5 bold Minnesota Vikings predictions for Week 17 vs. the Green Bay Packers
By Chris Schad
Bold Vikings Prediction No. 1
Jaren Hall will seize the Vikings backup QB job for 2024
Jaren Hall will be the latest quarterback to get a shot at replacing Kirk Cousins as the Vikings have turned to the rookie after Josh Dobbs and Nick Mullens couldn’t stop turning the ball over.
Many are high on the BYU product based on his first career start in Week 9, where he led a scoring drive before suffering a concussion in a win over the Atlanta Falcons. But it’s important to curb expectations coming into Sunday’s game.
Hall is an interesting prospect after throwing for 51 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in his final two college seasons with the Cougars. With ample mobility and a decent arm, Hall can make a lot of the throws that Kevin O’Connell requires in his offense, but he was never expected to become the quarterback of the future.
The real expectation for Hall should be to throw the ball where it’s supposed to go, and that could be a challenge. After completing just 65 percent of his passes in his collegiate career, Hall looked flustered during the preseason.
The Vikings dumped plenty of resources into preparing him for his first start against the Falcons, but it’ll be interesting to see what will happen when Hall gets more on-field reps against the Packers on Sunday.
Green Bay’s defense is ripe for the picking after rookie quarterback Bryce Young recorded his first 300-yard passing game and a pair of touchdowns in the Packers' 33-30 win over the Carolina Panthers last week, but that could be enough for Hall to look like a functional quarterback.
That could at least have him in the running to be Minnesota's backup quarterback for 2024 with a shot of being a bridge quarterback next season.