2 Popular Former Vikings Join UFL
Anything UFL-related regarding the Minnesota Vikings as of late usually pertains to defensive tackle Jalen Redmond, who has become a revelation in the NFL. But entering the second week of the 2026 offseason, a couple of other former Vikings have made UFL headlines: quarterback Jaren Hall and safety Lewis Cine.
Jaren Hall and Lewis Cine did just enough in Minnesota to be remembered, then slipped out the back door. Now, the UFL is their next endeavor.
Hall and Cine will try their hand in the offshoot league, hoping to rekindle their flailing football dreams.
Hall and Cine Are Now UFL Combatants
The UFL may provide solace for Hall and Cine.
Hall to UFL’s Birmingham Stallions
Hall is indeed giving the UFL a whirl. AL.com’s Mark Inabinett wrote this week, “Matt Corral is returning to the Birmingham Stallions for the 2026 season. Stallions coach AJ McCarron selected Corral, Taylor Elgersma, and Jaren Hall in the United Football League’s quarterback draft on Friday. The spring-football league released the draft selections on Monday.”
“Hall started two games and played in three as a fifth-round rookie for the Minnesota Vikings in 2023. He completed 13-of-20 passes for 168 yards with no touchdowns and one interception and ran six times for 14 yards. Hall spent the 2024 NFL season on the Seattle Seahawks’ practice squad. He’s been out of football since being released by Seattle on April 29.”
The Stallions reached the UFL postseason last year, only to lose to the Michigan Panthers.
It’s worth noting that Corral also played in Minnesota for a short time in 2024.
Cine Follows Suit, Joins DC Defenders
Hall wasn’t alone. The Defenders drafted Cine, and our Janik Eckardt noted, “Cine will join several former Vikings on the roster, such as Andre Mintze, Jordan Ta’amu, or Abram Smith. Unlike those guys, however, Cine was envisioned to become a star in the Twin Cities, following Harrison Smith’s footsteps. Given his play at Georgia and the outstanding physical tools, that was not out of the question.”
DC actually won the championship in 2025, taking down the aforementioned Panthers 58-34, led by former Vikings Jordan Ta’amu at quarterback. So, yes, Cine will join a winner, a club looking to defend its crown.
Hall’s Time in MIN
Before J.J. McCarthy arrived in Eagan, Minnesota quietly parked some late-round hopes in Jaren Hall. He wasn’t marketed as a future starter, but behind Kirk Cousins, he served as an emergency contingency plan at the tail end of that experiment.
Vikings boss Kwesi Adofo-Mensah selected Hall in the 5th round of the 2023 draft, a low-cost swing that fit the front office’s risk modus operandi. Hall was older and supposed to be more game-ready than most. He didn’t flash elite arm talent, but he looked functional — accurate enough to survive in Kevin O’Connell’s offense.
Cousins’ Achilles tear in October 2023 turned theory into a trial, and Hall was thrown into action in Atlanta as a rookie. For a brief stretch, he held things together. He moved the chains for a couple of drives, and fans were impressed.
Then reality smacked him around. A concussion cancelled his momentum, Joshua Dobbs took over, and Hall never did much of anything thereafter. When he finally resurfaced, the speed overwhelmed him. The Vikings tapped him on the shoulder to start against the Green Bay Packers two months later. He flopped.
By the following summer, the roster stakes didn’t shine kindly on Hall. McCarthy was drafted, Sam Darnold was signed, and he was cut. Seattle later claimed him and buried him on the depth chart.
Cine’s History
When Minnesota drafted Lewis Cine from Round 1 in 2022, the bet assumed Harrison Smith’s exit was coming. It never did. Three years later, the safety room has stayed intact, and Cine never had a lane. Between Smith, Josh Metellus, Theo Jackson, and Jay Ward, no practical role was available. Camyrn Bynum also filled a starter’s role for a few seasons before taking a job with the Indianapolis Colts in 2025 free agency.
Even after recovering from the broken leg as a rookie, Cine couldn’t find playing time. The depth chart didn’t wobble; he became the odd man out in the summer of 2024. That opportunity instead went to Theo Jackson, who now occupies the spot Cine once eyed.
The Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles gave Cine a whirl soon after, and he even still picked up a Super Bowl ring with Philadelphia in 2024, a footnote to a Vikings tenure that never amounted to much.
Here’s his updated resume:
- Minnesota Vikings (2022–2023)
- Buffalo Bills (2024)
- Philadelphia Eagles (2024–2025)
- DC Defenders (2026)
Hall will turn 28 in March, and Cine will turn 27 in October.
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