Why it’s okay if Kellen Mond struggles with the Vikings in 2021
By Adam Patrick
Minnesota Vikings rookie quarterback Kellen Mond will have the spotlight on him this summer during the team’s training camp and preseason.
Ever since he signed his first contract with the team in 2018, there are some who have been counting down the days until Kirk Cousins is no longer the starting quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings.
So when the Vikings decided to select former Texas A&M quarterback Kellen Mond in the third round of this year’s NFL Draft, the excitement level certainly picked up for those who want Cousins gone.
While Mond could eventually emerge as Minnesota’s next starting signal-caller, he’s likely going to experience a bunch of growing pains before that opportunity comes. But none of these early struggles should be anything to worry about.
Kellen Mond ready to soak up as much as he can during his rookie season with the Minnesota Vikings
This past weekend, some clips were floating around of Mond making a few poor decisions during the Vikings’ rookie minicamp.
Unsurprisingly, some have already overreacted to these short clips, and they’re basically already gearing up for Mond to turn into a bust.
Struggles, if that’s what you can even call what happened in these clips, are to be expected from Minnesota’s newest quarterback and the rest of the team’s rookie players during their first year with the franchise.
What the Vikings need to be concerned about when it comes to Mond’s this season is his progression. If he’s making the proper adjustments and showing signs of improvement as each week of practice goes by, then Minnesota should be encouraged by the progress of their young passer.
Mond has already made it known that he’s going to be pretty much watching Cousins like a hawk this year to learn about what it takes to have a long career in the NFL.
No one expects Mond to look like the second coming of Patrick Mahomes during this summer’s training camp and preseason. But when the Vikings’ rookie signal-caller has a bad day of practice this summer, we just need to remember that he fell to the third round of the 2021 draft because he was viewed as a prospect who needs more time to develop than some of the other passers that were selected ahead of him.