O'Connell says Jaren Hall, Matt Corral will split QB reps in preseason finale

We won't see Sam Darnold or Nick Mullens play in Philadelphia on Saturday.

Aug 17, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Jaren Hall (16) throws the ball against the Cleveland Browns during the fourth quarter at Cleveland Browns Stadium. / Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

Vikings third-string quarterback Jaren Hall will start Saturday's preseason finale in Philadelphia, head coach Kevin O'Connell announced on Thursday. At some point, newcomer Matt Corral — who would love to take Hall's QB3 job — will enter the game and finish it out.

That means we won't see starter Sam Darnold, who got just one series in the preseason opener, or backup Nick Mullens, who played for most of last weekend's game.

Hall, a fifth-round pick out of BYU last year, struggled in the first game earlier this month, going 7 of 16 for 63 yards. He had three passes batted down at the line of scrimmage in that contest, but he did have a few key completions to set the Vikings up for a game-winning field goal as time expired. Hall then bounced back last week in Cleveland, completing 4 of his 5 attempts for 87 yards and two touchdowns. His throw to Jeshaun Jones for a long TD was particularly impressive.

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This weekend's game will be one last big opportunity for Hall to prove to the coaching staff that he should keep his role as the team's No. 3 quarterback. If he does that, the Vikings could keep him on the 53-man roster outright or waive him and put him on the practice squad. The latter option opens up the possibility of losing him to another team.

This is also a huge opportunity for Corral, who was signed when J.J. McCarthy landed on injured reserve. The former Panthers third-round pick was most recently with the Birmingham Stallions of the UFL this spring. If Hall struggles and Corral impresses in this game, the Vikings could have a decision to make on who to use as their QB3 this year.

Kickoff in Philadelphia is at 12 p.m. CT on Saturday. As usual, the game will be broadcast on FOX 9 in the Twin Cities.