Just 2 seasons ago, the Minnesota Vikings looked as if they were in prime position to advance to the Super Bowl and get yet another chance to win that ever-elusive first ring. You know the rest, Brett Favre makes one of the most boneheaded plays in NFL history and the Vikings have been in a slow tailspin ever since. 2010 featured the firing of Brad Childress, numerous injuries to Brett Favre and the roof collapsing on the Metrodome, culminating with a 6-10 overall record. In the offseason, Leslie Frazier was named full-time head coach and Donovan McNabb was acquired to fix the gaping hole at quarterback.
The McNabb experiment turned out to be a disaster, he started just 6 games, was benched in favor of 1st round pick, Christian Ponder and later released. Since he took over, Ponder has shown some promise with 13 touchdowns, but has also thrown 12 picks and some of his throws have made it quite apparent that he may be not quite ready for the starting role just yet. The team as a whole has stumbled to a 2-12 record at this writing which puts them in the mix for a top 5 draft pick in April. There are a number of directions the Vikings could go with a top 5 pick, a receiver to put opposite Percy Harvin, a corner who isn't on IR and isn't old and slow(Antoine Winfield) or someone who does not get arrested for DUI(Chris Cook) or the craziest of all the scenarios, the Vikings slide into the #1 pick and select Andrew Luck. Until last week, the Colts receiving the #1 pick was a foregone conclusion and they still might, but if Indianapolis finds a way to pull another upset and get win #2 coupled with the Vikings losing their final 2 games, it comes down to a coin flip for Luck. The St. Louis Rams, who also currently sit at 2-12 could also end up with the first overall selection, but they would be better off taking a linemen to protect Sam Bradford.
If the Vikings were to end up with the #1 pick, the biggest question is, do they essentially consider the selection of Ponder a waste and choose Andrew Luck? As I mentioned earlier, Ponder has shown flashes of brilliance, but he also has miles to go in terms of development into a legitimate NFL starting QB. Granted, you cannot expect a rookie to step in and immediately lead his team to victories, but is there enough progress being shown for the Vikings to pass on Luck? Personally, I would select Luck simply due to the fact, he is one of the most NFL-ready quarterback prospects we have seen in years. There are those who will argue that Justin Blackmon should be the pick, given his immense talent and the need for a legitimate deep threat to complement a slot receiver like Percy Harvin. Heck, Morris Claiborne, the corner out of LSU could be chosen to shore up the porous secondary that has struggled all season long.
I understand that choosing Luck puts Ponder in a tough spot. However, the guy has shown enough promise where you could trade him to a team in need of a young QB and likely receive a decent amount of talent for him. Look at how the Kevin Kolb trade worked out for the Eagles, landing Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and a 2nd-round pick. There are receivers to be had later on in the draft, as talented as Blackmon is, he is not the be-all, end-all at the position and corner is typically a position with a number of top prospects that can be selected later on in the draft. Luck is widely considered a can't-miss prospect who may be ready to step into the starting job right away. Worst case, Luck sits behind Ponder for a year and learns on the job, getting him ready for success in 2013 and beyond.
This is purely speculation for now, but let's root for the Colts to win at least one of their final two games and then, you never know what could happen.
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