The Minnesota Vikings are experiencing uncertainty! Their 10th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, JJ McCarthy, looked good during the preseason opener against the Las Vegas Raiders. But things went downhill three days later. He suffered a meniscus tear in his right knee. Though many assumed the QB would make a comeback soon, tests revealed a major setback. He had torn the cartilage completely and surgery will be needed. But the worst part doesn’t end here!
Jaren Hall, who is slated to be the No. 3 quarterback, is injured too! The Vikings won 26-3, their preseason finale over the Philadelphia Eagles, but in the third quarter, Hall took a tough fall. It was the third-and-goal with 11:34 remaining and as the player stepped back to pass, he was forced to scramble on the outside. He threw an incomplete pass, but as the ball left his hand, he took a big hit and was slow to get back up.
Hall made 17-of-25 passes for 189 yards with 2 touchdowns in the game before getting injured. While O’Connell didn’t mention the severity of the injury, The Athletics’ Alec Lewis was of the opinion that it wasn’t too serious.
#Vikings QB Jaren Hall suffered a leg injury according to @Alec_Lewis via @AlecLewisShow.
It was originally mentioned by HC Kevin O’Connell while on the broadcast with @FOX9.
Lewis noted the severity of the injury is unknown but could play a factor in roster cuts on Tues. pic.twitter.com/0E0ZRq4IdW
— The Purple Persuasion (@TPPSkol) August 25, 2024
On his podcast The Alec Lewis Show, Lewis said, “He got injured a little bit. It was a leg injury… I don’t know how serious that is just given we’re recording this pretty quickly after the game, but we’ll see there.”
But he also called it a blow to team confidence. Hall’s performances in the last two preseason games almost guaranteed him a spot in the final roster. The unexpected injury has stalled their plans. The team will have to rethink their strategies. Let’s see what options they have.
After injuries to JJ McCarthy & Jaren Hall, the Vikings have three QBs left!
The recent injuries have forced the team to look at their quarterback room. O’Connell has three QBs to choose from: Matt Corral, Sam Darnold, and Nick Mullens.
Nick Mullens has been with the team for the last two seasons. But he doesn’t inspire much confidence in the coaching staff. With only 20 games under his belt in 7 seasons, he doesn’t have enough game experience which the Vikings need.
But after JJ McCarthy was put on the injured reserve list, they signed Matt Corral. He was with the Carolina Panthers in 2022 and the New England Patriots in 2023, but hasn’t played a single NFL game till now. Tough times indeed!
Next, the Vikings also have Sam Darnold who will be playing in his seventh NFL season this year. Known as a dual-threat QB, he hasn’t won enough. In his six previous seasons, his win-loss record is 21-35. But with no other QB present, the team might be looking to go ahead with him. There’s no other choice, as he is their most experienced signal caller.
But let us not forget that the HC also mentioned they were considering Matt Corral. With the season only days away, they have to work out their strategy pretty soon and make quick changes. At the same time, people are waiting for further news about Hall’s injury. They are hoping the team can find the right players. What do you think?
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Debate
Can the Vikings survive another QB injury, or is this season a lost cause?