Three Of A Kind

Christian Ponder
Matt Cassel
Josh Freeman

That's an interesting group of quarterbacks for the Minnesota Vikings. Not many teams have three quarterbacks that have started in the NFL. I can't think of any team that has three quarterbacks that were recently considered the present and future of a franchise. Kansas City traded for Matt Cassel in 2009. Based on his one season starting in place of an injured Tom Brady in New England, the Chiefs thought that Cassel could be their franchise quarterback. Initially, it looked like they could be right. He made a Pro Bowl! Things haven't been so peachy since 2010. Tampa Bay drafted Josh Freeman with the 17th pick of the 2009 NFL Draft. The Buccaneers thought that he could be their franchise quarterback. After a terrific 2010 season, it looked like they were right. He made a Pro Bowl! The Buccaneers, led by Freeman, were a dynamic, up and coming football team. Everything fell apart in 2011. The team couldn't get out of their own way. Head coach Raheem Morris was fired. While Freeman had some excellent moments in 2012, things weren't quite comfortable with new coach Greg Schiano. That relationship exploded this season. Minnesota selected Christian Ponder with the 12th pick of the 2011 NFL Draft. The Vikings thought that he could be their franchise quarterback. After just under two years worth of starts, his performance has been mixed, at best. He's had some good to great games. He's had as many mystifying games. Ponder hasn't made a Pro Bowl. Now, three one time franchise-quarterbacks-to-be are competing for one job on one team. It likely comes down to a competition between Ponder and Freeman as I think that the Vikings view Cassel as a backup. A solid, competent backup.

There's little doubt that Josh Freeman is the most accomplished of the three quarterbacks. He was getting close to star status after only his second year in the league. I think that many people outside of the Buccaneers were shocked that everything fell apart so quickly with the team and their young quarterback. I sure was. It was clear that Schiano and Freeman had sailed well past the point of no return. While the signing of Freeman is no vote of confidence for Ponder, I wouldn't shut the door on his role as the Vikings starting quarterback. He's got the skills to be a very effective starter. He has to start playing with greater confidence and consistency. If he wasn't motivated before, he should be now. The Vikings have shown that they won't wait forever for his development. They really can't afford to wait.