7 bold predictions for the Vikings 2022 training camp
By Chris Schad
Kellen Mond will win the No. 2 quarterback job
One of the biggest questions after last season is what happened to Kellen Mond. The Vikings selected Mond with the 66th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, and he was expected to serve as Kirk Cousins’s backup during his rookie season.
But Mond contracted COVID-19 during training camp, forcing him to miss valuable reps and lose 10 pounds during his recovery. In addition to knocking out the entire quarterback room, which was unvaccinated outside of Jake Browning, he drew the ire of Zimmer and was sent to the doghouse.
The Vikings went on to bring back Sean Mannion and even started him over Mond with no practice time in a Week 16 matchup against the Packers. Although Mond got into the game, he didn’t look comfortable, and Zimmer threw him under the bus during a postgame press conference.
The good news is that Mond’s rookie season is over. The better news is that he has a new regime to work with.
Operating without the fear of losing their jobs, O’Connell’s staff will likely devote more time to Mond’s development. Although he worked behind Mannion during OTAs, Mond should get the reps he didn’t get last year, helping him overtake Mannion for the No. 2 job.