The Minnesota Vikings had a good offseason to say the least. They signed WR Greg Jennings, the former Packer, to a five-year contract. Furthermore, they had three first round picks, which they used on DT Sharrif Floyd, CB Xavier Rhodes, and WR Cordarrelle Patterson.
Two of these offseason additions should make Christian Ponder a very happy man. Greg Jennings is a veteran Wide Receiver with great hands. Yes, he has been plagued by injuries, but he is definitely an upgrade from last year. Furthermore, they added Cordarrelle Patterson to the receiving core. He is 6'2, 216 pounds and ran a 4.42 40 yard dash. He is somewhat of a risk, because he is unpolished and needs to refine his skills. However, he has the raw attributes that you cannot teach: size and speed. He can always learn the other skills, such as route running, and he has Greg Jennings, a seasoned veteran, to help mentor him. Patterson is a physical specimen and has the potential to be a star.
Consequently, I expect Christian Ponder to have a big season. In addition to Jennings and Patterson, Ponder also has WR Jarius Wright and TE Kyle Rudolph to throw to. Moreover, he has the best running back in the game, Adrian Peterson.
All of these factors point to Christian Ponder, and the Vikings, having a breakout season. Last season, he had a completion percentage of 62.1%, ranking 13th among NFL quarterbacks. Furthermore, he had 18 touchdowns and only 12 interceptions, which is respectable. Keep in mind that he put up these numbers with a sub-average receiving core.
Now, he has two new weapons to throw to, which should improve his numbers immensely. Additionally, with a great running back and the ability to run play action, he is set up to have a great year. This will be his third season, and it is time for him to establish himself as a good NFL quarterback.
Ultimately, with the offensive upgrades and additions to defense, I expect the Vikings to have a good year. My biggest concern is that they play in a tough division and have the 10th toughest schedule this year, including games at the Seahwaks, at the Ravens, and at the Bengals.
However, with their offseason acquisitions, I expect them to be competitive this season and to build on their success from last season.
Feel free to leave your comments! I would love to hear your thoughts.
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