Why Vikings will roll with Josh Dobbs as backup quarterback vs. Lions over Jaren Hall

After naming veteran quarterback Nick Mullens the starter this week, head coach Kevin O’Connell confirmed that journeyman Josh Dobbs will serve as the backup when the Vikings play the Detroit Lions on Sunday afternoon at Ford Field.

“I think Josh has kind of been able to go about this week in a process of getting a little bit more reps here and there,” O’Connell said. “Just spending a little bit of time with (quarterbacks coach) Chris (O’Hara) and (assistant quarterbacks coach) Grant (Udinski), making sure he’s dialed in and ready to go.”

It’s the first time Dobbs will be active for a game since being benched last month. As for rookie quarterback Jaren Hall, he will be inactive and only able to enter the game for emergency purposes if both Mullens and Dobbs go down with injuries.

Asked about the decision, O’Connell insinuated that it had less to do with Dobbs and his continued progression in the offense and more to do with Hall and his continued development within the system. Essentially, Dobbs is more equipped to play in a game if need be, whereas Hall is still learning the intricacies of the position.

“I didn’t think it was fair to Jaren to possibly have him in a situation where, unless he’s injured, he can’t come out of the game,” O’Connell said. “There’s still a ton of confidence in where he’s at. I love the way he’s attacked this week regardless of where he was at on the depth chart. I think for any good young player with a bright future that’s the hope.”

It seems as if O’Connell has gone out of his way to voice his support of Hall after the Vikings suffered an embarrassing 33-10 loss to the Green Bay Packers on New Year’s Eve. There’s no doubt that Hall was overwhelmed route to getting benched at halftime. He admitted after the game that he would have benched himself based on the way he was playing.

Though the performance left something to be desired in real time, O’Connell highlighted some of the things Hall did well after struggling in the early stages. There was the 13-yard completion to star receiver Justin Jefferson, for example, followed by the 20-yard completion to rookie receiver Jordan Addison.

“He was able to respond in a way that at least gave him an opportunity to go back in there and have some success,” O’Connell said. “That is a real positive.”

As he reflected on the past month in which Mullens, Dobbs and Hall have all been benched, O’Connell praised them for taking everything in stride. This hasn’t been an easy task since franchise quarterback Kirk Cousins went down in Week 8. It’s taken a collective effort from Mullens, Dobbs and Hall to get to the finish line.

“There is a reason why all those guys are here,” O’Connell said. “There is a reason why each of them have been given opportunities and done some good things.”