Minnesota Vikings rule out QB Jaren Hall, name Josh Dobbs starting QB

The Minnesota Vikings officially ruled out rookie quarterback Jaren Hall on Friday, which means Joshua Dobbs will start on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints. It will be Dobbs’ first start for the Vikings, though he came in early to Minnesota’s rescue last Sunday to lead them to victory against the Falcons.

Just days after joining the team via trade last week, Dobbs had his number called to not only play but also to run the offense. It resulted in a 158-yard, three-touchdown performance that was nothing short of legendary. He came into the game due to an injury to Hall, which the rookie is still dealing with this week.

Dobbs began his career with the Steelers after they drafted him with a fourth-round pick in 2017. He didn’t end up appearing in a game until the next season, and even then, played very sparingly. The former Vol hadn’t participated in a full practice for Minnesota or even taken snaps from the starting center after his trade from Tennessee. That didn’t stop him from going 20-for-30 and setting a new NFL record.

Prior to his exit due to injury, Hall, in for injured QB Kirk Cousins, had five completions on six pass attempts for 78 yards, along with two carries for 11 yards.

On top of Hall being out, the Vikings also announced that Brian Asamoah II, T.J. Hockenson, Justin Jefferson, K.J. Osborn and Chris Reed are all questionable for Sunday’s game against the Saints.

Justin Jefferson questionable for Sunday

Though the Minnesota Vikings have officially designated wide receiver Justin Jefferson for return from injured reserve, according to the star, he won’t play until he’s 100% healthy. One of the league’s best receivers hasn’t played since he injured his hamstring in Week 5, which resulted in a move to Injured Reserve.

“Vikings’ WR Justin Jefferson — who has missed the past four games due to a hamstring injury — said he can’t yet put a date on when he might return,” NFL insider Adam Schefter shared on Thursday. “He said he wants to be 100 percent before he returns, but also still calls himself day to day.”

The Vikings play host to the Saints this Sunday. However, it doesn’t sound like Jefferson will see action in that game.

In an unexpected twist, Minnesota has won four games in a row after losing Jefferson. Plus, the Vikings lost quarterback Kirk Cousins for the season when he tore his Achilles against the Packers. Minnesota traded for Josh Dobbs on Halloween. Despite no prior work with the offense, Dobbs managed to lead the Vikings to a win over the Falcons on Sunday.

In 2022, Jefferson, the former LSU star had a career-high 1,809 receiving yards with eight touchdowns on 128 catches. So far this season, he has 36 catches, 571 yards and three touchdowns.