Kellen Mond Gets a New NFL Home
Finding a third team in three NFL seasons, former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kellen Mond is on the move.
The Indianapolis Colts signed Mond on Tuesday night, as most NFL pundits and fans expect rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson to embark on an extended absence after a Week 5 shoulder injury.
Kellen Mond Gets a New NFL Home
NFL Network‘s Tom Pelissero tweeted Tuesday evening. “The Colts are signing QB Kellen Mond to the practice squad, pending physical, sources tell me and Mike Garafolo. With Anthony Richardson (shoulder) out indefinitely, Indianapolis worked out several QBs today and chose Mond, a third-round pick by Minnesota in 2021.”
Mond also auditioned for the Carolina Panthers roster two weeks ago when Bryce Young was temporarily injured but did not land a gig. Now, he’s a Colt and will live on the practice squad until a QB3 call-up.
The young quarterback last spent time with the Browns before rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson effectively swiped his job during the preseason, and the Texas A&M alumnus has lived on the free-agent wire since.
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 set foot in Eagan, Minnesota, he became the Vikings QB2, leaving Mond as the odd man out and eventually a Cleveland Brown.
Mond was drafted by the Vikings former leadership regime in 2021 as a possible contingency plan for QB1 Kirk Cousins. Fans endlessly debate whether Cousins is actually a true franchise quarterback, so the addition of Mond was viewed as an exciting what-if. But the 3rd-Rounder didn’t pan out and has bounced around in 14 months since departing Minnesota.
Aside from a few flashes of competence — mainly in the first preseason game of 2022 — Mond played terribly for the Vikings. The Vikings knew Mond was developmental and raw, however, he leaned heavily on the raw trait during his brief Minnesota tenure.
The Vikings waived Mond on August 31st, 2022, and he latched onto the Browns roster via waivers the next day. He didn’t play any regular season snaps for the 2022 Browns — even with Deshaun Watson suspended for 11 games — but now hopes to become a QB2 or QB3 in Indianapolis.
The Colts employ Anthony Richardson, Gardner Minshew, and Sam Ehlinger on the depth chart ahead of Mond. Minshew is expected to start this weekend on the road against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Indianapolis has a 3-2 record — along with Jacksonville — so its Week 6 game is for sole possession of the division, at least for a while.
Mond turned 24 in June. Standout running back Jonathan Taylor returned to the club last week after signing a three-year, $42 million extension.
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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