Tag: Christian Ponder (Page 6 of 7)

      Bengals Owner: No plans to trade Palmer

      March 22, 2011 /
      Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer (9) tries to elude the grasp of Baltimore Ravens safety Dawan Landry during the second half of their NFL football game in Baltimore, Maryland October 11, 2009. REUTERS/Joe Giza (UNITED STATES SPORT FOOTBALL)

      While most of the NFL world is entrenched in the ongoing battle between the players and owners, there’s a more personal battle going on in Cincinnati right now between one player and one owner.

      Carson Palmer wants to be traded from the Bengals or vows to retire. But Cincinnati owner Mike Brown reiterated on Monday night that his quarterback is not available and does “not see equal value” on the trade market.

      “I want him back,” Brown said. “I haven’t talked to any other team about him. I have no plans to trade him.”

      Things can obviously change in a hurry in the NFL. One minute a team says they have no desire to trade a player, the next minute said player is on a plane heading for a new destination. But Brown seems serious in his desire not to trade the 31-year-old starter, even though the draft is coming up in a little over a month. One would think that if the Bengals were to trade Palmer once the CBA mess clears up, they would need to draft a signal caller in one of the first three rounds next month.

      If they do draft a quarterback, Missouri’s Blaine Gabbert would be a logical choice at No. 4 and Florida State’s Christian Ponder is an option in the second round. In fact, Ponder might be a better overall fit for Jay Gruden’s West Coast Offense because his best attribute is his accuracy, which is an obvious requirement for a WCO quarterback.

      No matter which direction Brown chooses, he better have a game plan. Because if Palmer sticks to his guns and retires and the Bengals go into the 2011 season with Jordan Palmer, they’re going to be in some serious trouble.

      External Sports, NFL

      Scouting Combine Winners: 10 Players that Improved their Draft Stock

      March 2, 2011 /

      It’s dangerous to put too much stock in combine workouts.

      The 40-yard dash may measure straight-line speed but it won’t tell you if a running back has great vision or instincts. The bench press might be a good indication of how strong a player is, but people with long arms tend to struggle with the exercise and isn’t having long arms one of the qualities that scouts look for in an offensive tackle prospect?

      That said: Forget what I just wrote. The combine numbers mean everything, which makes this post so worth your time. Listen to me, I’m not one of those idiots who sets up an article by telling you how combine numbers mean nothing and then compiles a list of prospects that improved their draft stocks based off their combine numbers. That would just be foolish and counterproductive.

      Below are 10 prospects that may have improved their draft stock with their performance at the combine this week. I know there were more than just 10, so feel free to share whom you thought raised their stock in the comments section below (which is way more productive than calling me a flippin’ moron for not listing a player, and then smugly asking, “Did you even watch football last year?” which is one of my all-time favorite comments from readers).

      Von Miller, OLB, Texas A&M
      I’d be shocked if Miller weren’t selected in the top 6 after running a 4.53 forty at the combine. He was unofficially clocked at 4.46 and I don’t see him getting past Cleveland at No. 6. (I actually think he won’t get past Arizona at No. 5, but if the Cardinals take a quarterback I could see the Browns nabbing him at No. 6.) Miller put on nearly 10 pounds since the Senior Bowl and is already drawing comparisons to DeMarcus Ware. He’s the most NFL-ready pass rusher in the draft.

      Christian Ponder, QB, Florida State
      Everybody is loving themselves some Christian Ponder right now. After displaying great accuracy and decent arm strength over the weekend, some believe Ponder may now go in the first round. I think that’s a stretch but I wouldn’t be shocked if he went to the Bengals at the top of the second round. He’s viewed as the best West Coast Offense quarterback in the draft and may have been the signal caller that improved his draft stock the most this week.

      Continue reading »

      External Sports, NFL, NFL Draft

      Could the Bengals take a flier on Christian Ponder in the second round?

      March 1, 2011 /

      A week ago Christian Ponder was viewed as a third round prospect at best. But after impressing scouts at the combine, you would think that the guy is ready to go in the top 10 based on some media reports.

      Rob Rang of CBS Sports is reporting that Ponder is generating first round buzz after his workout in Indianapolis over the weekend. He even says that Ponder is now “viewed by some as the top true West Coast Offense quarterback in the draft.”

      I know Ponder looked good in his workout but I highly doubt he’ll go in the first round. He’s still a mid-round prospect, but one team that has emerged as an interesting candidate for the former FSU quarterback is the Cincinnati Bengals.

      The Carson Palmer situation is getting a little hairy in the ‘Natti. He wants out and with each passing day, it appears as though the team is willing to abide by his wishes. If they trade or release Palmer, then quarterback becomes the biggest need for the Bengals, although I’m not convinced they’ll take a signal caller at No. 4.

      Cam Newton isn’t a fit for Jay Gruden’s West Coast offense and neither is Ryan Mallett. The same goes for Jake Locker, who doesn’t have the accuracy to play in the system and while you can make a case for Blaine Gabbert, there’s a good chance that if the Bengals wait they could nab Ponder at the top of the second round (or later if they trade back or attempt to wait until the third round to nab him) and pay him significantly less than if they take Gabbert at No. 4.

      Ponder fits in the West Coast because his best attribute is his accuracy. He also has a strong enough arm to make all the throws at the next level and as long as his confidence stays up, he could wind up developing into a nice quarterback down the road. Depending on how the situation plays out with Palmer, Ponder seems like a logical fit for the Bengals.

      College Football, External Sports, NFL, NFL Draft

      NFL Scouting Combine Thoughts: Quarterbacks

      February 27, 2011 /

      The quarterbacks performed throwing drills at the NFL scouting combine on Sunday and below are some quick-hit thoughts on how each of them fared. (Thank you NFL Network for broadcasting the scouting combine for those of us who are unable to go to Indianapolis, or have a restraining order that mandates we stay 500 yards away from Rich Eisen, whom all I wanted to do was party with.)

      – For those that were concerned with the way the ball comes out of Cam Newton’s hand, there’s no need. Unlike Tim Tebow last year, Newton doesn’t have a flaw that needs to be fixed when it comes to his delivery, which is important seeing as how he played in the spread option under Gus Malzahn at Auburn.

      – That said, Newton was awfully inconsistent on Sunday. His passes on the out route sailed on him and he also overthrew his receiver on one of his post-corner throws. His footwork is still a work in progress but hey, he’s learning. He has to transition from being a spread quarterback to a conventional drop back passer in the NFL, so it’s going to take time. At least at this point he has better mechanics than Tebow and Vince Young when they were preparing for the draft.

      – Ryan Mallett was really impressive. He has a cannon attached to his right shoulder and the ball comes out of his hand rather effortlessly. He has the best physical tools of any quarterback in the draft and at 6’6” and 238 pounds, he has the size that scouts drool over. Of course, his physical tools have never been in question. His attitude and character are what some are concerned about. Personally, I think he has Oakland Raiders written all over him. He could thrive in a vertical offense and Al Davis can’t even spell character.

      – Christian Ponder had himself a great day as well. He outshined Newton and all other quarterbacks in the second group, displaying very good accuracy and decent arm strength. I can’t see him going any higher than the third round, but he looked healthy and confident on Sunday. Depending on what team he winds up with, he could be a player to watch in a couple of years.

      – For those who followed him at Washington, it’s not surprising that Jake Locker ran one of the fastest 40 times (4.52 seconds) of any quarterback in combine history. The guy was blessed with a ton of athleticism and he looked good throwing the ball, which had been a concern heading into the combine. He was a little inconsistent with his accuracy when throwing the dig route, but it’s hard to complain about his performance. Of course, most quarterbacks perform well when there are no defenders in their face. When teams watch film of him from last year, there will be plenty to pick apart.

      – Ricky Stanzi, Jerrod Johnson and Andy Dalton all struggled with their accuracy. I don’t think anyone is surprised with Johnson, but I thought Dalton would put on a better performance. Of course, where he wins teams over is with his leadership, his football IQ and his instincts. You can’t measure those things in throwing drills. I will say this about Stanzi though: the kid throws a nice deep ball (at least when he’s not facing any DBs).

      College Football, External Sports, NFL, NFL Draft

      Christian Ponder likely won’t start ACC Championship Game

      December 4, 2010 /
      RALEIGH, NC - OCTOBER 28: Christian Ponder of the Florida State Seminoles celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the North Carolina State Wolfpack during their game at Carter-Finley Stadium on October 28, 2010 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

      Florida State was going to have a tough time with Virginia Tech regardless, but not having Christian Ponder on the field to start the game will make things incredibly difficult for the Seminoles.

      Reports say Ponder will not start tonight’s ACC Championship Game, and that E.J. Manuel will get the nod.

      Ponder is battling an injury in his throwing elbow, and coach Jimbo Fisher apparently wants to give him time to heal. It seems like an odd time to be giving someone time to heal, seeing the Seminoles are playing for a conference title.

      It could just be wording, however, and perhaps Ponder isn’t healthy enough to play and Fisher thinks Manuel provides the Seminoles the best chance at victory under the circumstances (this is the more likely scenario). The reports do say that Ponder will be available if necessary.

      Whatever the case, it might be time to get in on some late action on Virginia Tech.

      College Football, External Sports

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