A former NFL executive thinks the Minnesota Vikings should go back to a familiar name as they are looking for help at the quarterback position following Teddy Bridgewater’s injury.
Former Colts general manager Bill Polian told Sirius XM Radio Wednesday that Christian Ponder is the “obvious choice” for the Vikings.
Vikings fans, please remove your hand from your forehead.
Polian, who is best known for drafting Peyton Manning and winning a Super Bowl as the Colts GM, thinks the move would make a lot of sense.
Here’s his logic:
“He’s the obvious choice for a lot of reasons. The only drawback … is that he is a failed No. 1 choice in Minnesota and all the fans know it. To some degree the players know it – not to some degree, the players do know it. … But you’re in a heck of a fix right now. And he provides, as a backup with Shaun Hill being the guy, as a backup he provides stability and a little bit of time to look for a better solution. Ultimately sometimes in a situation where there are no good solutions, the least hurtful solution is the one that makes sense.”
In four seasons with the Vikings, Ponder started 36 games. He completed 59.8 percent of his passes for 6,658 yards 38 touchdowns and 36 interceptions. Ponder also ran for seven additional touchdowns.
He also helped the Vikings reach the playoffs in 2012, during Adrian Peterson’s MVP season.
According to the Star Tribune, Ponder is likely to be released by San Francisco before the start of the regular season. The good news for Vikings fans is that it doesn’t seem like anyone in the Vikings front office seems to be thinking like Polian.
There have been reports the Vikings have talked with Denver about trading for Mark Sanchez.
Pro Football Talk notes that Cleveland doesn’t appear to be too willing to part with Josh McCown, another name that’s come up for the Vikings. The Browns are asking for a high draft pick – a price Minnesota probably isn’t willing to pay.
Even still, we’d have to believe that Ponder is still a ways down on that list.
