Vikings HC Uplifts Surprise QB Option for Minnesota
For the most part, the competition is going to come down to Sam Darnold and J.J. McCarthy. Kirk Cousins left and Minnesota responded by onboarding a bridge veteran before sinking the No. 10 pick into a QB1 of the future.
According to Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell, though, there’s another name that we shouldn’t outright dismiss: Nick Mullens. A backup over these past couple seasons, Mullens knows the system well and O’Connell thinks that the veteran would be capable of jumping into a contest if needed.
Vikings HC Uplifts Nick Mullens as Option for Vikings
While speaking with the media, O’Connell was asked about the reps among his quarterbacks as well as the hierarchy.
“Sam had a great spring,” O’Connell notes, “J.J. came in here after being drafted and had a really productive spring, as well. So really my message to those guys is, ‘I want a really competitive situation.’ Sam will obviously be taking the majority of his reps with that 1st group but I think you’ll see J.J. maybe get some, as well.”
The head coach goes on: “But also it’s about the quality as much as the volume of those reps throughout camp.” In other words, McCarthy needs to make the most of the opportunities that he gets, regardless of how many get sent in his direction.
Not too long afterwards, though, O’Connell steers things around to the forgotten veteran: Mr. Mullens.
The 1st-team reps may not arrive in practice, but Nick Mullens’ past working in Minnesota leaves him well-equipped to take on game duty if called upon: “I wouldn’t discount Nick Mullens’ experience in our system over these last couple years, to maybe where he doesn’t quite necessarily need the volume of work to still be ready to go, if called upon during the season.”
For starters, it certainly sounds like the plan is for Mullens to make the team. Darnold and McCarthy are locked into place. Mullens and Jaren Hall are the mystery, with some thinking the younger of the two — Hall — would get the nod to stick around (I’ve been in this camp).
The reflection from O’Connell makes it sound as though Mullens adds an extra layer of security at quarterback, greatly enhancing the veteran’s value. A major part of the appeal for Mullens is that he can continue operating as a backup and still be ready since he’s been in the Twin Cities for a while.
For his career, Mullens has played in twenty-nine games and started twenty. For the Vikings specifically, Mullens has gotten onto the field for nine games and started three. During that whole time, though, he was mastering the O’Connell scheme behind the scenes.
In 2023, Mullens had no issues with moving the ball. He completed 67.6% of his passes for 1,306 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. The turnovers are the major issue.
One wonders if Mullens is being looked at as an emergency option for that quarterback room. He’s unafraid of pushing the ball downfield and could likely keep the ship afloat with the right support. Yes, the interceptions would need to be minimized, but he’ll feed the skill players, which is more than what a lot of backups can do.
And, per the Vikings’ HC, we would be wise not to overlook the veteran. Maybe Nick Mullens finds his way onto the 2024 roster after all.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference helped with this piece.
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K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.
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