NEW YORK -- The Minnesota Vikings remain in the market for a veteran quarterback, and acquiring Donovan McNabb is a high probability, league sources said Friday.
Minnesota's selection of Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder with the No. 12 overall pick in the NFL draft Thursday night caught many around the league by surprise. However, it will not alter the Vikings' plan to sign a veteran starting-caliber quarterback, with McNabb long the team's top priority in that regard.
Whether through trade or his release, McNabb is expected to eventually become a Viking.
Ponder will need time to develop, and Minnesota, which boasts a veteran roster that came close to the Super Bowl two seasons ago, wants an experienced quarterback to steward the team and also help break in the youngster.
Ponder is just the third quarterback the Vikings have drafted in the first round in their 51-year history, joining Tommy Kramer in 1977 and Daunte Culpepper in 1999. Culpepper was a three-time Pro Bowl pick, but ever since he tore up his knee during a 2005 game, the Vikings have been piecing together short-term solutions at the game's most critical position.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
