Aug 3, 2023; Eagan, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Nick Mullens (12) practices during training camp at TCO Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports.
Think second-year Minnesota Vikings quarterback Jaren Hall is on the roster bubble? Bleacher Report says you might have it twisted.
The Vikings will shave their roster from 91 players to 53 on Tuesday, and the cuts began on Monday. And according to BR’s NFL staff, Nick Mullens could be on the way out this week — not Jaren Hall.
BR cited Mullens’ “quarterback win-loss record” as evidence, claiming Hall might be safer or more dependable as the QB2. Before getting lost too deep in BR’s blossoming theory, fans should remember that Mullens was held out of the third and final preseason game, usually an indicator that a man’s roster spot is safe.
“Hall, meanwhile, really came alive over the last two preseason games. He was 4-of-5 for 87 yards and two touchdowns last week and earned the start for Saturday’s finale,” BR’s collective staff wrote. “He picked up right where he left off, leading Minnesota to points on their first five drives and throwing a pair of first-half touchdowns.”
Indeed, Hall shined in the final two preseason games after a rocky start in the first contest at home versus the Las Vegas Raiders.
“While the Vikings may still favor Mullens’ experience, it’s unlikely that they’ll be able to stash Hall on the practice squad after his recent surge. Minnesota may have to keep three quarterbacks on the active roster, and if it doesn’t, Mullens — who was 0-3 as the starter last year — will probably be the odd man out,” BR concluded.
And that was spicy nugget — Mullens as the “probable odd man out.” One would be hard-pressed to find a Vikings fan or analyst anywhere who believes Mullens’ job security is suspect. Like Hall in the last two preseason bouts, Mullens played well in the second preseason game, so much so that Minnesota seemed to put him on ice last weekend, hoping to avoid another quarterback injury. On August 10th, rookie passer J.J. McCarthy tore his meniscus and will miss all of his rookie season.
The BR theory boils down to an opinion from a national site that is not in touch with the interworkings of the Vikings roster construction or the team’s general opinion of Mullens. Cutting Mullens while promoting Hall to QB2 would be a total stunner, and fans should not anticipate it.
Meanwhile, Minnesota released QB4 Matt Corral on Monday.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.