Empty Hype or Signs of Progress?
One of the main storylines emerging from OTAs is that Kellen Mond is showing some encouraging growth.
After being chosen 66th in the 2021 draft, Mond struggled to find a meaningful role for the Vikings. Rather than being an upside QB2, Mond was relegated to QB3 duties. Sean Mannion – an intelligent but lackluster QB – was the team’s main backup. The rookie QB only made one appearance all season. He went 2/3 for 5 yards. Otherwise, Mond spent the season on the bench.
Since OTAs began, though, we’ve heard some positives about the sophomore. There has been some encouraging insight from Wes Phillips. According to Minnesota’s new OC, Mond is “very sharp” and he’s doing “extra drill work, really working on his fundamentals.” Moreover, Mond is “calling the plays really well in the huddle, and his eyes are in the right place.”
What do we do with the Kellen Mond hype?
The offseason is often the time for misguided hope. Writers and fans put forth all kinds of ideas for how their team – and its players – will show meaningful progress in the upcoming season. To be clear, I’m not anti-hope. In fact, one of the things I love about the NFL is that the league somehow convinces (most of) the 32 fanbases to buy into at least some portion of optimism, even if it’s merely seeing the progress of young players.
Nevertheless, we must not take leave of our senses. We know that offseason enthusiasm often falls short because we see it happen every year. Does this mean Kellen Mond is therefore doomed to another season of disappointment? By no means. Rather, it means that we ought to maintain a healthy skepticism as we cheer him on.
A new coaching staff and new offense is likely a good thing for Mond. A fresh start after a disappointing year is positive. Until we see some preseason action, though, it’ll be hard to gauge what kind of progress has been made.
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