Getty Quarterback Deshaun Watson stands on the field with head coach Kevin Stefanski of the Cleveland Browns.
The Cleveland Browns hosted quarterback prospect Dorian Thompson-Robinson for a visit on Tuesday, which should put Kellen Mond on notice.
Mond is currently the third quarterback on the Browns’ depth chart, behind Deshaun Watson and Joshua Dobbs, who was brought back this offseason after a brief starting stint with the Tennessee Titans.
The Browns claimed Mond off waivers after final roster cutdowns last August and he stuck around for the entire year despite not being active. Jacoby Brissett was the starter for the first 11 games of the season, with Dobbs serving as the backup.
When Watson returned from his 11-game suspension, Brissett went to the bench, while Dobbs was cut, later spending time with both the Lions and eventually the Titans.
Mond is a former third-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings and has seen no notable time under center in the NFL. He made one appearance with the Vikings, going just 2-of-3 for 5 yards. As a developmental prospect, his place on the roster could be swooped up by Thompson-Robinson, if he turns out to be a prospect that the Browns are set on.
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said at the NFL Combine last month (prior to signing Dobbs) that they’d like to see more from Mond before deciding where he’ll land on the depth chart.
“No, I don’t think so,” Stefanski said. “I think all options are available to us there with young players, obviously Kellen hasn’t played in that setting, but we’ll see how far he comes along to say that he can’t win that job. I don’t think it’s fair to say that on March 1. I think he’s a young player that we need to see certainly more of.”
Browns Previously Expressed Interest in QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson
The Browns are hosting UCLA QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson on a visit today, per source.
It’s not the first interest the Browns have shown in the UCLA quarterback. They previously met with him at the combine, signaling their early interest in a passer who could fall into an area of the draft where the Browns could swoop him up.
The report of Thompson Robinson’s visit with the Browns was first reported by Ryan Fowler of The Draft Network.
Thompson-Robinson would be a very interesting developmental prospect for the Browns at quarterback. He passed for 3,154 yards and 27 touchdowns last season with 10 interceptions. Thompson-Robinson added 646 yards on the ground with another dozen touchdowns.
There was some talk about Thompson-Robinson even switching positions due to his athleticism. He even considered doing drills at other positions during his pro day but scouts strictly wanted to see him at quarterback.
There’s no certainty that DTR will be selected in the draft and will likely be a late-round pick if he is. It appears that the Browns will have their eyes on how his situation develops during the draft and post-draft. In recent years, the Browns have been very aggressive pursuing undrafted free agents they like.
For now, Thompson-Robinson isn’t worried about his draft stock.
“You can’t really control things outside your control,” Thompson-Robinson told The Los Angeles Times.
Joshua Dobbs Happy to Back With Browns, Deshaun Watson
Dobbs was a darling of the preseason with the Browns, which eventually led to the Titans giving him a shot to start in meaningful games. In his preseason appearances, Dobbs combined to complete 35 of 53 passes for 338 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.
He’ll be working closely with Watson and the two have known each other since their high school days.
“I think it’s going to be a big jump this year and I’m really excited to see it,” Dobbs said.
The Browns went 3-3 in Watson’s starts and the former passing leader completed 58.2% of his throws for 1,102 yards and seven touchdowns with five interceptions.
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Browns Quarterback Put on Notice After Latest Visit