The starting quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings is really anyone's guess right now. As the team wraps up organized team activities, Matt Cassel, Christian Ponder and Teddy Bridgewater are all battling to get the spot under center. Head coach Mike Zimmer is keeping the opportunity open in order to push the three players to improve and challenge each other, but offensive coordinator Norv Turner apparently already knows the man he wants on Week 1.
Turner has experience with quarterback carousels before. He was with the Cleveland Browns has they dealt with the Brandon Weeden, Jason Campbell and Brian Hoyer rotation. However, according to the Pioneer Press, Turner always wanted Cassel in that rotation instead of a player like Campbell. The offensive coordinator noted that he really felt like Cassel fit his system and had the strong knowledge to be a successful quarterback.
"I think that would have been at the time a good move for us," Turner said, via the Pioneer Press. "I gave my evaluation. I thought he would have fit. . . . Sometimes it works out, and sometimes it doesn't."
Now both players are with the Vikings and Cassel has been anointed the starting role at least for the time being. The veteran quarterback opted to re-sign with Minnesota instead of heading elsewhere with the idea that he would be given the chance to start this season while the team developed a younger player. So far, things are working out well for him. Now learning a new system under two new coaches, Cassel is confident he can elevate his play this year.
"I've been in the league long enough to understand every coach is different and has a different approach," Cassel said. "Coach Zimmer, he's very businesslike, very matter-of-fact, and he's going to be very truthful with guys. I think everybody appreciates his honesty because you know where you stand. You know what you need to work on. It's the same thing with Coach [Norv] Turner on the offensive side. He's going to coach you hard, but I think those are the things that are going to elevate our players, elevate my game, because there are no small details overlooked."
Turner's endorsement is nice, but it likely does not seal the job for Cassel. Bridgewater is hot on his heels looking to impress early. The rookie missed OTAs and notes that he is comfortable with the backup job until he is comfortable in the system. That leaves Ponder as the odd man out. Many believed the Vikings were planning on trading the quarterback, but for now he stays for the final year of his contract and likely will not return after that.
