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There's no doubt that Christian Ponder's development with the Vikings has been a slow process. In two years with the Vikings, he's been to the playoffs, but he hasn't developed beyond a game manager, thanks in no small part to Adrian Peterson.
Still, there's hope for Vikings fans, especially this season. Ponder will be working with the best group of receivers he's had since entering the league, headlined by former Packers receiver, Greg Jennings.
Jennings is a believer in Ponder's skill set, telling Stephen A. Smith that Ponder just needs weapons around him to continue developing.
"Brett Favre, receivers around him. Aaron Rodgers, receivers around him. Christian Ponder, receivers around him," Jennings told Smith. "He [Ponder] has always been in a position where the stress and pressure was on him. He really didn’t have the help around him to take that load off, outside of ‘All Day’ [running back Adrian Peterson]."
Jennings is correct in his assessment that Favre and Rodgers worked with more talent than Ponder has, but there's also no doubt that they were better quarterbacks, although Ponder has plenty of room to grow.
In his development, Ponder's receivers are only half the equation. Adrian Peterson's productivity takes pressure off of the passing game, something that can only help Ponder work with a more open field.
If Jennings' assessment of Ponder is correct, the young quarterback is heading into a make-or-break season with the Vikings.
