Getty Nick Mullens will have to earn the backup spot behind Kirk Cousins after the Vikings opted to not cut any quarterbacks ahead of their preseason finale.
The Minnesota Vikings had to trim their roster down to 80 players on Tuesday — just 24 hours after the team traded for Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Nick Mullens.
And while Mullens may have the fast track and the support of the new regime to overtake Sean Mannion and Kellen Mond for the QB2 spot behind Kirk Cousins, nothing will be given to the Vikings’ newest quarterback.
After speculation that Mond and Mannion would be cut on Tuesday, both quarterbacks survived cutdown day and will have one more audition in Minnesota’s preseason finale against the Denver Broncos on August 28.
The Vikings opted to not make any drastic moves and quarterback, instead opting to cut second-year tight end Shaun Beyer and third-year cornerback Harrison Hand, per a team release. Blake Proehl and Minnesota native Ryan Connelly were placed on the reserve/physically unable to perform (PUP) list, clearing two more roster spots to trim the roster count down to 80 players.
The final roster deadline falls on August 30, when the Vikings will have to trim their 80-man roster down to 53 players.
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The #Vikings have waived TE Shaun Beyer and CB Harrison Hand.
LB Ryan Connelly and WR Blake Proehl have been placed on the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list.
Mond or Mannion Failed to Take QB2 Job
After Mond and Mannion combined for just 147 passing yards in a 17-7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on August 20, the Vikings had seen enough.
Minnesota traded a conditional seventh-round pick to the Raiders for Mullens on August 22 — under the condition that if Mullens is active for one game in the 2022 season, the Vikings will send a pick to Las Vegas.
That seems almost inevitable, given the current backup quarterback situation.
Despite the Vikings’ efforts to give Mond and Mannion as many reps after cutting 2020 seventh-round pick Nate Stanley before training camp, neither backup had won the QB2 role on the depth chart. They’ve been named co-second-string quarterbacks on the team’s unofficial depth charts in the preseason.
Meanwhile, Mullens arrives in Minnesota after completing 7 of 9 pass attempts for 94 yards and a touchdown against the Vikings on August 7. Mullens has a 5-12 career record in the regular season, primarily as a backup for the San Francisco 49ers. That’s five wins more Mannion or Mond have accrued in their careers combined.
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Nick Mullens against the #Vikings eight days ago: 7 for 9, 94 yards, 1 TD. Also ran for a first down. Both of his incompletions came on deep shots.
Here’s every dropback of his from that game:
‘The Competition is Going to Come Down to the Very End’
In an August 22 press conference following news of the Mullens trade, head coach Kevin O’Connell addressed the addition of Mullens to the quarterback room.
“Able to add a player with a lot of experience, a guy that’s started 17 games and had some real production in some offenses with some different similar traits to ours. I’d like to think we’re doing something here that’s our own version of what we’re doing, but I’ve always admired Nick from afar,” O’Connell said. “I can tell he’s a worker, can tell he’s a grinder, and a very talented, experienced player.”
O’Connell was unwilling to say the job is Mullen’s to lose and has yet to decide how much playing time any of the quarterbacks will have against the Broncos on Sunday.
“Ultimately, the competition’s going to go down to the very end here. That does not mean it always just stays the same. Sometimes we may feel the need to add a player at a position – not just quarterback – just to try to maximize what we’re going to be this year as a football team. I feel really good about all those guys in that room,” O’Connell said. “I know there were some plays we certainly would have liked to have back from Saturday, but still a lot of positives coming out of the game for both Sean and Kellen. I’ve asked those guys to continue to progress on where they’re at within the offensive system and the competition, and we’ll be able to sort that out when the time’s right, but a chance to add a really good player, which is why we did it.”