Vikings OTAs: Kellen Mond Updates, a Position Battle, and Culture Change

Dec 26, 2021; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kellen Mond (11) warms up before the game against the Los Angeles Rams at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

OTAs started up on Monday across the NFL, and with that little nugget, excitement for the 2022 NFL season is abuzz. Particularly from a camp like the Minnesota Vikings, this is a time where we get the first real glimpses of what the team will look like under new leadership. Tuesday afternoon’s press conference shed even more light on some of the questions that remain afloat, and here are some of the highlights.

Kellen Mond Continues to Impress

Offensive coordinator Wes Phillips had nothing but good things to say about the Vikings second-year QB. This is a change of pace from about five and a half months ago when Zimmer made his infamous “Not particularly” retort after being asked whether or not he wanted to see more of Kellen Mond in Week 18 against the Chicago Bears.

Following the 2021 draft, Mond seemed like he would be the de facto backup QB to ironman starter, Kirk Cousins. To that point in his career, Cousins had never missed a game due to injury. However, after Mond’s lackluster preseason, Sean Mannion was named the backup to begin the season.

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Mond would see regular season play for just one possession during the Green Bay game that Cousins missed with Covid, and that performance prompted Zimmer’s disdainful comments.

This year is a fresh start for Mond in a new offense. When asked how Mond was coming along, Phillips gave a glowing assessment:

“Kellen is very sharp, he has really picked up the offense really well…extra drill work, really working on his fundamentals. He’s really done a good job of getting up to speed with our offense.”

Given that Phillips had just spent multiple minutes explaining that this new system is one where everyone is “getting thrown into the fire” and that it is very intricate, this is great news for the young QB. Even defensive coordinator Ed Donatell called the offense “cutting edge”. Time will tell, but it seems like Mond has turned a new leaf for the Vikings.

A Position Battle on Special Teams

Following the 2020 season where the Vikings continuously struggled on special teams, one of the bigger focuses was to get better return men on the team. Kene Nwongwu certainly stepped up in the kick return game, being named an All-Pro at the position in 2021.

Now in 2022, it seems the Vikings almost have too many qualified return men, particularly on the punting side. Special teams coordinator Matt Daniels named three players when talking about potential punt returners this year: KJ Osborn, rookie Jalen Nailor, and Ihmir Smith-Marsette.

Currently, Osborn is the only of those three that has professional punt returning experience. He’s returned 11 punts for a total of 50 yards over the course of his two years in the NFL. Smith-Marsette also returned kicks last year, taking four returns a total of 83 yards.

Culture is a Hot Topic

It became common knowledge down the stretch of the 2021 season that Mike Zimmer, Rick Spielman, and the Vikings locker room were not really getting along. There were multiple ruffled feathers in the organization, and it ultimately led to both Spielman and Zimmer losing their jobs.

Kirk Cousins received a couple questions about what differences there have been between this year and last. Mostly, the Vikings QB downplayed them, saying that “there’s obviously changes” but it’s “not something that I am focused on”.

While Cousins attempted to dodge the topic, defensive coordinator Ed Donatell made it a point to say that one of the main points of focus for this offseason has been bringing the team and coaching staff together. He said they have been “deliberate about connecting [the] team” and have gone through exercises to ensure coaches and players are getting to know one another.

It may be early, but these are exciting times not only for the Vikings, but across the NFL universe.

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