Vikings plan to start quarterback Joshua Dobbs against the Saints

After leading the winning comeback in Atlanta, Vikings quarterback Joshua Dobbs will start Sunday's game against the Saints at U.S. Bank Stadium, head coach Kevin O'Connell said Monday.

Rookie quarterback Jaren Hall, who started Sunday's game before he was injured in the first quarter, is in the concussion protocol. The team remains uncertain whether veteran backup quarterback Nick Mullens will be physically able to practice this week when he's first eligible to return from injured reserve due to a lower back strain.

Dobbs, who led five scoring drives just five days after being acquired from Arizona, will start for a third different NFL team in the past calendar year — joining Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield as the only players to do so since 1950, according to the NFL. Dobbs, 28, made his first NFL start last December for the Titans and started eight games for the Cardinals this season.

"Coming off Josh's performance," O'Connell said, "we'll go into it making sure we get Josh all the [practice] reps to start the football game."

The Vikings could elevate 31-year-old quarterback Sean Mannion from the practice squad to be Dobbs' backup if Hall isn't cleared by kickoff. They're not looking to acquire any more quarterbacks, O'Connell said, "unless that quarterback could be me."

"Thought what he did was remarkable," O'Connell said of Dobbs, "but there's a lot of things that we'll coach him through and get him a little bit more comfortable in what we do."

Receiver K.J. Osborn, who was injured by a penalized hit in the second quarter, also remains in the concussion protocol. O'Connell added he's optimistic left tackle Christian Darrisaw (groin) and linebacker Brian Asamoah II (ankle) return this Sunday after missing the Falcons game. O'Connell expected them to be limited in practice this week, along with tight end T.J. Hockenson, who is battling through a rib injury.

Receiver Justin Jefferson could practice Wednesday, O'Connell said, when he's first eligible to return from injured reserve after missing the minimum four games because of a hamstring strain suffered Oct. 8 against the Chiefs. Jefferson had 36 catches for 571 yards and three touchdowns in five games.

"We're working through that," O'Connell said. "Justin has done a phenomenal job in his rehab. He's still been a part of meetings; mentally, he's in it. ... It's possible we will open up his window on Wednesday, but we're going to do what's best for Justin and make sure we're doing everything responsibly to make sure when Justin does return, he can be the Justin Jefferson we all know and expect to see out there."

Running back Cam Akers ruptured his left Achilles tendon on Sunday, the team confirmed through an MRI on Monday. Akers, who had 49 touches for 208 yards in six games for the Vikings since being acquired from the Rams, tore his right Achilles tendon in 2021 and returned in less than six months.

"Cam is pretty bummed out," O'Connell said, "He's exceeded all of my expectations. ... Something he's been through before, and he came back remarkably fast from that. As I told him, that's how he should go about attacking this one the same exact way, and I know he'll do that."

O'Connell needs to find a new emergency quarterback after Akers, who the coach said "had done a lot of that stuff before," was the designated option in Atlanta behind Hall and Dobbs. "Maybe they would let me steal some pads and a helmet and sneak out there," said O'Connell, a former San Diego State quarterback.

With Hall in the concussion protocol, the Vikings could be down to two healthy quarterbacks Sunday.

"I don't know if they'd put me in that situation," running back Alexander Mattison said. "In college, there were some wildcat packages, but I'm not sure who is our emergency quarterback."

He suggested Jefferson when he comes back. "He has an arm on him," Mattison said.

Tackle David Quessenberry said he was feeling a "good sore" after playing all 75 snaps against the Falcons while replacing Darrisaw, who was sidelined by a groin injury. It was the most Quessenberry, 33, has played since December 2021.

A viral video showed Quessenberry and other Vikings linemen gathered around center Garrett Bradbury as he hiked to Dobbs for the first time on the sideline.

"Every quarterback's cadence is a little bit different," Quessenberry said. "We hadn't really heard it. He hadn't taken any reps in practice, so we got to hear the cadence before we go out and do it live, you know? It was kind of trial by fire."