Kellen Mond Almost Landed in the NFC East
Dustin Baker
|
Before former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kellen Mond landed with the Cleveland Browns, he was a whisker from becoming a Philadelphia Eagle.
John McMullen from PhillyVoice.com said about the brief Mond-Eagles scenario, “So, the Eagles did, in fact, claim Kellen Mond, but were 19th in line and lost out to the Browns. Only then did Philly move to Ian Book.”
Mond was drafted by the Vikings in 2021 and entered the summer vying for Minnesota’s QB2 job. But he couldn’t dethrone Sean Mannion for the job, and Minnesota’s brass traded for Nick Mullens from the Las Vegas Raiders, ending the team’s bland QB2 summer saga.
In Cleveland, Mond is now the QB3 behind Jacoby Brissett and Joshua Dobbs and could even slide to QB4 or the practice squad when Deshaun Watson returns later in the season.
Mond encountered a weird adventure with the Vikings, drafted by Minnesota’s former general manager Rick Spielman despite alleged “no thank yous” from the 2021 coaching staff. And because Mike Zimmer and Co. didn’t warm up to Mond, his rookie campaign was effectively squandered for the Sean Mannion experience.
Then, though, Zimmer was canned, paving the way for Mond to get a “fair shake” inside a Vikings offense. New head coach Kevin O’Connell said all positive things about the Texas A&M alumnus — before and after his release from the team — while Mond embarked on the spring and summer with the QB2 in his crosshairs.
He opened the preseason with some sizzle, delivering two touchdowns versus the Raiders in Las Vegas. Hype for Mond as QB2 hit a zenith accordingly. But then the young passer performed miserably the following week, all but canceling his ticket as Kirk Cousins’s backup.
After the Vikings finagled a low-risk deal for Mullens, Mond became expendable and was waived by Minnesota eight days later. As a young quarterback possessing 3rd-Round draft stock, however, Mond didn’t twist idly on the waiver wire. Cleveland grabbed Mond, essentially stashed him on the active roster, and the quarterback’s career will continue in the AFC North.
On the other hand, the Eagles wound up with Ian Book, who played for the New Orleans Saints in 2021. Philadelphia is all-in with Jalen Hurts as QB1 in 2022, maintaining the flamboyant Garnder Minshes a stone’s throw away for reservist duty.
And for about a day, the Eagles were in the market for another quarterback. Mond evidently intrigued them. Thankfully for the Browns sake, Cleveland was in a better position on the waiver priority ladder.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
Vikings Territory Also Read: Another Trade for Vikings, This Time with PIT
You must be logged in to post a comment.