View previous topic :: View next topic |
Who's the opening day starter at QB in 2014? |
Cassel (re-signed) |
|
50% |
[ 30 ] |
Ponder again |
|
10% |
[ 6 ] |
Freeman returns |
|
5% |
[ 3 ] |
Another veteran |
|
11% |
[ 7 ] |
Rookie (1st round) |
|
18% |
[ 11 ] |
Rookie (later round) |
|
5% |
[ 3 ] |
|
Total Votes : 60 |
|
Author |
Message |
CriminalMind 
Joined: 25 Aug 2011 Posts: 8631 Location: Toronto, CA
|
Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 10:09 am Post subject: |
|
|
|
If Cassels did not excerise his voiding option, Vikings had a "long" period of time to void his contract on their end. Thats also Limbo for Cassels camp, and he would lose that time contacting other potential teams (which his camp is likely doing right now).
Its a prudent decision by Cassels.
Frankly, if Vikings were going to gareentee his coming season, they should have been in touch with the Cassels camp soon after the season was ended. Of course they could have, but Cassel may have still decided to void to see what his option were. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
vike daddy

Joined: 12 Mar 2005 Posts: 82974
|
Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 10:23 am Post subject: |
|
|
|
^^ yes, exactly.
this is about business, not emotions. it's not about being disrespected or writing off the team.
Cassel only has so many years left in the NFL, he's trying to maximize their payoff to him. _________________
Everson Griffen: “We can be special. But it’s up to us.” |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
CriminalMind 
Joined: 25 Aug 2011 Posts: 8631 Location: Toronto, CA
|
Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 11:23 am Post subject: |
|
|
|
Its possibily a fair assumption that Cassels may not have even met with Zimmer & Norv, so he likely has no indication what direction their going in? Thats not to say the new management may not like him, but due to the timing invested in the hiring, those early personel moves get put on the back burner. Cassels just had a very decent year, and he needed to do whats best for him.
Its a business, Cassels voiding his contract is not disrespect to the Vikings. I'm certain his agent is contacting 6-10 teams, including the Vikings. Cassels is nearing the end of his career, if he secures a 2-3 year deal that may be his last until he retires. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
gopherwrestler 
Joined: 20 Jan 2014 Posts: 5571 Location: 'Sota
|
Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 11:24 am Post subject: |
|
|
|
Klomp wrote: | Nobody liked my MBT suggestion? |
Nope.
------
I'd still like to see what Freeman could do, I mean we gave the guy a week to learn a completely new offense and now this year its going to be another fresh start. Freeman has a big arm and I could see him having some plus side if we give him a little time. Just if he comes back as a back-up price.
I also read that if we let Ponder go we take a 3.2 milliom dollar cap hit? Highly doubt they are willing to take that as a hit to let him go. Letting him go and signing a 2 million dollar back-up type of player really gives us a 5 million dollar back-up QB. Really makes more sense to keep ponder and set him at a 3rd string QB for the year. _________________
“Once you’ve wrestled, everything else in life is easy.”
-Dan Gable |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
vikingsrule 
Joined: 15 Nov 2005 Posts: 52626 Location: Land of 10,000 Lakes!
|
Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 12:06 pm Post subject: |
|
|
|
They take a hit for releasing ponder in terms of dead money but they are free from his salary so the net cap impact is zero dollars if I understand correctly. _________________
 |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
PrplChilPill
Joined: 26 Feb 2007 Posts: 10825 Location: Portland, OR
|
Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 12:10 pm Post subject: |
|
|
|
vikingsrule wrote: | They take a hit for releasing ponder in terms of dead money but they are free from his salary so the net cap impact is zero dollars if I understand correctly. |
Plus they save actual cash, sometimes people forget that. _________________ Wins are a team stat, not a QB stat |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
gopherwrestler 
Joined: 20 Jan 2014 Posts: 5571 Location: 'Sota
|
Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 12:15 pm Post subject: |
|
|
|
vikingsrule wrote: | They take a hit for releasing ponder in terms of dead money but they are free from his salary so the net cap impact is zero dollars if I understand correctly. |
Just read into it. You are correct.
http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/minnesota-vikings/christian-ponder/ _________________
“Once you’ve wrestled, everything else in life is easy.”
-Dan Gable |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
ArcticNorseman
Joined: 06 Mar 2005 Posts: 2987 Location: Fairbanks, Alaska
|
Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 12:26 pm Post subject: |
|
|
|
Cassel made a very smart decision to void the contract.
Now, I'm sure I'm wrong on this, but it didn't seem like Frazier and Spielman were on the same page -- at all. There had to be totall chaos in the front office. My guess is Speilman brought Freeman in to threaten Ponder into playing better. Frazier probably fought that move because of the fragile psychy of most QBs and NFL players, so when he disagreed with Speilman he played Freeman to prove a point and that flat out embarassed the Vikings ownership and GM.
Charlie Johnson's inability to pass block -- even half-arsedly -- was a major contributor to the Vikings QB woes. The rest of the O-line was better, but not as good as they could've played.
If the Vikes put a truly powerful LG in place, any QB will feel more comfortable behind that line. If they could re-sign Cassel for $5million, I'd be all for that -- most good veteran's are getting twice that.
If they don't sign Cassel, and I were Turner/Zimmer, I'd make Spielman get the LG taken care of. Draft a QB in Rds 2-5 . . . but start Ponder, if he proves he can play . . . .afterall, didn't some say Turner did great things with Alex Smith? |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
PurpleMugen 
Joined: 05 Feb 2008 Posts: 4065 Location: Rutgers University
|
Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 1:32 pm Post subject: |
|
|
|
ArcticNorseman wrote: | If they don't sign Cassel, and I were Turner/Zimmer, I'd make Spielman get the LG taken care of. Draft a QB in Rds 2-5 . . . but start Ponder, if he proves he can play . . . .afterall, didn't some say Turner did great things with Alex Smith? |
Ponder is never starting a meaningful game for the Vikings ever again. And rightfully so, which feels great. _________________
Peppers90 on the sig. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
SteelKing728 
Joined: 23 Aug 2008 Posts: 23563 Location: PGH
|
Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 2:25 pm Post subject: |
|
|
|
okay, so even if Cassel liked Minnesota, I can't see him leaving Houston if/when they give him a contract.
So right now, My top FA QB list is:
1) Josh McCown (If he doesn't retire)
2) Chad Henne
3) Josh Freeman
4) Charlie Whitehurst _________________
 |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Freakout 
Joined: 05 Mar 2007 Posts: 4216
|
Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 3:20 pm Post subject: |
|
|
|
vike daddy wrote: | Freakout wrote: | Frank Costello wrote: | He won't be back, the amount of disrespect he was shown after beating Pitt and then getting benched was enough for him to write us off. I don't blame him at all. |
One of the few times I am agreeing with Frank. Cassel was jerked around while he was here. He should have been starting and Spielman had a hand in the mess. |
but where has Cassel stated he's disappointed? that he feels disrespected and will "write us off"? seems like you guys are reaching, or filling in the blanks with your own disappointments with the team, and projecting them on to Cassel.
because this is what he said at the end of the year -
Cassel: “I love playing for the Vikings. The fan base here is absolutely amazing. The team was special. It was a great team to play for. I really enjoyed my time with my wife, myself, my kids, a great community and everything else that goes along with it. So, would I love to be a Minnesota Viking? Absolutely, without a doubt.”
http://www.startribune.com/sports/vikings/243870561.html
a great team to play for... absolutely would love to be a Viking... without a doubt in his mind.
not the words of a guy who has written us off.
and by the way... Cassel wasn't benched after the PITT win in London, he was benched (for Freeman's one night stand) following the next game Cassel started - a humiliating loss to the then lowly Carolina Panthers where he averaged 5.5 yards per completion and had 2 int's. |
I wouldn't expect Cassel to say anything negative. I am surprised that you actually would. He is a professional that understands the business side of the sport.
I have no disappointments with the team. Those I had were removed when Leslie Fraizer was fired.
That doesn't change my opinion that he was jerked around while he was here and Spielman did have a hand in it by bringing in Freeman. _________________
 |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Klomp 
 Joined: 11 Aug 2011 Posts: 13157 Location: Marshall
|
Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 3:26 pm Post subject: |
|
|
|
Freakout wrote: | That doesn't change my opinion that he was jerked around while he was here and Spielman did have a hand in it by bringing in Freeman. |
Spielman may have brought him in, but it was Frazier that rushed Freeman into the starting lineup, not Spielman. _________________
 |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Freakout 
Joined: 05 Mar 2007 Posts: 4216
|
Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 3:36 pm Post subject: |
|
|
|
Klomp wrote: | Freakout wrote: | That doesn't change my opinion that he was jerked around while he was here and Spielman did have a hand in it by bringing in Freeman. |
Spielman may have brought him in, but it was Frazier that rushed Freeman into the starting lineup, not Spielman. |
It appears that way but Fraizer did say he ran it past Spielman and ownership before making the decision. If any of that is true, Spielman could have urged him to hold off.
Then once the season was over both took shots at each other over the way the quarterback position was handled.
That truth is none of us really know what happened behind the scenes but Cassel likely does. We will just have to watch it play out and draw our own conclusions. _________________
 |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Klomp 
 Joined: 11 Aug 2011 Posts: 13157 Location: Marshall
|
Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 3:42 pm Post subject: |
|
|
|
Freakout wrote: | It appears that way but Fraizer did say he ran it past Spielman and ownership before making the decision. If any of that is true, Spielman could have urged him to hold off. |
Rick has always said he lets the coaches make decisions of who to start. I don't think Spielman wants a Jerry situation. _________________
 |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Duff Man
Joined: 05 May 2013 Posts: 990 Location: Sveltville
|
Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 3:49 pm Post subject: |
|
|
|
I say we give MBT his chance to start this year. Guy is lights out.
And plus my brother and I saw him out at the bars after training camp this summer and talked with him and Felton, dude was hilarious as hell!
Jerome Felton: "This guy is gonna be starting next year!" |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
|