Vikings coach Mike Zimmer: Open competition for starting quarterback spot
Mike Zimmer has uncertainty at quarterback as he enters his first season as head coach of the Vikings. (Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
New Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said there will be an open competition for the team's starting quarterback job between Matt Cassel, Christian Ponder and rookie Teddy Bridgewater, according to ESPN.com's Ben Goessling.
Zimmer said each of the three QBs will have a "legitimate opportunity" to win the job in training camp. He denied Cassel, who signed a two-year deal in March, would be the presumptive starter.
"I've never said that," Zimmer said. "I know I've heard other people say it, but I've never said it. From the day I walked in here, I said I want tough, intelligent, smart football players and I want competition at every position. To me, we're still competing; everybody's still competing for jobs. I'm competing to be a good head coach; assistants are competing to be good assistant head coaches. Again, I don't want to rush into anything."
Cassel and Bridgewater, the 32nd pick of last month's draft, got more snaps than Ponder at organized team activities, according to Goessling.
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Ponder threw seven touchdowns and nine interceptions last season before losing his job to Cassel, who had 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
Said Zimmer: "We've got 20 some practices before the first game, 20 walk-throughs or something. We've got time. Everybody wants to rush into things, but it's more important to me to make the right decision, and when you do, then we'll go with it and hope it's the right call."
