Kellen Mond's Rookie Season

Reporters had concluded Browning is the #2 QB because he’s gotten all the reps with the 2s in spring and training camp. Mond has only played with the 3s. Even before Mond got sick the #2 job was Browning’s to lose.

Perhaps Browning is the opposite or Sloter: great in the QB room and understanding defenses/prep, great in practice situations, but just not able to play on Gameday at NFL-level speed...whereas Sloter was/is allegedly horrible in the QB room, horrible in practice (to the point where he probably won't see even preseason action again) but was able to show he can play on Gameday (in preseason action anyway).

From the moment Mond was drafted, I don't think many Viking fans had any expectations that Mond would come in Day 1 in 2021 and be a complete NFL QB, even if he hadn't missed any TC time. There is a large gap in Division I college level "game speed", and NFL-level "game speed" - the time you have to know the game situation, read/process the defense, go through progressions and make decisions is far less in the NFL and Mond just needs the reps and experience. It's rare that you'll have a QB that cam come in Day 1/Week 1 and be able to process it that fast - which is why Russell Wilson was such an exception. As soon as Pete Carroll knew his capability, they pretty much dumped Matt Flynn and went with Wilson.

I think with any Day 2 QB rookie, you're looking for "flashes" of ability in preseason games - how are they processing the speed of the game? Do they have the arm strength to throw downfield or long "out" routes to the boundary? When the play breaks down, how do they react? In 2-min drills, are they moving the chains to get the team in scoring position? It's less about the actual box-score and more about the "flashes" because chances are you're not getting Russell Wilson on Day 2 of the NFL Draft anymore - you're getting Trask/Mond/Mills; QB's who aren't coming in Day 1 and leading an NFL team for any extended period of time.

From my personal opinion, I thought Mond did show "flashes" in the 1st half - he was able to step-up in the pocket and do something when the initial read wasn't there and he showed this 3 times in the 1st half. I know I made a "big deal" about that in the GameDay thread, but that's because it's a trait that we haven't seen from our QB's in a very long time: Ponder, Teddy, Cousins - all resorted to backpedaling and although I realize that can't step-up when our interior OL can't pass protect, there have been times when they could have stepped-up to buy time to find an outlet or take off for a decent gain. Mond also did show in "few" throws that he does some arm strength - we're still not able to determine how it is down the field or on deep crossers/out-routes, but at least it's good enough on mid-sized routes across the middle (which is more than I can say for Browning). He also showed some mobility w/ his legs - he can possible move chains on 3rd and 4 if the lanes are there whereas Kirk, Mannion and Browning didn't/can't. You saw his ability to improvise a bit on the "almost" TD to Whop in the 1st half - it was 3rd and goal and Mond scrambled to find someone when the initial look wasn't there - he threw a nice ball to Whop in the back of the endzone which Whop couldn't bring in - those are the same throws we saw at the Senior Bowl in Mobile in January there were completed for TD's. Lastly, Mond was halfway decent in leading the 2-min offense at the end of the half - he moved the team down the field into scoring position inside the red zone (after some shaky clock mgt, yet again).

I wasn't the biggest Mond "fan" on Draft Day and thought Mills would have been the more capable QB to groom of the 3 that were looking to available in Round 3 (Trask was ultimately taken at the end of Rd 2 that prompted that mini-QB run at the top-end of Rd 3)...but quite honestly, given how little prep time he's had, I won't say I'm "impressed", but he "flashed" enough for me in preseason Game 1 to acknowledge there might be something there if he develops. I'm not suggesting that the "something there" is franchise QB, but at the very least being able to step in for a starting QB for a handful of games and the season doesn't go down the drain.

Sounds like we're saying the exact same thing!

Have you seen our actual draft picks?
The draft where we spent 1st and 3rd round picks on the offensive line.

Let me sum it up for you sunshine. While statistically they both had horrible games, mechanically, Mond looked way better than Mr Mankato. He passed the proverbial eye test while Browning did not. One example, as Uncle kept pointing out during the game, Mond steps up into the pocket, whereas Browning would back peddle. Another is how Browning looked like a squirrel in traffic while Mond looked a little more poised. The noticeable difference in arm strength was on full display as well, and that's something you can't teach.

My only complaint is how the same people who are now capable of giving Mond a pass with the eye test, didn't afford Sloter the same luxury. The difference being, Sloter at least produced results on the scoreboard and the stat sheet as well. I bet Mond gets to start already in the 3rd preseason game.

And it might just be my obsession talking (aka reality), but Browning should have been cut immediately after the game and Sloter should have gotten a phone call. 2nd or 3rd string, I dare anyone to argue how that wouldn't be an immediate upgrade at the QB position after what we saw on Saturday.

Op you can’t be serious are you? Your a funny guy. I couldn’t think anyone would seriously judge a rookie qb who has had 3 total training camp practices and then plays about a full quarter of preseason football. Even if I thought the pick was dumb at the time of the draft (which I didn’t), I wouldn’t be naive enough to make any kind of judgment on the kid after such little nfl experience including practices. As ray liotta says in good fellas “you really are a funny guy “