Jaren Hall Signs with New Team
Because he performed quite well in the final two preseason games, some Minnesota Vikings fans convinced themselves that quarterback Jaren Hall could be the real deal.
Jaren Hall Signs with New Team
So they were dismayed last week when the purple team dropped Hall via waiver and added veteran passer Brett Rypien. The 28-year-old Rypien will now be featured as the Vikings’ QB3 in 2024, two injuries away from the big job.
After Hall’s exit, Vikings leaders claimed they wanted Hall back on the practice squad, but he said no thanks soon after, joining the Seattle Seahawks on Labor Day. ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted, “Seahawks signed former Vikings quarterback Jaren Hall to their practice squad.”
That’s a wrap on Hall’s brief career in Minnesota, at least for now. He’ll join this quarterbacks room in 2024 out west:
- Geno Smith
- Sam Howell
- Jaren Hall (Practice Squad)
Like Rypien, Hall is two injuries away from the QB1 spot, though the likelihood of any NFL team needing a QB3 for starter’s duty is slim.
Last Thursday, after Hall hit the waiver wire, the Vikings’ brass claimed it wanted Hall back for its practice squad if he’d allow it. He did not — evidently more content with Seattle, a team that does not have a quarterback of the future on its roster unless the aforementioned Howell takes an enormous leap soon.
Hall started two games in 2023 as a rookie. He was quickly concussed in his first start, a Week 9 showdown against the Atlanta Falcons, which led to Joshua Dobbs and his brief Cinderella story.
The following month, Hall was called upon to start in a pivotal game against the Green Bay Packers on New Year’s Eve, an event that turned out disastrous for everyone except the Packers — Hall included.
Then, 2024 rolled around, and Hall contended for the QB3 job, playing lousy in Preseason Game No. 1 but improving in the remaining two exhibition contests. In fact, Hall performed magnificently against the Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles’ third-stringers, convincing fans that his upside was greater than once believed.
The Vikings’ coaching staff, on the other hand, disagreed, taking steps to ensure Hall would not see the regular season field in 2024.
Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said last week that he hoped Hall would return after clearing waivers so the team could spend more time on his development. No cigar.
Overall, Hall lasted 16 months in the Twin Cities, the same length as Kellen Mond in 2021 and 2022.
One Viking Is 100% Back — Just in Time.
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 Vikings 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.
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