The San Francisco 49ers are in a bad way at quarterback and Christian Ponder didn't have a job. For now, they're a match.

Ponder signed with the 49ers Tuesday and will get a chance, for now, to be the back-up for Blaine Gabbert. The opportunity has come about because Colin Kaepernick has been sidelined for about a week with what is being called a "dead arm" and veteran Chad Lewis suffered a season-ending ACL injury.

Ponder hasn't played in the NFL regular season since his final two games with the Vikings in 2014. He was with Oakland during training camp last year and had a brief stint with Denver that didn't result in any playing time.

He started 36 games for the Vikings after being their first-round draft choice in 2011. You may remember that draft as the one in which Cam Newton was the No. 1 overall pick. Ponder was taken 12th, between new teammates Gabbert (10th) and Kaepernick (36th).

Don't get too hung up on the new teammates thing, though.

As Marc Sessler of NFL.com put it: "(Ponder) spent time with the Broncos last season, but was quickly cut free Ponder will likely suffer an equal fate if and when Kaepernick returns to action. Barring some sort of wild on-field uprising, Ponder, in 2016, is the dictionary definition of a camp arm."

Here is Sussler's complete report.

Here's a bit more context from the blog Today's Pigskin. We're including it because it starts with the following: "Don't make too much of this signing..."

We promise.