The Minnesota Vikings have acquired backup quarterback Nick Mullens from the Las Vegas Raiders for a conditional 2024 seventh-round draft pick.
The Vikings announced the deal Monday and said it will be finalized as soon as Mullens passes a physical. The Raiders will get the 2024 pick only if Mullens is on the active roster for at least one game this season.
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Mullens will compete with second-year player Kellen Mond and veteran Sean Mannion to be the No. 2 quarterback behind Kirk Cousins.
Mond and Mannion have split time this preseason with Cousins sitting out. Mond, the team's third-round pick in 2021, threw two TD passes in the Vikings' exhibition opener against Las Vegas but had two interceptions on Saturday night against San Francisco.
Mannion, who has thrown 110 passes in seven seasons as a backup in the NFL, also struggled to move the ball against the 49ers.
Mullens has appeared in 20 career games with 17 starts with San Francisco and Cleveland since entering the league as an undrafted free agent with the Niners in 2017.
He has completed 64.6% of his passes, averaging 267.8 yards passing in his starts, with 26 TDs, 22 interceptions and an 87.3 passer rating. He went 20 for 30 for 147 yards and a TD in his only appearance last season for the Browns.
Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah knows Mullens well, having spent time with him during his tenures in both San Francisco and Cleveland.
Mullens was 21 for 29 for 205 yards and a TD in three exhibition games for the Raiders this summer.
The trade by Las Vegas clears the way for Jarrett Stidham to be the backup behind Derek Carr. Stidham had started all three preseason games, going 25 for 40 for 244 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions. He also ran for two scores.
Stidham has thrown 48 passes in three seasons as a backup in New England before following coach Josh McDaniels to Las Vegas this offseason.
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