The Cases for All 3 Vikings QB Options
The topic on everyone’s minds heading into this afternoon is the starting Vikings QB.
Kevin O’Connell alluded to a possible change at the position following Minnesota’s Week 12 loss to the Chicago Bears, and OC Wes Phillips suggested that the decision would be announced on Wednesday as they head into their week of practice.
With the decision looming, here are the cases for all three of the current Vikings QB options.
Josh Dobbs
If the Vikings really want to make a run for the playoffs, continuity is probably best. That means Josh Dobbs, who has played the majority of the past four games. While there has been some bad over the past few weeks, there certainly has been positives as well.
With two weeks of studying now under his belt, Dobbs should be fully comfortable in the Vikings offense. Hopefully, that leads to more success down the stretch.
Dobbs offers a very different skillset from what we’ve seen out of Cousins, largely because of his ability to be mobile in the pocket. This not only puts a different element of play in opposing defenses’ minds in 2023, but by playing the veteran, it allows O’Connell to experiment with a mobile QB before potentially selecting one in the draft next spring. Bo Nix has been an early connection to the Vikings, and then there are others such as Michael Penix and Jayden Daniels to keep in mind as well.
Jaren Hall
Jaren Hall’s case to start is pretty simple: if the Vikings want to see what they have in their rookie QB, they need to get him on the field at some point. During Hall’s first start this season, he played pretty well, even if it was only for two drives.
We have to keep in mind that the first start also came without either of Christian Darrisaw or Justin Jefferson on the field. This time around, both the stars will be on the field, allowing O’Connell and the rest of the Vikings staff to see how Hall handles himself with a fully loaded Vikings offense.
There’s also the caveat of how far is this team actually going to go in 2023, anyway? Even if they make the playoffs as a No. 6 or No. 7 seed, they will then have to go on the road and play one of Dallas, Detroit, Philadelphia, or San Francisco and likely will be heavy underdogs in that matchup.
Nick Mullens
Had he been healthy in Week 9, Nick Mullens may have been the original choice for the Vikings to start after Cousins’ injury. The reasons for that are two-fold.
First and foremost, he offers similar skills to Cousins as a QB who lives in the pocket and isn’t much of a scrambler. He is a gunslinger at the position, and while that means he is certainly liable for some bad interceptions, it also means he isn’t afraid to push the ball downfield. With Justin Jefferson returning in Week 14, this is the time for the Vikings to open things up offensively and try to implement some more explosive plays.
Mullens also has the advantage of being in the Vikings offense for longer than any of the other options. Minnesota acquired him via trade last August from the Las Vegas Raiders, the team that just so happens to be the next Vikings opponent, so not only is he more familiar with the Vikings offense, he also has an advantage of knowing some of the Raiders defensive tendencies.
Overall, if O’Connell and the Vikings want a player that can be the Kirk Cousins-esque pocket passer, albeit it at a lower level, Mullens may be the guy to roll with.
Vikings Inch Closer to Starting QB Decision
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.