The Minnesota Vikings will roll with Sam Darnold at quarterback, and his position is seemingly secure with rookie first-round pick J.J. McCarthy’s season-ending knee injury.
However, Darnold has struggled before and the NFL has a high injury rate.
In the event anything goes awry, the decision on who the Vikings should turn to is less certain with 2023 fifth-round pick Jaren Hall and 2023 offseason trade acquisition Nick Mullens listed as co-No. 3 QBs on the Vikings’ initial unofficial depth chart.
Mullens has assumed the QB2 slot in the wake of McCarthy’s injury, with Hall and newly-signed Matt Corral slotting in as the fourth and fifth options.
But Hall left his mark, garnering a short reaction from undrafted rookie receiver Jeshaun Jones.
“What a throw,” Jones said in a post on X, quoting a clip of his connection with Hall on a 71-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter of the Vikings’ 27-12 preseason win over the Cleveland Browns on August 17.
Hall was the No. 164 overall pick in the 2023 draft out of BYU. The 26-year-old completed 65% of his passes for 168 yards and one interception as a rookie.
His performance may have complicated the Vikings’ plans for the final roster.
Insider Cautions Vikings Over Jaren Hall
Hall finished the contest with 87 yards and two touchdowns on four completions in five attempts. His other scoring throw went to 2023 undrafted free agent Malik Knowles. The Vikings could have to keep all three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster.
Trying to waive Hall and sign him to the practice squad would expose him to other teams.
“Jaren Hall had become the forgotten man on Minnesota’s quarterback depth chart. He gave everyone a reminder of his presence on Saturday in Cleveland,” Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio wrote on August 18. “It might be hard for the Vikings to slip Hall through waivers and add him to the practice squad. They’ll likely have to carry Darnold, Mullens, and Hall into the regular season on the 53-man roster.”
Mullens started the game and played the entire first half of the contest.
He finished with 135 yards and one score on 11-for-21 passing. He was also sacked three times, which was an issue for him in 2023.
Mullens absorbed 12 sacks in five games and was 0-3 as a starter. He also threw seven touchdowns to eight interceptions. Hall and Corral – who did not attempt a pass versus Cleveland – were each sacked one time.
Hall was 1-1 in his two starts and absorbed four sacks in his three games played in 2023.
Corral, an undrafted free agent in 2022, has never thrown an NFL pass in the regular season but has spent time with the Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots.
Sam Darnold Facing ‘Career-Making Opportunity’
Darnold is by far the most experienced passer in the Vikings’ quarterback room. Without McCarthy available, Darnold’s leash could be even longer now with Corral, Hall, and Mullens the only alternatives. That comes with significant implications.
“This is now officially a career-making opportunity for Sam Darnold, who has the ability and the right stuff between the ears to step up,” Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon wrote on August 16. “The pressure will be turned up eventually, but it’s also nice for him that he can take a breath with no real battle on his hands in the short-term.”
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell has expressed faith in Darnold, and the quarterback’s last stint as a starter saw him go 4-2 as a starter with the Panthers to end the 2022 season.
The Vikings could also represent Darnold’s best chance at success given their infrastructure.
