Maybe it's a good thing that more Vikings did not accept quarterback Christian Ponder's invitation to pay for them to attend three days of workouts this spring at IMG Madden Football Academy in Bradenton, Fla.

Ponder, who was one of more than 150 draft picks who attended a symposium for rookies this week that was sponsored by the NFL Players Association, talked about the impact the lockout is having on players who have been unable to negotiate their first NFL contracts.

"Guys are hurting for money right now," Ponder, the 12th pick in the first round, told the Associated Press. "It's a crazy time, especially with the uncertainty of when we're going to start and get some money in our pocket."

The reality is that the majority of teams would not have signed their top picks yet, so even without the lockout, Ponder likely would not have seen a dime from the Vikings yet. First-round picks often sign right before training camp, meaning that if the lockout does continue for a few more weeks, Ponder will be missing some of the upfront money he eventually will get from the Vikings.

Here's the complete story from the Associated Press.