vike daddy Posted May 21 Share Posted May 21 With the first session of OTAs getting started today, here is a look at four other young Vikings who need to put together an impressive summer to save their spots on the 53-man roster: QB Jaren Hall Jaren Hall has been thrown into tough spots throughout the early portion of his Vikings career. After being selected in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, the assumption was that Hall would be allowed to sit back and learn Minnesota’s offense before potentially taking on the starting role for the Vikings in the coming years. Instead, after Kirk Cousins suffered a torn Achilles in Week 8 last year, Hall was thrust into the starting role as a rookie before a concussion prematurely ended his first start against the Atlanta Falcons. Then, he was again thrown into lineup for Minnesota’s Week 17 game against a red-hot Green Bay Packers team. Now, Hall is being rewarded for navigating these tough waters with another very difficult situation. Kirk Cousins left the Vikings in free agency, and Minnesota responded by signing Sam Darnold and drafting J.J. McCarthy in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. With Nick Mullens still on the roster, Hall is going to need to put together a very strong couple months just to hold down the QB3 role in Minnesota. TE Nick Muse Considering T.J. Hockenson is likely to begin the 2024 season on the PUP list, one would think that is a good thing for depth tight end Nick Muse. The 2022 seventh-round pick recorded his first NFL reception during the 2023 season after Hockenson’s ACL injury in Week 16, and he very well could see a larger role in 2024 if Hockenson is not around. However, the Vikings have spent the past month loading up on tight end talent. They added Sammis Reyes early last week, who played 11 games in Washington during the 2021 season, then followed that move up with the signing of Robert Tonyan, who has played 58 games over the past four years and recorded 11 receiving TDs during the 2020 season. Muse’s spot on the roster behind Josh Oliver and Johnny Mundt suddenly is much less certain than it was a few weeks ago. CB Andrew Booth The cornerback position holds plenty of questions for the Vikings this summer, and one of those questions revolves around Andrew Booth. After being selected in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Booth has not lived up to that status over his first two seasons, playing a grand total of just 256 defensive snaps. Booth quickly was usurped by 2022 fourth-round pick, Akayleb Evans, on the depth chart, and unless Booth gives the Vikings reason to change that soon, it could remain the same in 2024. Meanwhile, Minnesota added veteran Shaq Griffin in free agency and selected Khyree Jackson in the fourth round of this spring’s draft. OLB Andre Carter Andre Carter was one of three UDFAs to make the Vikings’ 53-man roster heading into the 2023 season, and ironically enough, he may see competition from new UDFAs in 2024 for his spot. Of course, the Vikings lost all three of Marcus Davenport, Danielle Hunter, and D.J. Wonnum in free agency this offseason, thus creating a void of talent at the OLB position. However, that was quickly filled in free agency with acquisitions of Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel while Dallas Turner was picked 17th overall in the draft. https://vikingsterritory.com/2024/news/analysis/young-vikings-summer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cearbhall Posted May 21 Share Posted May 21 16 hours ago, SemperFeist said: I think most people would prefer to keep Hall over Mullens, but for that to be sensible Hall will need to beat out Mullens. If Hall can’t beat out Mullens, then there’s no need to roster him. Agreed that there is no reason to roster Hall if he can't beat out Mullens. I would add that Hall not beating out Mullens isn't a reason to roster Mullens. If Hall can't beat out Mullens my preferred QB room options would be Darnold, McCarthy, and a shot in the dark at an unproven guy (maybe a guy a team wanted to get on their practice squad) OR a two QB room consisting of Darnold and McCarthy. I am certainly okay with moving on from Hall if the team doesn't think he is developing, but I am not good with keeping Mullens around. He has had his opportunity. If Mullens beats out Darnold to be the starter I would allow him to stay. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SemperFeist Posted May 21 Share Posted May 21 If McCarthy reaches his benchmarks, and begins the season as the starting QB, I’m all for a 2 player QB room, with someone on the practice squad. But if McCarthy doesn’t hit those benchmarks, and he isn’t the starter to begin the year, then the team will still need a viable backup. And until proven otherwise, Mullens is still the best option available. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wcblack34 Posted May 21 Share Posted May 21 What about the roster rules? If McCarthy is QB3, we can't practice squad him. He has to be on the 53 man roster. Whereas if he's QB2, they can use that spot elsewhere. Might that factor into the decision? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
battle2heaven Posted May 21 Share Posted May 21 You guys, we can keep Mullens and Hall. No one is picking up Hall if they cut him and put him on the PS. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede700 Posted May 21 Author Share Posted May 21 21 minutes ago, wcblack34 said: What about the roster rules? If McCarthy is QB3, we can't practice squad him. He has to be on the 53 man roster. Whereas if he's QB2, they can use that spot elsewhere. Might that factor into the decision? Technically, the QB2 could also be on the practice squad. McCarthy would only be the 2nd QB on the 53-man roster, but that doesn't necessarily mean he's QB2. Mullens or Hall could be on the practice squad and serve as the emergency QB (which means they'd be QB3) an unlimited number of times or they could call him up 3 times to serve as QB2 and then subject him to waivers. It just depends on how they'd want to handle it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SemperFeist Posted May 21 Share Posted May 21 1 hour ago, battle2heaven said: You guys, we can keep Mullens and Hall. No one is picking up Hall if they cut him and put him on the PS. Why keep both? If Hall surpassed Mullens, he’s likely the long term solution at backup QB, so there’s no need for Mullens. And if Hall can’t surpass Mullens, he’s not exactly worth keeping around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede700 Posted May 21 Author Share Posted May 21 (edited) 2 hours ago, battle2heaven said: You guys, we can keep Mullens and Hall. No one is picking up Hall if they cut him and put him on the PS. Under no circumstances are they keeping both. There would be zero point in doing so. Edited May 21 by swede700 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
battle2heaven Posted May 21 Share Posted May 21 14 minutes ago, SemperFeist said: Why keep both? If Hall surpassed Mullens, he’s likely the long term solution at backup QB, so there’s no need for Mullens. And if Hall can’t surpass Mullens, he’s not exactly worth keeping around. Because Hall is a year 2 QB and the coaches might feel he is worth developing on the PS? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SemperFeist Posted May 21 Share Posted May 21 1 minute ago, battle2heaven said: Because Hall is a year 2 QB and the coaches might feel he is worth developing on the PS? If Hall goes from the active roster to the practice squad, his development is going the wrong direction. At which point it still doesn’t make sense to keep him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede700 Posted May 21 Author Share Posted May 21 15 minutes ago, battle2heaven said: Because Hall is a year 2 QB and the coaches might feel he is worth developing on the PS? They have a QB to develop in McCarthy. It's hard to develop multiple QBs at the same time. While Hall still needs development, he needs to be far enough along that any separation between him and Mullens should be minimal enough to warrant retaining him as the backup over Mullens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteelKing728 Posted May 21 Share Posted May 21 3 hours ago, Cearbhall said: Agreed that there is no reason to roster Hall if he can't beat out Mullens. I would add that Hall not beating out Mullens isn't a reason to roster Mullens. If Hall can't beat out Mullens my preferred QB room options would be Darnold, McCarthy, and a shot in the dark at an unproven guy (maybe a guy a team wanted to get on their practice squad) OR a two QB room consisting of Darnold and McCarthy. I am certainly okay with moving on from Hall if the team doesn't think he is developing, but I am not good with keeping Mullens around. He has had his opportunity. If Mullens beats out Darnold to be the starter I would allow him to stay. Mullens showed enough last year if anyone who is short on QB talent would want him, could offer a late round pick for him. The turnovers were atrocious but he moved the ball down the field with ease. If we get a 7th for him that's a win. That's why I'm rooting for Hall. That way we have a small chance to recoup draft capital by moving on from Mullens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cearbhall Posted May 21 Share Posted May 21 24 minutes ago, SteelKing728 said: Mullens showed enough last year if anyone who is short on QB talent would want him, could offer a late round pick for him. The turnovers were atrocious but he moved the ball down the field with ease. If we get a 7th for him that's a win. That's why I'm rooting for Hall. That way we have a small chance to recoup draft capital by moving on from Mullens. If Mullens looks decent in the preseason getting a late draft pick for him seems very possible. I would be in favor of that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede700 Posted May 21 Author Share Posted May 21 (edited) 31 minutes ago, Cearbhall said: If Mullens looks decent in the preseason getting a late draft pick for him seems very possible. I would be in favor of that. You mean like the conditional seventh rd pick that we gave up to get Mullens (which the Raiders used to draft MJ Devonshire one pick before the Vikings took Jurgens with a pick the Vikings acquired in the trade to get Dobbs from Arizona). Edited May 21 by swede700 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cearbhall Posted May 21 Share Posted May 21 21 minutes ago, swede700 said: You mean like the conditional seventh rd pick that we gave up to get Mullens (which the Raiders used to draft MJ Devonshire one pick before the Vikings took Jurgens with a pick the Vikings acquired in the trade to get Dobbs from Arizona). Exactly. Just like the trade the Vikings made to acquire Mullens. Just need Mullens to look good in the preseason so a team decides he is better than what they have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.