Christian Ponder has been relegated to a spectator role at Vikings camp. The Vikes are trying to get Teddy Bridgewater and Matt Cassel all the snaps they can, so Ponder is merely getting a third-team rep every "once in a while." At this point, the only thing keeping the 2011 No. 12 overall pick on the roster is a $1.76 million guaranteed salary.

Christian Ponder is working as the Vikings' No. 3 quarterback at OTAs. Predictably, he's getting fewer reps with the ones than Matt Cassel and Teddy Bridgewater. "Obviously there's an agenda to try to get Teddy ready," Ponder conceded. "And Cassel's the starter right now." Per the St. Paul Pioneer Press, the Vikings "hope" to trade Ponder to a QB-needy team in training camp. They won't release him outright due to a $1.8 million salary guaranteed.

The Vikings plan to give all three of their quarterbacks first-team offseason reps. That's Christian Ponder, Matt Cassel, and rookie Teddy Bridgewater. Per NFL Network's Albert Breer, the Vikings are "pushing competition" and hope to go to camp with a pecking order in place. By the time August rolls around, we suspect Cassel and Bridgewater will be toward the top. By Week 1, it's tentatively expected that Bridgewater will be No. 1, Cassel No. 2, and Ponder No. 3.

Speaking Tuesday, Vikings GM Rick Spielman reiterated that he has no plans to trade Christian Ponder. That's because Spielman has no illusions about fetching anything of value in return. A firm No. 2 on the depth chart behind Matt Cassel, Ponder could be No. 3 by this time next week.

Vikings declined Christian Ponder's fifth-year option. It's an obvious move as the Vikes aren't going to pay $9.6 million for a guy they've essentially given up on. The bigger question is if Ponder will even break camp with the team. He's firmly behind Matt Cassel right now and could very well fall to third on the depth chart when the Vikings draft a quarterback next week. Cutting Ponder would result in $3.2 million in dead money.

The Vikings are not going to pick up Christian Ponder's fifth-year option. It's an obvious move as the Vikes aren't going to pay $9.6 million for guy they've essentially given up on. The bigger question is if Ponder will even break camp with the team. He's firmly behind Matt Cassel right now and could very well fall to third on the depth chart when the Vikings draft a quarterback next week. The Vikings would have to absorb $3.2 million in dead money to cut Ponder outright.

Vikings GM Rick Spielman promised Friday that Christian Ponder "will be here" on the 2014 roster. Spielman made it clear, however, that he is looking to add a young quarterback and will probably bolster the roster with two more signal callers via offseason moves. Matt Cassel and Josh Freeman are free agents. The Vikings may have interest in retaining Cassel, but he'll almost certainly go to the highest bidder. Spielman is very likely to use an early-round pick at quarterback.

New Vikings OC Norv Turner admitted Thursday that the team is looking to add a young quarterback. The Vikings already have a young quarterback on the roster in Christian Ponder, so Norval is tacitly admitting the 2011 first-rounder is not the answer. "I think everyone is in agreement that we're trying to add a young quarterback to the organization," Turner said matter of factly. Ponder is currently the only signal caller the Vikings have under contract for 2014, but the Vikes are going to search high and low for an alternative. If they use the No. 8 overall pick on a quarterback, the rookie would get every chance to be the Week 1 starter.

Following Matt Cassel's decision to opt out, Christian Ponder will be the only quarterback on the Vikings roster.

ESPN Vikings blogger Ben Goessling "can't see" the team "investing more time" in Christian Ponder. Goessling believes if the Vikings are going to keep a quarterback from the 2013 group, then it will be Matt Cassel. Ponder was given countless opportunities under Leslie Frazier. With a new coaching staff coming to town, it's probably best for the Vikings to part ways with Ponder and see if he can turn his career around elsewhere without the first-round pick stigma attached to his name.