Quarterback Christian Ponder leaves the Vikings with no bitterness, even though a lot of people in the same situation would be pretty upset about not getting a continued opportunity. The team, before the season, declined to pick up a fifth-year option on Ponder, who led the Vikings to a playoff berth in 2012.
A lot of the media had a lot of alibis for other players who were injured, but none for Ponder, whose triceps injury never fully healed after he got it hurt in the regular season finale against Green Bay in 2012.
Ponder was the 12th overall pick in 2011, and played a lot his rookie season. He had a good year in leading the Vikings to the playoffs in his second year, then lost his job last year to Matt Cassel, partly because of injury. He never really got a chance this season, playing third string behind Cassel and rookie Teddy Bridgewater, except for the game at Green Bay, when he was thrown in with only two practices to get ready.
While I'm in the minority, I believe that Christian Ponder will hook on with some team. I think the Vikings should have kept him. He'll be with another team and, before his career is over, I believe he will be a starting quarterback in the NFL.
