Browns Change Mind, Keep Ex-Vikings Passer
Dustin Baker
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On Thursday morning, former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kellen Mond was headed to the NFL’s waiver wire after the Cleveland Browns had reportedly cut ties with the 24-year-old.
Just a few hours later, everything changed as Cleveland’s front office “unwaived” Mond following a trade involving quarterback Joshua Dobbs.
Browns Change Mind, Keep Ex-Vikings Passer
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport tweeted Thursday evening, “After announcing they waived Kellen Mond earlier today, the Browns have now pulled back that move and plan to keep him on the roster through the preseason, source says. Trading Josh Dobbs changed things and Mond should play this week.”
A rollercoaster indeed, Mond is not the odd man out in Cleveland, at least not yet, and will continue to vie for a roster spot as NFL teams have four days to shave depth charts from 90 players to 53.
Cleveland initially waived Mond Thursday, paving the way for a QB room consisting of Deshaun Watson, Joshua Dobbs, and rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson. But later in the day, the Browns swung a trade with the Arizona Cardinals, sending Dobbs and a 2024 7th-Round pick to the desert in exchange for a 5th-Round pick.
In addition to acquiring Dobbs from Cleveland, the Cardinals mind-bogglingly sent linebacker Isaiah Simmons to the New York Giants for a 7th-Rounder, a meager return for a rather productive defender.
For Mond, well, he’s back where he started on Thursday morning. The aforementioned Thompson-Robinson surpassed him on the Browns depth chart, leaving Mond as the only quarterback after Watson and Thompson-Robinson. Unless Cleveland has deeper plans in the next four days, Mond should serve as the QB3 in 2023.
The NFL’s preseason kicked off on August 3rd in Canton, Ohio, with the Hall of Fame game featuring the Browns and New York Jets. Mond was showcased as the starter against the Jets — and performed poorly. Thompson-Robinson then entered the game and excelled and also played well in the following preseason game — probably why he’s on deck for QB2 with Mond at QB3.
The Vikings evaluated Mond in training camp and last year’s preseason, leading to a trade involving Nick Mullens from the Las Vegas Raiders. The moment Mullens arrived in Eagan, Minnesota, he became the Vikings QB2 without having to throw a preseason pass.
The Vikings later waived Mond on August 30th, 2022, and he latched onto the Browns roster via waivers the next day. He didn’t play regular season snaps for the 2022 Browns — even with Watson suspended for 11 games — and now hopes to secure the Browns QB3 job and play in a pinch if Watson and Thompson-Robinson miss time.
Mond has played in one NFL game, a late-season contest at the Green Bay Packers in 2021. He completed two passes on three attempts for five yards, with one throw nearly intercepted.
Minnesota found Mond in Round 3 of the 2021 NFL Draft, and most of that draft class has departed the franchise.
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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 Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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