One of the biggest questions facing Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell is what role he sees quarterback Kellen Mond having in the offense.
The former third-round pick of the 2021 NFL draft is obviously a backup to Kirk Cousins, along with the recently signed Sean Mannion. But as of now, it would seem as if he’s still the third wheel.
Along with having an experience edge, Mannion also has a film room edge on Mond considering he’s Cousins’ best study buddy.
The 22-year-old quarterback obviously comes from a dysfunctional situation with the previous regime. Former head coach Mike Zimmer never appeared to be a big believer in his talent.
"Do you want to see Kellen Mond next week?"
"Not particularly."
Mike Zimmer is stone cold pic.twitter.com/KI1usresi7
— Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) January 3, 2022
So how does O’Connell view him?
“Looking at Kellen, I always thought he was really successful in college—successful from the pocket, creating off schedule,” O’Connell told media members on Tuesday. “He’s got some real athleticism, and I think he’s a naturally accurate passer.
“Now, what will that look like in our offense? That’s really up to Kellen and the rest of our guys to kind of make it go. I’m just excited to get on the grass with him next week. He’s been great in the meeting rooms early on. You feel some leadership from him. You feel some early ownership from what we’re kind of putting on those guys. Now, it’s just a matter of can you take it from the classroom to the practice field.”
Mond finds himself in a tough situation considering he’s no longer playing under the same regime that drafted him.
Granted, O’Connell and first-year general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah will definitely kick the tires on his talent, but they aren’t going above and beyond to give him opportunities based on where he was drafted.
If Mond fails to catch on, he’ll remain buried on the depth chart behind Cousins and Mannion, assuming the team doesn’t outright cut him from the roster.
All options could be on the table at this point.
