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Vikings’ Kevin O’Connell: Kellen Mond wasn’t ready for backup role but has ‘heck of a football journey ahead’

chris tomasson, pioneer press
·4 min read
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Head coach Kevin O’Connell made it clear Thursday that Kellen Mond wasn’t ready to be the Vikings’ backup quarterback, but believes he has what it takes to become a solid NFL player eventually.

That begs the question: Why didn’t the Vikings keep Mond on the 53-man roster as a third quarterback in order to continue to develop him?

The Vikings waived Mond on Tuesday and hoped to sign him the next day to the practice squad. Instead, he was claimed by the Cleveland Browns and put on their 53-man roster.

General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah offered little Thursday when asked about the Vikings’ decision to keep just two quarterbacks and waive both Mond and Sean Mannion when rosters had to be trimmed to 53 players. The Vikings also had interest in signing Mannion to the practice squad, but he joined Seattle’s practice squad.

Adofo-Mensah said Thursday morning there had been “ongoing conversations” with O’Connell about a third quarterback. With Mond and Mannion gone, the Vikings reached an agreement Thursday afternoon to sign David Blough to the practice squad. He played the past three seasons with Detroit, and has a 0-5 record as a starter with the Lions.

Meanwhile, Mond is in Cleveland. He was taken with the second pick of the third round of the 2021 draft when Rick Spielman was the general manager. O’Connell, a former NFL quarterback, began to evaluate Mond after taking over this year for the fired Mike Zimmer.

Mond and Mannion battled to be the backup behind Kirk Cousins. But after both were inconsistent in the first two preseason games, the Vikings acquired Nick Mullens from Las Vegas on Aug. 22 for that role. He and Cousins are now the only quarterbacks on the 53-man roster.

“I thought Kellen improved tremendously from the time we got him in the spring all the way through, obviously, when we had to have a tough conversation with him (on Tuesday),” O’Connell said. “He’s got a heck of a football journey ahead of him. I’m a big fan of how Kellen works, I’m a big fan of the human being, and I think he’s got all the things you look for in an NFL quarterback.”

O’Connell, though, did not consider Mond ready to be the backup to Cousins this season.

“I still think Kellen’s got tremendous upside, but to ask him to be that No. 2 quarterback, being a snap away on a team we feel very strongly about competing on, I didn’t think that was fair to Kellen,” said O’Connell, adding that he’s “really fired up to have” Mullens as the backup.

Many people were watching this week to see what would happen with Minnesota’s quarterback situation. But there were some other moves that also drew attention.

On Tuesday, the Vikings waived Armon Watts, who was listed first on the depth chart at defensive end, after they agreed to acquire defensive lineman Ross Blacklock from Houston. Blacklock could replace Watts in the lineup though O’Connell also named Jonathan Bullard as a possibility.

The Vikings saved $1.3 million on the salary cap with the moves, and Watts was claimed on waivers Wednesday by Chicago. Adofo-Mensah declined to give specifics on why Watts was let go and said it was “a hard conversation with Armon.” Adofo-Mensah preferred to talk about Blacklock, saying he has “got a really good pass-rush skill set, really disruptive in that phase.”

On Wednesday, the Vikings acquired wide receiver/punt returner Jalen Reagor from Philadelphia and waived receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette, who had been the first-team punt returner but struggled in the preseason. The Bears claimed Smith-Marsette off waivers on Thursday.

“We always look at opportunities. We call it ‘no stone unturned,’ ” Adofo-Mensah said of bringing in Reagor, who has been mostly a disappointment since being selected No. 21 in the 2020 draft. “We saw Jalen as somebody who has a really great skill set. … We think (Smith-Marsette) has a bright future. … The NFL gives you 53 spots and 16 practice-squad (spots). … Sometimes those are tough decisions you have to make.”

O’Connell said the Vikings will give Reagor “every opportunity” to be the punt returner.

For now, both Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell said they are pleased with how the 53-man roster stands in advance of the Sept. 11 opener against Green Bay at U.S. Bank Stadium.

“We have a really good feeling for how we want to play and the vision for the team,” Adofo-Mensah said.

“Our coaching staff is just so fired up and ready to go,” O’Connell said.

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