Jaren Hall Pops Back Up in NFL
In 2023, the Minnesota Vikings took a 5th-Round flyer on BYU quarterback Jaren Hall, an experiment that didn’t last too long. Hall hasn’t encountered any luck with staying power in the NFL, but this week, he received an audition from the Indianapolis Colts.
The Vikings used to employ a young quarterback named Jaren Hall, and this week, that man has shown up in NFL news for the first time in a while.
Indianapolis ultimately signed a different former Vikings quarterback — Brett Rypien — but Hall could be in line for a practice squad assignment somewhere before too long.
Colts Work Out Jaren Hall
Hall is hoping to remain relevant after a quiet last year.
Jaren Hall Auditions for Colts’ Practice Squad
NBC Sports‘ Michael David Smith wrote Tuesday, “After Anthony Richardson was placed on injured reserve with an orbital fracture, the Colts are looking at quarterbacks. Jeff Driskel, Jaren Hall, Tanner Mordecai, and Kyle Trask all worked out for the Colts today.”
“Driskel was a 2016 sixth-round pick of the 49ers who has also spent time with the Bengals, Lions, Broncos, Texans, Cardinals, Browns, Commanders, and Raiders. Hall was a 2023 fifth-round pick of the Vikings who has also spent time with the Seahawks.”
Hall was last heard from in April when the Seahawks waived him.
Brett Rypien Gets the Nod
Instead of signing Hall, Indianapolis tabbed Brett Rypien for QB3 duty.
Rypien spent the offseason in Minnesota, so between Daniel Jones, Brett Rypien, and Jaren Hall, it’s a grand old party of former Vikings on Shane Steichen’s team. Minnesota originally landed Brett Rypien last year after the Chicago Bears cut ties with him, later bringing him back in the 2025 offseason to compete for the QB2 or QB3 job. Kevin O’Connell ultimately went with Carson Wentz and rookie Max Brosmer behind J.J. McCarthy, leaving Rypien on the outside looking in.
Across four career starts, Rypien-led teams have gone 2–2 while he’s produced four touchdown passes against nine interceptions.
Cincinnati parted ways with him last week after pulling off a surprise trade with Cleveland — a move that brought veteran Joe Flacco into the Bengals’ locker room.
All Kinds of Ex-Vikings in Indianapolis’ Orbit
While Hall didn’t get the nod, the Colts still have a ton of former Vikings players in their roster orbit.
Here’s a look:
- Mekhi Blackmon | CB
- Camryn Bynum | S
- Daniel Jones | QB
- Brett Rypien | QB
- Ameer Abdullah | RB, Practice Squad
- Keenan Garber | CB, Practice Squad
- Marcellus Johnson | OT, Practice Squad
- Laquon Treadwell | WR, Practice Squad
Minnesota’s 1st-Round pick, safety Lewis Cine, even tried out for Indianapolis’ roster last week, but like Hall, that audition didn’t net a contract.
Jaren Hall’s Brief Stop in Minnesota
Prior to J.J. McCarthy landing in Minnesota in 2024, there was Jaren Hall — the lone developmental quarterback on the roster as the Kirk Cousins chapter wound down.
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah grabbed Hall in Round 5 of the 2023 draft, and plenty of folks imagined upside in his age-25 readiness and calm demeanor. With Cousins’ future uncertain, Hall seemed like a potential developmental bridge — the kind of mid-round dice roll that might eventually stick.
That experiment was short-lived. Six months after the selection, Cousins tore his Achilles, forcing Hall into action — and outside of a couple of competent drives in Atlanta, he looked like a rookie in over his head.
Fast forward to last summer, with McCarthy and Sam Darnold in the mix, Hall became the odd man out during roster cuts. He spent the next eight months tucked into Seattle’s depth chart before fading into the background.
More on Hall
Our Kyle Joudry deemed Hall a “break glass in case of emergency” plan for the Vikings earlier this year, in the event that quarterback depth became suspect.
He wrote, “The Vikings’ break-glass-in-case-of-emergency QB is Jaren Hall. The young(ish) arm from BYU got released by the Seahawks after Mike Macdonald’s team totally overhauled its quarterback spot, in no small part due to the addition of Sam Darnold (someone recently in the gossip).”
“The unfortunate reality, though, is that depth can sometimes dwindle in a sport as physical as football. Just think back to the 2023 season. Kirk Cousins was lost for the season and Nick Mullens was already hurt. Jaren Hall got tossed into the mix but he, too, suffered an injury, leading to the Josh Dobbs insertion. Jaren Hall is 27.”
Indianapolis, meanwhile, is currently in the driver’s seat in the AFC South with a 5-1 record.
Joudry continued, “His NFL career involves game action in a trio of contests. His career completion rate sits at 65.0% and he has 168 yards to stand alongside 0 touchdowns and 1 interception. He earned a 60.3 PFF grade for his limited work in 2023.”
“Seeing Mr. Hall somehow find his way back inside of Minnesota’s borders wouldn’t be super shocking, folks.”
Fun fact: Although drafted one year apart, Jaren Hall and J.J. McCarthy share a five-year age gap.
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