Needing a strong performance Saturday in order to earn a spot on the Minnesota Vikings ' final 53-man roster, Jaren Hall was nearly flawless.
The former BYU quarterback started for Minnesota in the team's final preseason outing and led five total scoring drives, finishing 17 of 25 in passing with 189 yards and two touchdowns on the road against the Philadelphia Eagles .
In three preseason games, Hall completed 28 of 46 passes for 339 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions.
Hall's solid August showing could not have come at a better time. With Sam Darnold set to start for the Vikings and Nick Mullens listed as his backup, the 2023 fifth-round pick has more than made his case to remain on Minnesota's roster as a third quarterback.
He had previously been considered a possible practice squad candidate should he have been cut, but given his impressive game film, another QB-needy team would have likely scooped Hall up quickly.
The Vikings drafted J.J. McCarthy with the No. 10 overall pick this past April to be the franchise's quarterback of the future, only for McCarthy to miss the entire 2024 campaign due to a torn meniscus. While Hall's future in Minnesota appeared to be in danger upon McCarthy's drafting, the surprising injury opened the door for him to survive for at least another season.
All NFL teams will need to have their final rosters finalized by 2 p.m. MDT this Tuesday. The Vikings are set to open the regular season on the road against the New York Giants on Sept. 8.
