Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, the general manager, signed a lot of players during the free agency period. Some, like defensive end Jonah Williams, will compete for roster berths, while others, like Jonathan Greenard, will contend for Pro Bowl consideration. The quarterback position has been interesting to watch as Sam Darnold, a recent addition, attempts to restart his career.
Vikings QB Could Be in Trouble
The fact that this offense is the finest he’s played in thus far—at least in his starting career—is to his favor. After two more years in Carolina and three years with the problematic New York Jets, the 2023 season, when he was Brock Purdy’s backup, was the first in which he had a comfortable environment. There’s a good chance that Darnold will look very different in the upcoming season because of his experience throwing to players like Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson while listening to coaches Kevin O’Connell and Josh McCown.
The Vikings also have two more quarterbacks on staff in Nick Mullens and Jaren Hall.
Darnold is one of them. The main factor keeping O’Connell’s offense afloat is Mullens’ fearlessness when pulling the trigger down the field, which makes him an excellent backup for the Vikings and a seasoned player in the league. In contrast, Hall was intended to be the backup quarterback after being selected in the fifth round in the previous draft. After suffering several injuries in Week 9 and having poor quarterback play later in the season, he was called to step up out of the blue.
These two players will soon run into issues if the Vikings do choose to select a passer in the forthcoming draft. Two roster spots are certain for that new signal-caller and Darnold, leaving, at most, one spot available for Mullens and Hall.
A lot of NFL teams used to only have the starting quarterback and his backup on the roster. Kirk Cousins spent a lot of time in the position room with Sean Mannion and maybe a member of the practice squad. But the NFL implemented the emergency quarterback rule in 2023, enabling teams to use a third quarterback on gameday without sacrificing a key active spot. It suddenly made sense to have a backup quarterback, especially one who is typically young, to avoid becoming the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game against the Eagles, when they were down to one quarterback.
The hierarchy in Minnesota was evident. Cousins was quarterback one, Mullens quarterback two, and Hall, despite earning a position on the roster, was merely the backup quarterback. The rookie wasn’t prepared to be the primary backup right now. After Mullens sustained a back injury, Cousins sustained an Achilles injury that ended his season, and Hall was forced to start the game in Atlanta for Week 9. He was rendered unconscious by a shock, and Dobbsmania began.
In Week 17, a home game against the Packers, O’Connell benched Dobbs and Mullens to start Hall after they were unable to hold onto the ball. The 26-year-old was obviously overwhelmed by the bright lights, and Mullens took his position throughout the second half.
In a few months, the Vikings might have to choose between those two players once more. Even if he makes too many mistakes, Mullens has demonstrated that he is capable of leading an O’Connell attack at an explosive pace. Hall was unable to accomplish it, but because he is only beginning his second season, there may yet be some hope. Ultimately, Hall wasn’t a high-priced draft pick; he was selected in the fifth round and didn’t show much during the preseason or in his opportunities during the regular season.
He faces a real risk of losing his job if the decision-makers aren’t happy with his progress. Their play and the team’s philosophy would determine the outcome. Would the Vikings rather have Mullens who could spare some reps in training camp and the preseason, which would benefit the rookie and still be ready to play if called upon, or two guys (a rookie and Hall) who need a ton of reps to develop behind projected starter Darnold, who undoubtedly needs reps to get comfortable in the new system?
For the new prospect, the latter seems like a superior option. Released Hall would save nearly half of the $1.8 million that the Vikings would save by cutting Mullens after training camp, if the team is concerned about the salary cap. The plan might be to add Hall to the practice squad and retain all four, or it could be to trade Mullens for a late-round pick to a team that needs a seasoned backup quarterback, which is how Mullens got to Minnesota in the first place.
There are a lot of possibilities, but one thing is certain: one of Mullens and Hall won’t be on the 53-man roster come September if a rookie, Drake Maye, J.J. McCarthy, Jayden Daniels, or someone else, shows up on April 25.
