Minnesota Vikings cut Mond, Mannion, Watts, make trades on NFL cut day

MINNEAPOLIS - The Minnesota Vikings on Tuesday officially announced their initial 53-man roster for the 2022 season, making 22 roster moves and two trades.

The Vikings, after trading for quarterback Nick Mullens during training camp to back-up Kirk Cousins, released Sean Mannion and Kellen Mond. They also traded Jesse Davis to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a conditional seventh round pick in 2025, after rookie Ed Ingram won the starting right guard job on the offensive line.

They weren’t done with the moves, trading a 2023 sixth round pick to the Houston Texans for defensive tackle Ross Blacklock. The new Vikings’ front office, led by Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, released six of the 11 players from the 2021 draft class.

Mond, a third round pick in 2021 out of Texas A&M, played in one game for the Vikings last season, completing two of three passes for just five yards in a 37-10 loss at the Green Bay Packers in Week 17. Sean Mannion started that game, with Kirk Cousins unavailable after testing positive for COVID-19 at the time.

There were thoughts that Mond might have a chance to make the team after throwing a pair of touchdown passes to Albert Wilson in the first preseason game at the Las Vegas Raiders. But in Minnesota’s lone home preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers, Mond was just 10-of-20 for 82 yards and two interceptions. Saturday, Mond went 10-of-17 for 102 yards. 

He had potential with his athleticism, but struggled with accuracy on his throws and was often too late on his reads. In three preseason games, Mond was 29-of-51 passing for 303 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.

In Saturday’s loss at the Broncos, Mannion was 9-of-16 for 121 yards, but was sacked and fumbled on a play where Denver returned it for a touchdown.

In the surprise moves of the day, the Vikings released Armon Watts to make room for Blacklock, and traded Jesse Davis to the Steelers. Blacklock played in 29 games and started three over his first two seasons with the Texans, recording 36 tackles and two sacks.

Here is a look at who the Vikings released and/or waived on Tuesday:

OFFENSIVE PLAYERS

Sean Mannion, Kellen Mond, Dan Chisena, Zach Davidson, Wyatt Davis, Kyle Hinton, Trishton Jackson, Bryant Koback, Nick Muse, Josh Sokol

DEFENSIVE PLAYERS

Nate Hairston, Parry Nickerson, Mike Brown, Myles Dorn, William Kwenkeu, Blake Lynch, Zach McCloud, Janarius Robinson, T.J. Smith, Chazz Surratt, Jaylen Twyman, Armon Watts

Here is what the initial 53-man roster looks like:

• Quarterbacks – Kirk Cousins, Nick Mullens
• Running backs – Dalvin Cook, Alexander Mattison, Kene Nwangwu, Ty Chandler
• Fullback – CJ Ham
• Wide receivers – Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen, KJ Osborn, Ihmir Smith-Marsette, Jalen Nailor
• Tight ends – Irv Smith Jr., Johnny Mundt, Ben Ellefson
• Offensive line – Garrett Bradbury, Ezra Cleveland, Christian Darrisaw, Ed Ingram, Brian O’Neill, Oli Udoh, Chris Reed, Austin Schlottmann, Vederian Lowe, Blake Brandel
• Defensive line – Harrison Phillips, Dalvin Tomlinson, Ross Blacklock, James Lynch, Esezi Otomewo, Jonathan Bullard
• Linebackers – Danielle Hunter, Za’Darius Smith, Eric Kendricks, Jordan Hicks, Patrick Jones II, D.J. Wonnum, Luiji Vilain, Troy Dye, Brian Asamoah
• Defensive backs – Patrick Peterson, Cam Dantzler, Chandon Sullivan, Andrew Booth Jr., Kris Boyd, Akayleb Evans
• Safeties – Harrison Smith, Cam Bynum, Lewis Cine, Josh Metellus
• Specialists – Greg Joseph (Kicker), Ryan Wright (Punter/Holder), Andrew DePaola (Long snapper)

The roster is only initial and more changes could be coming. The Vikings can put up to 16 waived players, including six veterans, on their practice squad.