vikings/nfl
Dan Wiederer began covering the Vikings in 2011, enthusiastically delivering insight on the team across the Star Tribune's print and digital products. Prior to joining the Access Vikings team, he spent seven seasons covering ACC basketball at The Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer. He also covered the Chicago Bears in 2003 and 2004. Follow him on Twitter @StribDW.
Mark Craig has covered football and the NFL the past 20 years, including the Browns from 1991-95 and the Vikings and the NFL since 2003. Since 2008, Craig has served as one of the 44 Pro Football Hall of Fame selectors. He can be followed on Twitter at @markcraignfl.
Ponder: Guys are hurting for money
Posted by: under Rookies, Vikings, NFC Updated: July 1, 2011 - 1:36 PM
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.
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