Vikings Taking a ‘Long Look’ at Benching Mullens for $4 Million QB: Insider

Getty Nick Mullens #12 of the Minnesota Vikings.

In the aftermath of a backbreaking loss to the Detroit Lions on Christmas Eve, the Minnesota Vikings are considering their future with quarterback Nick Mullens.

Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reported on Tuesday, December 26, that the Vikings are considering benching Mullens for rookie Jaren Hall.

“Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the Vikings are taking a long look at whether Mullens should be benched for rookie Jaren Hall,” Florio wrote.

Vikings Quietly Reconsider Change to QB Jaren Hall

GettyQuarterback Jaren Hall of the Minnesota Vikings throws the ball in the first quarter against the Arizona Cardinals in a preseason game at U.S. Bank Stadium on August 26, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.(Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)

Florio’s report shows a shift from the feeling in U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday.

ESPN’s Kevin Seifert reported after the game that he “heard nothing to suggest” that Mullens wouldn’t be the starter in Week 17 against the Green Bay Packers after he threw four interceptions against the Lions — including a game-ending interception in the final minute that handed Detroit a 30-24 victory and the NFC North division title.

In two starts, Mullens has led the Vikings offense to an average of 407 yards per game but has also thrown six interceptions in two close losses.

A fifth-round pick last April, Hall made a Week 9 start in place of Mullens, who would have taken the starting spot when Kirk Cousins went down with an Achilles injury on October 29.

Hall looked sharp, completing 5-of-6 pass attempts for 78 yards before he took a hit that knocked him out of the game, thrusting Josh Dobbs into a spot start.

After Mullens relieved Josh Dobbs and led a game-winning scoring drive against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 14, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported on December 15 that the Vikings like Hall’s upside and could turn to him.

“The Vikings want to bring Hall along slowly, but they like his upside and poise,” Fowler wrote. “…If Mullens cools down, Hall will be ready.”

On a four-year, $4.1 million rookie deal, Hall is the only quarterback under contract beyond the 2024 season, and it would serve the Vikings to get a better look at him after almost a year in the system.

The final decision at quarterback will be vital with the Vikings holding a 19.2% chance of making the postseason, per ESPN’s Power Index, and virtually needing to win out to guarantee a playoff spot.

Kevin O’Connell will likely address the report in his Tuesday news conference with a decision likely to be made in the coming days.

Vikings’ Nick Mullens: ‘I Believe I’m a Very Good QB’

GettyNick Mullens #12 of the Minnesota Vikings.

The one certainty Mullens has shown throughout his career is that he is confident in himself — almost to a fault.

The sixth-year veteran has a gunslinger mentality and has shown in his past two starts that he believes he can fit the ball into some windows he should not be chasing. He generally knows where to throw the ball and has kept the offense productive after they stalled with Dobbs.

But his errors against the Lions were largely a misperception of his arm strength. He said on his final interception that he had the option of either leading Justin Jefferson or hitting him on the spot.

Mullens tried to rifle the ball to Jefferson on his spot, but the ball floated and wobbled through the air and into the arms of a Detroit safety.

If he remains the starter, he must take a good look in the mirror and understand

“I just have to take the next step. I believe I’m a very good quarterback, but what does it take to make the next step?” Mullens said in his postgame news conference, adding that ball placement was his prime struggle.