Vikings opt for experience at QB3, sign Brett Rypien to replace Jaren Hall

Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said Thursday’s decision to release Jaren Hall in favor of Brett Rypien can work to the team’s benefit at quarterback immediately with the more experienced Rypien serving as QB3, and beyond this season if Hall clears waivers and can be re-signed to the practice squad on Friday.

“I fully believe in Jaren Hall’s future; we brought Jaren here for a long-term process,” O’Connell said of the 2023 fifth-round draft pick. “This move really was indicative of knowing what we went through last year [at quarterback], having the opportunity to have a couple of veteran guys behind Sam [Darnold].”

Rypien, 27, was undrafted out of Boise State in 2019. He played three seasons in Denver while Vikings running backs coach Curtis Modkins and offensive line coach Chris Kuper were on the staff. He played in eight games, starting three and going 2-1.

Rypien was with the Rams, Seahawks and Jets last year. He played in two games with the Rams, going 0-1 as a starter. He spent this preseason in Chicago, completing 70.6% of his passes (24 of 34) for 335 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.

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“Brett has some exposures to different variations of our system that will give him a fast-track timeline,” O’Connell said. “Add that to 10 [games] in this system, or a few of them in this system, and knowing what type of preseason he had, it gives us a little more of a short-term foundational plan [for the season opener] a week from Sunday compared to what might be in Jaren Hall’s interest and what’s best for his career.”

O’Connell said he anticipates Nick Mullens serving as Darnold’s backup in the season opener against the Giants. He added that the role could become a competition between Mullens and Rypien as the coaching staff has more time to evaluate Rypien.

Hall completed 28 of 46 preseason passes (60.9%) for 339 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions this preseason. He had a perfect passer rating in the victory at Cleveland and finished 17 of 25 for 189 yards and two touchdowns in the victory at Philadelphia.

O’Connell said the Vikings probably did Hall’s career a disservice when injuries forced him to play last season. He suffered a concussion while trying to scramble for a touchdown early in his first start in Atlanta. When he returned to the lineup on New Year’s Eve against Green Bay, he completed 5 of 10 passes for 67 yards and an interception before being benched at halftime.

O’Connell explained the roster cut — running back/kick returner Kene Nwangwu — that puzzled the public most of all.

“Kene is a good football player,” O’Connell said.

But?

“That move was really about Myles Gaskin,” O’Connell said.

Gaskin also was cut, but as a six-year veteran, he didn’t have to clear waivers to be re-signed to the practice squad. The Vikings intend to use him as their third running back and possibly their kick returner, O’Connell said.

Why Gaskin?

“His versatility to really be a true third-down back, the work he put in that really changed his physical style as a player,” O’Connell said. “The quickness to the strength to some of the things that showed up in the non-return phase of the kicking game. We felt he had earned the opportunity.”

Gaskin played 39 games for the Dolphins and Rams before coming to Minnesota and playing two games last year. The 5-10 199-pounder showed improved pass protection in the final preseason game at Philadelphia.

Nwangwu, a former second-team All-Pro kick returner with three career return touchdowns, wasn’t used as a returner in the preseason, when the NFL’s new kickoff rules were implemented. Gaskin had a team-high three returns for 55 yards (18.3).

“We have some time before we decide who returns kicks,” O’Connell said. “We’ll have Myles and some other guys work in there.”

Nwangwu was claimed off waivers by the Saints but failed his physical.

Safety Lewis Cine, who cleared waivers after being released by the Vikings, isn’t going to the Jets, after all.

He changed his mind and is now going to Buffalo, where he’ll be reunited with Bills secondary coach Jahmile Addae, who coached Cine at Georgia. The Bills were looking for safety help after moving on from Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde.

The Vikings released running back DeWayne McBride and receiver Jeshaun Jones from their practice squad and signed offensive tackle Ricky Lee III and running back Zavier Scott. Lee signed as an undrafted free agent with the Panthers in 2023 and played six games on special teams. Scott was on the Colts’ practice squad last season after signing as an undrafted free agent out of UConn.

Staff writer Ben Goessling contributed reporting.

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