The Minnesota Vikings, for at least the 2023 season, are locked in when it comes to their starting quarterback position. Kirk Cousins will be under center for year six with the franchise, but his future is up in the air.
Cousins is entering what could be his last season with the Vikings as he enters the final season of his contract. There have already been reports of teams pursuing him in the offseason should he opt to leave Minnesota in 2024.
But, for now, he is locked in as the starter. The depth chart behind him, however, could experience a shake-up in the coming weeks with training camp right around the corner.
Right now, veteran Nick Mullens is slated to be QB2 for the Vikings. Behind him on the depth chart is 2023 fifth-round pick, Jaren Hall out of BYU. That quarterback battle will be one to keep an eye on in the coming weeks as it could lead to a reshuffling of the roster.
Tyler Foreness of Vikings Wire has predicted that Mullens will be traded at some point before the regular season should Hall beat him out for the No. 2 job. Mullens has been with the Vikings since August of 2022 when he was acquired in a trade from the Las Vegas Raiders.
“Mullens has a salary that is mostly guaranteed in 2023, which means he will be on the team barring a trade. He will be competing with Jaren Hall this year for that backup job, but he should start the season as QB2. If Hall ends up earning the backup job, look for Mullens to be traded like the Raiders traded him to the Vikings,” Forness wrote. (H/T MSN)
Trading Mullens would save the Vikings $1.9 million. Given how many veterans they moved on from earlier in the offseason to create some salary space, that is certainly something that would pique their interest.
Hall would really have to impress during training camp and the preseason, however, as the backup quarterback position is a very important one. Mullens has a losing record as a starter in the NFL but is a proven commodity that could at least keep the offense afloat in the event that Cousins has to miss time.
The same cannot be said about Hall, who has some upside but would be tough to trust as the starter for an extended period of time. But, head coach Kevin O’Connell has been speaking very highly of Hall, so he could be someone that the Vikings are comfortable turning to in a pinch.
