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The Minnesota Vikings added competition to their quarterbacks’ room on Monday. They gave up a conditional 2024 seventh-round pick to acquire Nick Mullens, the one-time Philadelphia Eagles backup. That experiment was a bit complicated.
Mullens was signed by the Eagles as an unrestricted free agent at the end of spring practices in 2021. He was supposed to come in and compete with Joe Flacco for the No. 2 job. However, the 27-year-old quarterback struggled mightily in training camp and in the preseason. Philadephia wound up trading for Gardner Minshew and releasing Mullens.
Part of the problem likely had to do with the former Southern Miss standout coming off elbow surgery, an injury that ended his 2020 season with the San Francisco 49ers. Mullens eventually landed in Cleveland where he started one game for the Browns.
“I’m working hard and feeling good. The elbow is fine and I feel like I know what I’m doing in the offense,” Mullens told Dave Spadaro last July. “I’m here to come out to practice, get my reps, and make the most of each and every one of them and then, hey, we will see what happens.”
Mullens has good numbers over his four-year NFL career: 4,861 passing yards with 26 touchdowns in 20 appearances. He had thrown for the second-most passing yards over his first 16 starts heading into the 2021 campaign.
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Minshew Flashes vs. Browns in Preseason Game
Minshew started the second preseason game on Sunday against Cleveland and ran the offense smoothly. He finished 14-of-17 for 142 yards with no passing touchdowns, although his first two drives resulted in rushing scores.
He was efficient and steady, save for one errant throw that nearly resulted in a 99-yard pick-six. It was definitely a ball he wanted back even though the Browns defender dropped it.
“That was a look that they actually gave us in practice a couple of days ago,” Minshew told reporters, “and the corner went out and this time they adjusted. So that was a really good ball by them. That’s a mistake I don’t plan on making twice.”
Minshew still believes he can start in the NFL. Remember, the 26-year-old went into Nick Sirianni’s office last year to lobby for the job. He’s not stealing it away from Jalen Hurts. No chance. And that’s fine. Minshew has all the respect in the world for Hurts.
“Jalen keeps getting better, man,” Minshew said. “It’s been awesome just seeing how he leads guys, how he connects with people, and I’m very excited to see what we can be as an offense with him, especially if he keeps getting better.”
Giants Lose Pass Rusher for 3-4 Weeks
The New York Giants are going to be without pass rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux for three to four weeks, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. That’s good news considering how gruesome the injury looked on first glance. The fifth overall pick from the 2022 draft hurt his knee, but “his ACL and meniscus were intact.” Thibodeaux is expected to be ready for Week 1.
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