The Vikings Should Complete Their Quarterback Depth Chart With A Native Son

by Christopher Gates on Dec 2, 2011 12:32 PM CST

I said that I was going to look at a solution for a third-string quarterback for the Vikings with my next post. It took all of two comments on the previous post for somebody to figure out what that solution is.

(I don't know if "igjoe" was reading over my shoulder or if he's just psychic. Either way, it's kind of creepy.)

But yes, the guy that I think the Vikings should take a stab at to be their third-string quarterback for the rest of the season, and a developmental project going forward, is current Denver Broncos quarterback. . .and former Minnesota Golden Gophers signal caller. . .Adam Weber.

Weber was born in Shoreview, Minnesota, and graduated from Mounds View High School in 2006. He started for the Gophers from the very first game of his freshman year, and given the circumstances that he was facing was relatively impressive.

He completed 909 passes in 1594 attempts (a 57% completion rate), and threw 72 touchdown passes to 51 interceptions. Hindering a lot of those numbers was the fact that, in four seasons as the Gophers' starting quarterback, he had three different offensive coordinators. He was asked to be a spread-option quarterback, he was asked to be a pro-style quarterback, and in both cases didn't have a heck of a lot of time to get comfortable in either system.

He's got pretty decent size at 6'3" and 220 pounds, and the accounts coming out of Broncos training camp were that he was playing pretty impressively for a guy that was an undrafted free agent and, literally, didn't have anything to go off of until right before training camp.

Is Weber a raw prospect? Yeah, he sure is, but that's generally what the third spot on the quarterback depth chart is for. I have to think that Joe Webb's days as a quarterback are numbered, as the team is set at quarterback with Christian Ponder and has such a lack of weapons offensively that they have to get a guy with Webb's talent on the field somehow. This team isn't looking at this season by any stretch anyway. . .they could sign Weber to a contract (and taking a guy from another team's practice squad means that they have to stay on your active roster for three weeks, which Weber almost certainly would), let him hold a clipboard for the rest of the season, and bring him in next year with a full training camp and an opportunity to be the primary backup at quarterback.

Thoughts, ladies and gentlemen? Is Adam Weber the kind of player you'd like the Vikings to bring in to fill out the quarterback depth chart?

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Sure, let's go for it!

Probably our best option available to complete our stable of developmental QB’s!

by nectur on Dec 2, 2011 12:37 PM CST reply actions

It would be cool if we could get Eric Decker while we're at it

But ya I say go for Weber. I actually called for this last week in my State of the Franchise post.

"At this point, what we got to lose, right? So we might as well throw caution to the wind and hit people in the face."
--Vikings DE Jared Allen

by NMVike on Dec 2, 2011 12:45 PM CST reply actions

I thought I read that somewhere before...

Good call!

SKOL Vikings!

by CCNorsemen on Dec 2, 2011 2:42 PM CST up reply actions

Definitely worth a look

Hometown kid with a ton of potential… I don’t see why not.

by MikeFetters on Dec 2, 2011 12:54 PM CST reply actions

I wish I was psychic...

but I guess the more I visit this site, the more I think like the Daily Norseman writers. I have no identity :(

Haha, in all seriousness I think Weber makes a lot of sense. Any veteran we bring in at this point is still going to be behind Joe Webb on the depth chart so why not bring in someone we can develop?

by igjoe on Dec 2, 2011 1:00 PM CST reply actions 1 recs

This^^

Let’s be honest, as nice as it would be for a journeyman to come to our team to give both Webb and Ponder some leadership and help them develop and show them the ropes of the NFL QB position, it’s unlikely. Mostly because the “journeymen” out there are ones who still believe they can start in this league. If you bring in another young guy, you’re giving yourself a couple of shots at finding the QBOTF. If Ponder is that, then hopefully Weber can develop to be an adequate backup if need be and if he ends up showing that he could be a starter down the road, then we keep him as such or acquire some picks for him in a trade. Either way, bringing in a young player requires our QB coach/OC to lead these QBs and prepare them much like a vet on the roster would. It makes their jobs harder, but its like buying another lottery ticket: It gives us better odds for hitting the big one.

White Horn Gold Pants

by DM_Purp on Dec 2, 2011 2:47 PM CST up reply actions

Heck Yea!!

I really like Weber. I’ve been watching him and Decker from afar (cali) for all these years. I had hoped The Vikes would have gotten Decker a couple years ago and last year I thought Weber would have been a good 7th round pick up.
I’ve always been of the opinion that the Vikings need to be more aggressive in retaining players from the U of M as well as players who were born in Minnesota, the Dakotas and Iowa.

by bigjohn53 on Dec 2, 2011 1:05 PM CST reply actions

Why?

Why retain players just because of where they are from? The Wild tried to do that for a while and it totally killed them for a few years. You take the best players regardless of where they are from. That said, I would be OK with Webber as a 3rd string QB only. But then who do we get for our 2nd?

by viking_#28 on Dec 2, 2011 2:10 PM CST up reply actions

Well, it worked out for the Lynx...

Nothing wrong with trying to get a home-town discount by recruiting people that are from here and love it here if it’s a choice between two similar options, as the player will be happy and maybe try harder for the team they rooted for (assuming the local product is a hometown fan). But don’t chase people that don’t fit just because they’re local.

by dumdristig on Dec 2, 2011 2:23 PM CST up reply actions

The Lynx went from worst to first because they got maya moore

by viking_#28 on Dec 2, 2011 2:31 PM CST up reply actions

plenty of good players in the midwest

who would you rather have right now…gerhart or decker? kleinsasser, matt birk, dave casper, the fahnhorsts, larry fitzgerald, ben hamilton, jeff siemon, terrell suggs, milt sunde, john fina, dave dalby, tyrone braxton, steve nelson, phil hansen. plenty of greats have come out of minnesota and not many from that short list were high picks. If there are two players of equal ability go with the local boy, is all i’m saying.. It seems like the good players from local schools are being overlooked though. Keep the good talent at home. A lot of good minnesota hs players go out of state because the u of m isn’t on the map right now.

by bigjohn53 on Dec 2, 2011 5:33 PM CST up reply actions

If we wanted to put Webb on the field as a WR etc alongside Ponder, would we have to put Weber 2nd and Webb 3rd on the depth chart? (I thought only 3rd string QB can be used like that)

by mg7505 on Dec 2, 2011 1:21 PM CST reply actions

I don’t think so, but I’m not positive since the rules got changed.

"Let's go our there, and stick our fists through their ribcages, rip our their hearts, eat them, and sh!t them back out on the field!!" - Blue Mountain State

by Alittlemore_cowbell on Dec 2, 2011 1:22 PM CST up reply actions

They just changed that rule this year

There is no difference in eligibility for 2nd and 3rd QB’s.

It was a stupid rule anyway.

by Soybomb on Dec 2, 2011 1:23 PM CST up reply actions

We would probably put Webb at 2nd in this scenario.

Weber probably wouldn’t be on the gameday roster anyways, but it’d be nice to have 3 QBs on the 53 man roster in case of injuries especially with how much Ponder and Webb run.

White Horn Gold Pants

by DM_Purp on Dec 2, 2011 2:50 PM CST up reply actions

Funny,

two Denver Broncos are from Minny. If we could get Decker that would be awesome.

by PurplePrideforLife! on Dec 2, 2011 1:36 PM CST reply actions

It would be awesome, but isn't Decker currently leading Denver in receptions?

I bet they wouldn’t want to let him go.

Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin

http://www.dailynorseman.com/

by Skol Girl on Dec 2, 2011 1:44 PM CST up reply actions

Yea, he is tebows favorite target.

there is no way he is going anywhere, if the Vikes wanted him they would have needed to act after last year

by viking_#28 on Dec 2, 2011 2:12 PM CST up reply actions

Yeah, and you could make an argument that he is the biggest reason for the success Denver has had this season

Their defense is the biggest difference from when Tebow took over, but Decker has been a stud all season long. He account for almost all of their TD catches. Just don’t have many other options in that offense, yet he can still get the ball down field. We could learn a thing or two there.

White Horn Gold Pants

by DM_Purp on Dec 2, 2011 2:52 PM CST up reply actions

Potential Good News

Star Tribune keen to sell land near Metrodome

Arden Hills would be great, but the Vikings gotta take all options and just keep the Vikings in Minnesota.

☠★☪Creator of http://skolnation.co.cc and dedicated DN reader.

by UnBannedVikingholic on Dec 2, 2011 1:56 PM CST reply actions

Sure, why not?

Gotta get someone. I can’t think of anyone better that would be available, although granted, I don’t spend much time researching which QBs are out there, but if there were any that were a big deal, I’d probably know.

by dumdristig on Dec 2, 2011 2:18 PM CST reply actions

Go for it

The Broncos only have two QB’s on their active roster too but they keep dropping the ball on getting Weber up to the 53 man roster. Snooze, you lose. Snipe him away!

by Cobra312004 on Dec 2, 2011 2:20 PM CST reply actions

My thoughts exactly

I don’t think they’re too worried though. They’ll probably draft a QB either really high or really low this spring anyways.

White Horn Gold Pants

by DM_Purp on Dec 2, 2011 2:53 PM CST up reply actions

I guess he'd be an OK third stringer

But hasn’t he been subjected to enough terrible Minnesota football for one lifetime already?

Proud contributor to Daily Norseman and SB Nation Minnesota.
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by Eric J. Thompson on Dec 2, 2011 2:32 PM CST reply actions 1 recs

True. Maybe the reason he's improved this year is because he's gotten far enough away from Minnesota.

White Horn Gold Pants

by DM_Purp on Dec 2, 2011 2:58 PM CST up reply actions

Anyone know what happened to Harvin?

"Sad fact about our generation: Most ppl would rather hear "you look good" than "you are good". We spend thousands a year on cars, clothes, & cosmetics; Forget that. I can give you a Bible for free. Save money, save your soul. Get right with the Savior, Jesus Christ."- Travis D. Holmes

by T.Holmes on Dec 2, 2011 2:32 PM CST reply actions