2 Vikings Backups Stand Out for Different Reasons
Some of the most intriguing aspects of preseason football are just how competitive the players seeking an opportunity can be. The Minnesota Vikings had more than a few reserves in action against the Los Vegas Raiders. Two of them stood out, though, and for entirely different reasons.
2 Vikings Backups Stand Out for Different Reasons
Over the offseason, the Minnesota Vikings allowed prolific pass rusher Danielle Hunter to walk. He opted to sign with his hometown Houston Texans. Rewarded for a career year, the longtime fan favorite was joining a new organization on a gaudy contract. While they sought a replacement on the defensive line, the decision ultimately came down to former Texans pass rusher Johnathan Greenard.
As is typically the case, Greenard wasn’t going to play in preseason action. Veteran pass rusher Andrew Van Ginkel was absent as he works his way back to health as well. Dallas Turner found himself being featured, and he showed up with a sack in the box score. Undrafted free agent Gabriel Murphy was out due to injury, and that’s where Bo Richter found his opportunity to shine.
Richter, a rookie out of Air Force, recorded the second-most tackles with six. He sacked the Raiders quarterback, had a quarterback hit, and also recorded a pair of tackles for loss. While he was playing against backups, to call his performance anything short of impressive would be putting it lightly. Richter should see additional run in the second preseason game solely because of what he did at U.S. Bank Stadium on Saturday.
The flip side was definitely second-year quarterback Jaren Hall. Thrust into action before he was ready last season, it was evident that Hall was a fish out of water. With a full offseason program under his belt and an understanding of what it takes to succeed at the highest level, he came on and looked, well, awful.
Kevin O’Connell decided that Sam Darnold, J.J. McCarthy, and Jaren Hall would be the only quarterbacks to play. Nick Mullens could be a trade candidate, but it seems obvious that Hall is not worthy of a 53-man roster spot. The former BYU product was consistently errant with his throws. There was a lacking touch when he needed it, and it seemed as though he was as lost or worse than he was a season ago.
Of course, there should be a stark difference between a first-round pick and a late-round selection. The talent gap between McCarthy and Hall was noticeable. It was beyond unfortunate to see how poor Hall looked in what should have been a soft landing spot, and now Minnesota must decide what to do there.
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Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes weekly for Twins Daily. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
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