When the Minnesota Vikings selected BYU quarterback Jaren Hall in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, he was viewed as a project with all the physical tools to be a successful quarterback with an incredibly high ceiling. If given time and proper coaching, the Vikings could have found a quarterback to have on the roster long-term.
However, as a rookie, he was thrust into action for a few games last season due to a carousel of injuries at the quarterback position and even started in two games for the Vikings. In those two games, the results were left to be desired. He was knocked out of his first start against the Atlanta Falcons with a concussion sustained on his second drive and then benched at halftime of his second start against the Green Bay Packers after looking thoroughly uncomfortable running the offense.
Entering year two, Hall faces an uncertain future, with an uphill battle to make the roster. Especially with first-round rookie J.J. McCarthy stepping in, Hall would have to outlast veteran Nick Mullens for the potential QB3 spot on the depth chart. Some believed that with a strong preseason and training camp, Hall would beat out Mullens due to his age and superior physical traits, but that has not been the case.
Hall has done nothing to separate himself from the veteran, and when Hall was put into the preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Saturday, the story remained the same. Hall was making poor throws, looked uncomfortable, and erratic at times. He was not processing his reads calmly and looked rushed in his delivery. With young quarterbacks, the number one thing you want to see is continued development and progression, and Hall looked like he failed to take that step. He finished the game 7 for 16 for 63 yards and no touchdowns.
The former BYU Cougar needed a strong showing this preseason to cause the coaches to potentially think twice about releasing him when the final roster decisions are made. With Mullens not playing in the preseason debut, this was Hall’s chance to prove he belonged on the roster. Instead, Hall’s roster chances do not look promising, and with only two weeks of preseason games left, he is running out of time.
