Traded by the Las Vegas Raiders to the Minnesota Vikings on Monday, quarterback Nick Mullens practiced with his new team on Tuesday.
“It was as smooth as it could be,” the former Spain Park High School star told a group of reporters on the field after practice on Tuesday. “I got the call, packed my stuff up, packed a bag, said goodbye to my family in Vegas and flew here last night, and just learning and adapting as quick as possible.”
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The inference in a trade for a quarterback less than three weeks from the first game of the season is that the Vikings are unhappy with their backup options for QB Kirk Cousins.
Sean Mannion and Kellen Mond were with Minnesota last season, but the Vikings have a new coaching staff for 2022. On Monday, Minnesota coach Kevin O’Connell was asked if the Vikings thought they “had to” make the trade.
“‘Had to’ is your words, not mine,” O’Connell said. “But I would say anytime you can add a quality player at that position to the room, a guy that has that kind of experience and really production for the 17 games started. I have some good relationships with some guys that have coached him. I know (Minnesota general manager) Kwesi (Adofo-Mensah) had a relationship with him, obviously, from his time in Cleveland. And then ultimately, the competition is just going to go down to the very end here.
“That does not mean it always 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. Feel really good about all the guys in that room. There’s some plays we would certainly like to have back from Saturday, but there were still a lot of positives coming out of the game for both Sean and Kellen, and have asked those guys to continue to progress with where they’re at within the offensive system and the competition, and we’ll be able to sort that thing out when the time’s right. But a chance to add a really good player was why we did it.”
Adofo-Mensah was a member of San Francisco’s personnel department during Mullens’ first three NFL seasons with the 49ers and was vice president of football operations in Cleveland last season, when Mullens played for the Browns.
Mullens entered the NFL as an undrafted rookie from Southern Miss in 2017, and he spent that season on the 49ers’ practice squad. Over the next three seasons, Mullens started 16 games when Jimmy Garoppolo was sidelined by injuries.
Mullens played in one game last season. With Baker Mayfield and Case Keenum on reserve/COVID-19, Mullens completed 20-of-30 passes for 147 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions in the Browns’ 16-14 loss to Las Vegas on Dec. 20.
That brought Mullens’ career stats to 407-of-630 passing for 4,861 yards with 26 touchdowns and 22 interceptions in 20 games, including 17 starts. Only eight quarterbacks in NFL history had more passing yards after their first 17 starts than Mullens.
“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 similar traits to ours,” O’Connell said. “… I’ve always admired Nick from afar. Can tell he’s a worker, can tell he’s a grinder and a very talented, experienced player.”
O’Connell didn’t say Mullens would be the No. 2 quarterback, but he did talk about Mullens being ready when the Vikings kick off their regular season against the Green Bay Packers on Sept. 11.
“My confidence level is high in Nick, knowing the type of people that have coached him, their thoughts on him,” O’Connell said. “I don’t worry one bit about him getting ready to go from a standpoint of knowing our offense and scheme and what we’re going to try to do against Green Bay. I think he’ll be able to apply his experience. That’s why it’s important when you do make a move like that, it’s for somebody who has some game experience, who’s taken some live snaps to help him acclimate even faster.”
Mullens started going over the Vikings’ playbook on his flight to Minnesota.
“I think you just got to focus on the right things,” Mullens said, “and that’s learning as much as I can, take coaching well, connecting with new teammates and just focusing on one day at a time.”
In three preseason games for Las Vegas, Mullens completed 21-of-29 passes for 205 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions and ran for 9 yards on three carries. He produced three touchdowns in nine possessions.
On Aug. 14, Mullens ran two series in the Raiders’ 26-20 preseason victory over the Vikings. He completed 7-of-9 passes for 94 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions as Las Vegas moved 79 yards in 10 plays for a touchdown and 60 yards in 15 plays for another.
“Anytime you’re out there on the field, you’re putting your resume on tape basically,” Mullens said, “and I’ve kind of kept that mindset really through my five years – this will be my sixth year in the NFL. Anytime you’re playing, anytime you’re in front of people watching, it’s an interview, so just got to take advantage of it when the opportunities come.”
Minnesota will conclude its preseason schedule on the road against the Denver Broncos at 8 p.m. CDT Saturday. NFL Network will televise the game.
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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.