Tag: Christian Ponder (Page 5 of 7)

      NFL News & Notes: One GM calls Mallett “Charlie Sheen” of NFL draft

      May 3, 2011 /
      University of Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett (15) scrambles away from the University of Florida’s Christopher Coleman during the secopnd quarter of their NCAA football game in Gainesville, Florida October 17, 2009. REUTERS/Scott Audette (UNITED STATES SPORT FOOTBALL)

      Here are some interesting NFL reports via Rotoworld:

      GM calls Ryan Mallett the “Charlie Sheen of the NFL draft
      According to FOX Sports.com, at least one NFL GM doesn’t buy into how Mallett is being billed as Tom Brady’s eventual successor in New England. “Just knowing Bill, I can’t see him truly believing Mallett is their future,” the annaoymous GM said. “I can see them getting him right off the field, showcasing him in the preseason for a couple of years and then getting some trade value for him and stock-pile more picks.” Because of Mallett’s alleged drug and alcohol issues, another GM went as far as to say: “We thought he was the Charlie Sheen of this draft.” Ouch.

      Reid denies that there’s an offer for Kolb
      Andy Reid is denying reports that the Eagles have an offer on the table for quarterback Kevin Kolb. This comes a day after SI.com’s Peter King said the exact opposite and wrote that an “unnamed team” has offered a first round pick in exchange for the QB. The Cardinals, Dolphins and Seahawks still remain possibilities for Kolb once the lock ends (and assuming the Eagles and Reid are willing to part with Kolb).

      Vikings want to bring in veteran to compete with Ponder
      Even though head coach Leslie Frazier told the media following the draft that Christian Ponder will have the opportunity to start as a rookie, he also confirmed on Tuesday that he’s looking to add a veteran to come in and compete with the first round pick. “If we went that route, we’d probably want a guy that could compete to start,” Frazier said. “I don’t know if I’d want a ‘coach-type’ guy.” There’s still a possibility that Donovan McNabb could wind up in Minnesota for a year or two while Ponder learns Bill Musgrave’s offense.

      L.T. concedes starting RB job to Shonn Greene
      LaDainian Tomlinson conceded that Shonn Greene is ready to take over as the Jets’ feature back. L.T. noted that he’s been the best running back in the league and now wants to be the best third-down back in the NFL. He still figures to have a predominant role in the Jets’ offense.

      News, NFL

      Christian Ponder will have opportunity to start for Vikings in 2011

      May 2, 2011 /
      Minnesota Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier leads his team against the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland on November 28, 2010. UPI/Kevin Dietsch

      Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier has made it clear to the media in Minnesota that first round pick Christian Ponder will have every opportunity to win the starting quarterback job this year.

      “That would be the ideal situation – we’ve got our Matt Ryan, we’ve got our [Joe] Flacco,” Frazier told ESPN 1500 Twin Cities. “But because of the uncertainty of the offseason, it’s just hard to determine exactly how you want to approach it.”

      Translation: If we don’t wind up trading for Donovan McNabb, then the rook will probably start for us next season. (Because hey, who else would start? Patrick Ramsey? Hahahaha…ahhhhhh.)

      After taking Ponder in the first round last Thursday, it seems unlikely that the Vikings would trade for McNabb, but you never know. What they could wind up doing is waiting to see if Washington releases McNabb and then pursuing him on a one-year deal. That way Ponder could sit and learn Bill Musgrave’s offense for a year before taking over in 2012. The only problem with that line of thinking is that you assume McNabb would be fine only taking a one-year deal so that he could groom his eventual replacement.

      While I was just as surprised as anyone when the Vikings selected Ponder in the first round last week, I do think he’s a perfect fit for Minnesota’s offense. Musgrave has been heralded for his work with young quarterbacks and he’ll have the opportunity to show what he can do with Ponder, who was arguably the best West Coast Offense prospect in last weekend’s draft. Musgrave obviously did a great job grooming Ryan in Atlanta and it’s not like Ponder wouldn’t have talent around him if he wound up starting as a rookie. As Frazier pointed out, we’ll just have to wait and see how the rest of the offseason plays out to see if Ponder will have the opportunity to start in ’11.

      External Sports, NFL, NFL Draft

      2011 NFL Draft: Five First Round Surprises

      April 28, 2011 /

      If you’re a fellow draft nerd like myself, you figured that there would be plenty of surprises in the first round on Thursday night. Here are five that caught me off guard.

      1. The Falcons trade two drafts worth of picks for Julio Jones.
      The fact that the Falcons traded into the top 10 wasn’t surprising. There were pre-draft reports that suggested they would do just that. The fact that they traded 72 picks in order to climb up in order to take him…wow. Make no mistake: Julio Jones is a stud and he’s going to look real good in an offense that already consists of Matt Ryan, Roddy White, Michael Turner and Tony Gonzalez. But a first, second and a fourth this year, plus a first and a fourth next year is a TON to give up for one player. But hey, GM Thomas Dimitroff knows he has a Super Bowl-caliber roster and he just added an impact player. The loss to the Packers in the playoffs last year proved just how badly the Falcons needed a deep threat that could stretch the defense. Jones fills that need instantly; he just better pan out.

      2. Titans take Jake Locker at No. 8.
      With Vince Young heading out of town, everyone knew a quarterback was an option for Tennessee at No. 8. But the fact that they passed on Blaine Gabbert, who was arguably the better QB prospect, for Jake Locker was a surprise that not many people saw coming. That said, had Locker came out last year he would have probably be the No. 1 overall pick. But since he struggled as a senior at Washington, draft observers thought he would go in the late first round, or possibly even slip into the second. The Titans obviously were incredibly high on him and he’s going to bring a lot of excitement to Tennessee – at least initially. But consider this: if Locker doesn’t pan out and Gabbert does, not only will it set the Titans back, but Gabbert (whom Tennessee’s AFC South rivals the Jaguars traded up to take at No. 10) could wind up haunting them for years.

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      External Sports, NFL, NFL Draft

      Seven potential landing spots for Ponder

      April 20, 2011 /

      Peter King is the latest NFL draft observer to suggest that Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder could go in the first round, tweeting: “Eight days before the draft, this is the hot guy at the bottom of round one: FSU QB Christian Ponder.”

      But Ponder won’t be a fit for every team. His arm strength is considered to be only average and he struggles throwing the deep ball. But he has good athleticism, a high football IQ and is very accurate, making him a solid fit for the West Coast Offense. With that in mind, below are seven potential landing spots for Ponder as the draft approaches.

      Cincinnati Bengals
      The Bengals will run new offensive coordinator Jay Gruden’s version of the WCO and with the uncertainty surrounding Carson Palmer’s return next year, Ponder is a logical fit for Cincinnati. That said, the Bengals obviously aren’t going to take him with the No. 4 pick. They could trade down, but it would make more sense for them to either wait and hope he falls to them at No. 35 or trade back into the late first round and take Ponder there.

      Minnesota Vikings
      Under new offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave, the Vikings will run a version of the WCO with elements of the vertical passing game and strong rushing attack a la the scheme Mike Mularkey runs in Atlanta. Given some of the things that head coach Leslie Frazier has said this offseason, you get the sense that Minnesota will draft and start a rookie this season. They won’t take Ponder at No. 12 but they are a candidate to trade back into the first round.

      San Francisco 49ers
      If you read between the lines, the Niners’ game plan under new head coach Jim Harbaugh is this: Re-sign Alex Smith to a one-year deal, draft a quarterback in one of the first two rounds and groom him to start in 2012. Like many of the teams on this list, the 49ers won’t draft Ponder with their first pick (No. 7 overall) but are in position to move up into the late first round.

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      External Sports, NFL, NFL Draft

      Vikings want to draft a rookie to start in 2011?

      March 22, 2011 /

      When the Vikings hired Bill Musgrave as their offensive coordinator in January, they knew one of his best attributes was working with quarterbacks. And in his most recent stop, he worked with a young signal caller that went on to win the 2008 NFL Rookie of the Year.

      That “stop” was Atlanta and that “young signal caller” was Matt Ryan. Musgrave oversaw Ryan’s development with the Falcons as his quarterback coach and if beat writers Judd Zulgad and Tom Pelissero are right, he might have a similar opportunity to work with another rookie QB in Minnesota.

      In his latest column for the Star Tribune, Zulgad writes that Vikings coach Leslie Frazier talked “extensively” about the quarterback position at the NFL coaches breakfast at the league meetings on Tuesday. Per Zulgad, Frazier “made it clear that his desire would be to draft someone and plug him in as the starter.”

      In that same article, Zulgad also quoted Frazier saying that the Vikings would talk internally about different quarterback “scenarios,” which includes trading for Kevin Kolb. But if the team does want to draft a young signal caller, then there will be a couple of options at No. 12 overall.

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      External Sports, NFL, NFL Draft

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