Vikings’ Jaren Hall to Start at QB vs. Packers; Nick Mullens Benched

Joseph Zucker@@JosephZuckerFeatured Columnist IVDecember 28, 2023

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

The Minnesota Vikings will start Jaren Hall at quarterback for Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported Tuesday that Minnesota was “taking a long look” at benching Nick Mullens, who had supplanted Joshua Dobbs as the starter following Kirk Cousins’ season-ending Achilles injury.

The Vikings are only a game off the final wild-card spot in the NFC at 7-8 but trending in the wrong direction. They’ve dropped four of their last five games, with Cousins’ injury presenting a clear turning point in the year. The two straight wins with Dobbs as the starter proved to be a mirage.

Compounding matters, tight end T.J. Hockenson has also been lost for the year due to a torn ACL and MCL, while wide receiver Jordan Addison is nursing an ankle injury that caused him to exit the Week 16 loss to the Detroit Lions.

Turning to Hall is an understandable move because neither Dobbs nor Mullens was getting the job done. Dobbs was 32-of-55 for 248 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions across his last two starts, while Mullens threw six interceptions over the past two weeks.

Kevin Seifert @SeifertESPNOPINION: For the second time this season, the Vikings are starting Jaren Hall because they have no alternative. In Atlanta, Nick Mullens was hurt and Josh Dobbs had been there 5 days. Now, Dobbs can’t move the team and Mullens can’t stop throwing picks. Have to try something.

Hall has only logged a total of 22 snaps and thrown 10 passes. In that limited sample, he has 101 yards on eight completions.

Ben Leber @nacholeberExcited for Jaren Hall. Limited snaps vs ATL but was impressed with his abilities and presence.
No need to play hero ball against slumping Packers Def, play clean and get the dub. #SKOL

Maybe the Vikings can catch lightning in a bottle like they did early on with Dobbs. But they’re certainly swimming against the current in the homestretch.