The Cleveland Browns shuffled their plans at quarterback after trading Joshua Dobbs to the Arizona Cardinals but it doesn’t mean that Kellen Mond will be sticking around long term.
Shortly after agreeing to trade Dobbs to the Cardinals, the Browns recalled their waiver on Mond, which was announced earlier in the day. It meant that Mond would remain the third quarterback on the roster for the final week of the preseason, joining Deshaun Watson and Dorian Thompson-Robinson.
However, the move does not secure Mond’s future with the team, with there still being a chance the team waives him during final roster cuts, hoping that he could potentially land back on the practice squad.
“The Browns must decide if they’ll put Mond on the active roster, or waive him and try to bring him back on the practice squad,” Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reported on August 25. “It will largely depend on other tough decisions facing the Browns in the massive trim from 90. There’s less of a sense of urgency to put Mond on the 53, because they should be able to get him back on the practice squad. With Thompson-Robinson, who’s looking like a fifth-round bargain, he was always going to join Watson and Dobbs on the active roster.”
If Mond does land back on the practice squad, he wouldn’t have to take up a roster spot but could suit up on game days thanks to a new NFL rule that allows teams to have three quarterbacks available. However, both Thompson-Robinson and Watson would have to be injured for Mond to enter the game.
Browns Fielded No Trade Inquires About Dorian Thompson-Robinson
The Browns gained some flexibility with their quarterback depth thanks to the emergence of Thompson-Robinson, who was selected in the fifth round of this year’s draft. He turned into a major steal for the Browns and no teams have inquired about trading for him, knowing that he’s someone the Browns value as part of their future, per Cabot.
Thompson-Robinson came to the Browns with more experience than a typical rookie, starting 48 games with the Bruins. In his final year, he completed 69.6 percent of his passes for 3,169 yards and 27 touchdowns, adding 12 touchdowns on the ground. Thompson-Robinson is UCLA’s all-time leader in total offensive yards (12,537), completions (860), touchdown passes (88) and total touchdowns (116).
That experience showed during his preseason performance. Thompson-Robinson has gone 30-of-46 for 348 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions in preseason play, adding some impact plays with his legs. He’ll get another chance to shine in the Browns preseason finale against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Quarterback Shuffle Moot Point if Deshaun Watson Stay Healthy
The hope for the Browns is that no one other than Watson will be taking snaps at quarterback this season. The Browns are invested heavily in Watson and much of their success will rely on his arm and regaining the Pro Bowl form he showed during his time in Houston.
Watson isn’t mentioned among the upper-echelon quarterbacks currently but knows he has to prove he belongs there.
“I missed two years of football, so I shouldn’t be in those rankings, to be honest,” Watson said Wednesday before the Browns’ practice was moved indoors because of thunderstorms. “If you’re asking me, I haven’t played ball. I haven’t played enough football the last few years to even be up there.
“So I got to go out there and prove and show what I got to do to get back in those conversations.”
The Browns went 3-3 with Watson at the helm last season after his 11-game suspension. He passed for 1,102 yards, seven touchdowns and five interceptions.
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Browns QB at Risk of Losing Roster Spot After Joshua Dobbs Trade