Browns claim Mond off waivers to be third QB

The Cleveland Browns claimed quarterback Kellen Mond off waivers from the Minnesota Vikings on Wednesday.

Mond gives the Browns a third quarterback on their active roster behind starter Jacoby Brissett and backup Joshua Dobbs while Deshaun Watson serves his 11-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

Watson’s suspension began on Tuesday. He can’t return to the facility or have contact with the Browns until Oct. 10, and he can’t practice again until Nov. 14.

Mond was waived by the Vikings on Tuesday as they trimmed to their initial 53-man roster. His fate was sealed last week when the Vikings acquired quarterback Nick Mullens in a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders.

Mond, a third-round draft pick in 2021, never got settled in Minnesota. He tested positive for COVID-19 during training camp last summer, setting back his development and forcing the Vikings to sign Sean Mannion as Kirk Cousins‘ backup before the start of the season. When Cousins was sidelined by COVID-19 for a Week 17 game at the Green Bay Packers, then-coach Mike Zimmer started Mannion and said he had no interest in seeing Mond in a regular-season game.

New coach Kevin O’Connell gave Mond a fresh start, but he was far too inconsistent to be trusted as a No. 2 quarterback. In playing roughly half the Vikings’ preseason snaps, Mond completed 29 of 51 passes for 303 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions. He took five sacks.

The Browns waived quarterback Josh Rosen on Tuesday. Coach Kevin Stefanski said after Tuesday’s practice that the team would be adding another quarterback.

After claiming Mond, the Browns released defensive end Isaac Rochell on Wednesday in a corresponding move.

ESPN’s Jake Trotter and Kevin Seifert contributed to this report.

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