3 Cleveland Browns to watch in the Hall of Fame Game
• UDFA linebacker can make a name for himself
• Is there room for Jaelen Darden?
By Randy Gurzi
2. Kellen Mond, QB
Last year as teams trimmed their rosters down to 53 players, the Browns decided to claim quarterback Kellen Mond. A former third-round pick, the Minnesota Vikings gave up on him after just one season which isn't a great sign.
Despite this, he had something that Cleveland appreciated, so they kept him on the roster all year. Mond was QB3 behind Jacoby Brissett and Josh Dobbs but was retained when Deshaun Watson returned from suspension, as Dobbs was the one who they released.
Since then, Dobbs returned to the Browns and is expected to be the primary backup to Watson. They also added Dorian Thompson-Robinson, an exciting prospect from UCLA. The presence of Dobbs and DTR has not only pushed Mond down the depth chart but also made him a forgotten man.
On Thursday, he has a chance to remind everyone why he was a Day 2 draft pick. While reporting from The Greenbrier in West Virginia, Tony Grossi said it looked as though the Browns were preparing to start Mond in the Hall of Fame Game. He added that Thompson-Robinson would receive plenty of snaps as well but that Mond looked poised to take the field to start the game.
Kellen Mond was throwing dimes at @AggieFootball’s Pro Day! 🎯 pic.twitter.com/t3PZDgV27y
— NFL (@NFL) April 7, 2021
Even if he plays well, it's going to be hard to make the roster in Cleveland. Since DTR feels like a lock at QB3 due to his draft status and potential, Mond would likely have to beat out Dobbs and that's going to be a tough ask.
In the end, he might be auditioning for a job elsewhere but even if that's the case, it could be fun to see how he performs.