Christian Ponder, still competing for a quarterback job with the Vikings, acknowledges that Matt Cassel is the starter in workouts at Winter Park.

But Ponder likes what he sees of rookie QB Teddy Bridgewater.

“He’s good,” Ponder said. “He’s got a great arm, and he’s very accurate. He spins the ball really well. He’s picking up things pretty quickly. I like him a lot.”

Ponder hasn’t been getting as many reps in practice as Cassel and Bridgewater.

“We’ll see how it plays out once it goes to training camp, but obviously there’s an agenda to try to get Teddy ready, and Cassel’s the starter right now,” Ponder said.

Ponder, who lost his starting job to Cassel midway through last season, said he understands the Vikings’ quarterback situation and his status.

“I’ll get opportunities through training camp and preseason to try to earn a spot,” he said. “It’s not awkward — I understand what’s going on. I had some opportunities that I didn’t take full advantage of. If I would have played better, I wouldn’t be in the situation here right now.

“We’ll see how it plays out — football’s a crazy game.”

It has become clear that plans are to start Cassel this season, then turn the starting job over to Bridgewater, 21, in 2015 even though Cassel, 32, is signed for 2015.

Because Ponder, 26, is guaranteed $1.8 million this year, the Vikings aren’t likely to release him but hope to trade him, probably in August to a team that needs a backup QB. Ponder’s trade value probably is just a seventh-round draft pick or so, but more significant for the Vikings, that would save them $1.8 million.

Among the many trade rumors for Kevin Love, the one that would seem to best benefit the Timberwolves basically would be a three-for-one deal with Cleveland for the Cavs’ No. 1 overall pick.

Then the Wolves could draft defensive whiz Andrew Wiggins, a 6-foot-8 shooting guard who also can play small forward. Cleveland power forward Tristan Thompson and shooting guard Dion Waiters are rumored to be other players involved in a possible trade for Love.

Vikings wideout Jerome Simpson says he doesn’t know whether he’ll be suspended by the NFL for his latest setback, an arrest in November in Minneapolis for suspected DWI. But it won’t be surprising if he gets four games, beginning with the opener Sept. 7 at St. Louis.

Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman is trying to sign Gophers goaltender Adam Wilcox, but plans are for the incoming junior from South St. Paul to return to school.

Ryan McDonagh, the former Cretin-Derham Hall defenseman for the New York Rangers, played more minutes in Friday night’s Stanley Cup overtime loss to Los Angeles than any other player on the ice.

McDonagh, who turned 25 on Friday and was second in the NHL this season in minutes played, was voted the Rangers’ most valuable player by both the team’s players and writers — the first time that has happened to a Rangers player since Brian Leetch was so honored in 1992.

Look for the Cleveland Indians, who picked Mounds View pitcher-first baseman Sam Hentges with their fourth pick in this month’s major league draft, to offer a signing bonus of considerably more than the $400,000 for which that pick is slotted.

Ex-Gopher Adam Weber was listed as No. 4 quarterback for the Saskatchewan Roughriders for their first exhibition game against the Ottawa Redblacks on Saturday.

St. Paul’s Ken Mauer Jr., recently inducted into the Mancini’s Sports Hall of Fame, is back refereeing the NBA Finals.

Twins general manager Terry Ryan, about 80 percent recovered from neck cancer, jogged two miles the other day.

On his way from extended spring training in Fort Myers, Fla., to the Twins’ Class AA New Britain, Conn., club, pitcher Mark Hamburger, while driving through South Carolina at 3 a.m., found an old logging road, pulled in and strung up a hammock for some sleep.

Hamburger, 27, the Mounds View graduate and former major leaguer with the Texas Rangers, strung the hammock up high between two trees so as to be safe from potential critters roaming below. After a nap, the former St. Paul Saint headed north again.

Hamburger, whose fastball reached 98 mph in his last outing, has a 2.25 earned-run average with eight strikeouts in eight innings.

A proposal to have a U.S. postage stamp issued to honor late Twins hall of famer Harmon Killebrew has gone to the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee for consideration.

DON’T PRINT THAT

Top Gophers administrators, coaches and civic leaders are headed to Scottsdale, Ariz., to visit Minnesota grad T. Denny Sanford from St. Paul, hoping the multimillionaire philanthropist will become the lead donor for their $190 million athletics-facilities improvement drive.

People close to Joe Mauer believe that pressure to make the All-Star Game at Target Field has been the primary reason for the three-time batting champion’s early-season slump.

It won’t be surprising if major league baseball awards umpires Mark Wegner of St. Paul or Jeff Nelson of Cottage Grove the All-Star Game to work on July 15 at Target Field.

Look for Ryan Saunders, a former Gophers point guard who is an assistant for the Washington Wizards and son of new Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders, to join his father’s staff in Minnesota.

Thomas Vanek’s nondescript play for Montreal during the NHL playoffs could affect the Wild’s big-money interest in the 30-year-old former Gophers star, who might have had his free-agent market value diminished after five goals and five assists and a minus-4 rating in 17 postseason games.

If the Twins don’t promote either of top pitching prospects Alex Meyer or Trevor May before the All-Star Game, local fans probably will have an opportunity to see them in the Futures Game on July 13 at Target Field.

It will be announced this week that San Jose Sharks goaltender Alex Stalock of South St. Paul has agreed to a new contract with a nice salary increase.

Don’t be surprised if Wally Ellenson, who left the Gophers basketball team this year then finished runner-up in the NCAA championship in high jumping Friday in Oregon, transfers schools.

Look for the Broadway personality who will sing the national anthem at next month’s All-Star Game at Target Field to be a major female star.

Richard Pitino, who coached the Gophers men’s basketball team to 25 victories last season, won’t get an increase on his $1.2 million contract this year. If Minnesota does well next season, though, a pay hike is expected.

OVERHEARD

President Obama on Minnesota Lynx star Maya Moore’s latest of five White House visits with the WNBA champions last week: “Basically there’s like a Maya Moore wing in the White House. … We’ve got all her stuff here; she’s got a toothbrush.”

Follow Charley Walters at twitter.com/Charley_ Walters. He can be reached at cwalters@pioneerpress.com.