkowski-like numbers every year. Rudolph doesn't have the kind of speed and ability to separate that Gronkowski possesses.

He had a great Pro Bowl but remember, the rules are different in the Pro Bowl and defense is "softer" in that game.

Well Jim you are kind of nit picking talking about their speed. Gronkowski has a 4.65 40yd. time and Rudolph 4.78 that equals .13 rd of a second . I do not think that there is much of a difference there. Also, Gronk coming off MCL and ACL surgery last year I would bet that Rudolph would now be faster. Amazingly they are both 6-6 and 260 lbs. Both are great tight ends of course one has had Brady (hall of famer no doubt) throwing him passes and lets just say Rudolph has not. That being said Ponder threw him enough passes, as you mentioned, to get him into the Pro Bowl.

[Purple bruise]

Even in the event they do want to keep Ponder around as a backup you still don't pick up the option. You don't pay a backup what that options worth.

And in the event he does play this year and does somehow miraculously do great. How much money would he realistically have to be paid to be kept? He can say "look what I did last year!" and the Vikings could say "yea but what about the first 3?"

I am not advocating that they sign him for his option year. What I am saying is that I want him to have an opprotunity to play for a legit Head Coach and a dam good OC. If he, by some miracle, comes around this year and plays the kind of good football that we have all seen flashes of, then great try and sign him. I do not think that a valid argument would be, "man you played really good this year but you sucked your first three years so settle for what ever measily contract they offer." I do not imagine things work like that. Bottum line, I want to see how he does and if he does not catch on then I hope he goes some where else and is succesfull. I am a huge FSU fan and happen to like Ponder and have not given up on him.

[Mothman]

Well Jim you are kind of nit picking talking about their speed. Gronkowski has a 4.65 40yd. time and Rudolph 4.78 that equals .13 rd of a second . I do not think that there is much of a difference there. Also, Gronk coming off MCL and ACL surgery last year I would bet that Rudolph would now be faster. Amazingly they are both 6-6 and 260 lbs. Both are great tight ends of course one has had Brady (hall of famer no doubt) throwing him passes and lets just say Rudolph has not. That being said Ponder threw him enough passes, as you mentioned, to get him into the Pro Bowl.

All good points. I was talking about pre-injury Gronkowski and game speed, rather than timed speed. I just don't think Rudolph has shown the kind of ability to separate from defenders down the field that Gronkowski did a few years ago (or that Jimmy Graham shows for the Saints). I don't feel he's put himself into the elite TE conversation yet but I think he could eventually get into that territory.

[S197]

I am not advocating that they sign him for his option year. What I am saying is that I want him to have an opprotunity to play for a legit Head Coach and a dam good OC. If he, by some miracle, comes around this year and plays the kind of good football that we have all seen flashes of, then great try and sign him. I do not think that a valid argument would be, "man you played really good this year but you sucked your first three years so settle for what ever measily contract they offer." I do not imagine things work like that. Bottum line, I want to see how he does and if he does not catch on then I hope he goes some where else and is succesfull. I am a huge FSU fan and happen to like Ponder and have not given up on him.

He should have his chance, I think the odds of Ponder getting cut or traded are very slim. The only real issue here is do they want to lock Ponder in to another year and clearly that isn't necessary as indicated by his current performance and the cost of said lock. At the end of the year both sides can sit down and decide what sort of future (if any) there will be.

[majorm]

I've been quietly reading the posts here and while trying to keep my blood pressure under control, I've stayed out of this debate.

I can't stand it any longer!

How can anybody seriously still be in favor of Ponder being on this roster? I don't want him even holding a tackling dummy during training camp!

No amount of additional coaching is going to make a difference. THE GUY CAN NOT PLAY!!! How many times do you have to see him???? How many chances does he get????

For those that say, "He'd make an okay backup." NO HE WOULD NOT! If he's even the third string QB there's still a chance he could end up starting if the top 2 guys go down. I can't stand the thought of that.

Get him out of here! Sooner the better. Close the Ponder chapter in the Vikings' history book and let him and us move on.

[Eli]

Watch your blood pressure. Your health is more important than the fate of yet another NFL QB who didn't pan out.

I can't wait for the draft. I don't care if the Vikings don't take a QB until the 4th round. He'll still be the only hope for this team's future.

[Mothman]

I've been quietly reading the posts here and while trying to keep my blood pressure under control, I've stayed out of this debate.

I can't stand it any longer!

How can anybody seriously still be in favor of Ponder being on this roster? I don't want him even holding a tackling dummy during training camp!

No amount of additional coaching is going to make a difference. THE GUY CAN NOT PLAY!!! How many times do you have to see him???? How many chances does he get????

For those that say, "He'd make an okay backup." NO HE WOULD NOT! If he's even the third string QB there's still a chance he could end up starting if the top 2 guys go down. I can't stand the thought of that.

Get him out of here! Sooner the better. Close the Ponder chapter in the Vikings' history book and let him and us move on.

I've asked this before but why such an extreme point of view or at least why such extreme rhetoric (like "the guy cannot play")? This is what I don't understand. It seems irrational to me.

Look, throw out that he was a first round pick. Throw out all the resentment and anger that comes with that (which seems to fuel an enormous amount of the frustration with Ponder). Look around the league at the quality of some of the backup QBs. Heck, look at the quality of the Vikings planned starter for next season.

Now look at Ponder (I can can guess what you'll say but please look anyway!). He's capable of moving the offense, putting points on the board and playing well enough to put the team in position to win games. He's capable of posting a passer rating over 100. All of that is demonstrable. It's happened and it's happened enough times that's not just a one game fluke. In the majority of games he has started over the past two years, the Vikings have either won or been in position to win in the final minute. I'm not saying that's because of Ponder but how is a QB who can at least help the team be in that position not useful at all? Why is he not even worthy of consideration for a spot on the roster?

Again, look at the quality of the Vikings planned starter for next season. Over the last 3 seasons he has more turnovers than TDs. He was statistically worse than Ponder at times and even last year, the Vikings offense had 3 of it's 4 worst performances of the year with Cassel at QB, not Ponder. He's only marginally better than Ponder yet somehow he's worthy of starting and Ponder's not worthy of a roster spot? That makes no sense. It's illogical.

I want to make it clear: I am NOT saying Ponder should start or that I want him to start, merely trying to grasp why so many fans insist he has no value at all when he clearly has value. A backup QB who can come off the bench and help the team win games is valuable and the idea that he can't get any better is hogwash. Few QBs reach their peak potential 3 seasons into their pro careers.

[Funkytown]

What it's like to read Ponder threads:

[Laserman]

Goodness King james You sure do like to get your panties in a wad anytime somebody disagrees with you. And this isn't the first time either. Grow up please

[King James]

Goodness King james You sure do like to get your panties in a wad anytime somebody disagrees with you. And this isn't the first time either. Grow up please

Apparently now I wear panties.

Apparently reading comprehension is not your strongest subject. I don't expect you to agree with me. What I told you not do is ask me a question that I already answered. You said why do I still believe in this "crap QB?" I already answered that when I first quoted to your comment. Yet you come back and asked me the same damn question. And then make a ridiculous statement suggesting that T-Jack was a better QB than Ponder. Without any good facts to back it up? I don't give a f*** whether you agree with me or not. You asked, I gave you an answer. If it's not good enough for you, oh well.

And as for telling me to grow up, this is a free damn country. You're not a moderator so unless they have a problem with something I post, I'll address topics how I see a fit. Seeing as I haven't gotten any complaints yet, I seem to be posting with the rules. You don't feed me, take care of me, or pay my bills so you have no say on how I behave on here. If I seem childish to you, then I'll just be that. Deal with it or foe me.