It's been nearly a decade since the team had as much new as it now does. With all the changes come the opportunity and responsibility to learn. So instead of fighting it, that fact will be leaned into following all the games this season! Even with so many signs still pointing to Summer that starts now.
Since he was selected Kellen Mond has been a consistent focus of conversation. During his first season he was saddled with a head coach who seemingly only liked Teddy Bridgewater, so pardon me for not putting immense stock in that evaluation. Now he has a former quarterback at head coach & a new opportunity to solidify himself as QB2. Reports through training camp have been middling at best but if today was any indication he isn't as far away from at least not being a liability than has been said. Part of the increase for Mond comes from a lackluster performance by the future coach but with each snap the second year Texan seemed more comfortable.
From this entity prior to the game there was speculation about a possible trade target for the team. That possibility may still exist, it can't be ruled out at this time. A week from now, if Mond can perform similarly to how he did today, that could change things because the quality of player he was going against in Vegas was maybe as good as the teams he played in college. Next time out he could face all solid pros. That's a lot of words to say that we learned Mond is not a finished player. He is not yet a success or a failure but he showed enough to keep the possibility of at least being a backup open. Since most people don't get to see training camp practices first hand it's the most important thing to glean from this game!
The second lesson today comes from one of the positions that helped take pressure off the young quarterbacks shoulders.
On the basis of contract and draft position Ty Chandler was already penciled in to be the backup next season with Alexander Mattison receiving a check elsewhere. With what Chandler & Nwangwu showed they could be the battery for the next few seasons if a business decision is made on Dalvin Cook. It's a low probability but the chances of a change to the top two is higher now than it was this morning.
On a negative note we also learned that penalties could be a problem with the youthfulness of the defense. Andrew Booth skewed the total with 30 yards of penalties during one play but the team finished the first half with six flags to just one by Vegas. Getting Harrison Smith & Patrick Peterson back on the field to help stabilise positioning could eliminate one or two of those fouls. They wouldn't be able to cover for every mistake and bad choice so, unfortunately, we may need to accept that the first 6-8 weeks could be rough with flags against our favorite team.
Another element that could help the young guys in the transition is pressure up front. Even without the two stalwart edges the Purple finished the first half with three sacks. Harrison Philips, Armon Watts & T.Y. McGill all brought down the quarterback, with McGill adding the fourth & final sack in the second half. McGill has the longest odds of making the 53 but that just shows the quality of the group. You would have to be some kind of a cynic to not feel good about the Purple's pass rush!
Today also proved to be a yin & yang for a couple of linebackers. Troy Dye seemed to only standout as he struggled in coverage while rookie Brian Asamoah validated the training camp steam that has been coming out about him. To be fair, Dye did finish with a team-high five solo tackles while Asamoah recorded just one. The numbers only tell so much as the first-timer showed explosiveness similar to Anthony Barr early in his career, which could help this defense immensely!
The depth of wide receivers on the roster has also been talked about frequently. Even without the top two today that conversation point was validated. If a favorite to be WR4 had to be picked today it seems like Ihmir Smith-Marsette would get the nod as he got five targets, two more than any other, reeling in three to lead the way. Only Myron Mitchell did more with his chances - 2/37 - while Albert Wilson's two scores will keep him in the conversation. If there is a down-side to it, it's that there isn't enough depth to flip one or two for any meaningful draft capital. With 10 guys for at most six spots that would be a desirable outcome. However the roster cuts play out, the quality of the group is undeniable at this time!
Perhaps there is more that could learned but that does it for now
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