EAGAN, Minn. -- The Minnesota Vikings pulled a mild surprise Thursday by signing veteran backup quarterback Brett Rypien and waiving Jaren Hall, their No. 3 quarterback last season, who had seemingly cemented a job with a strong preseason performance.
Rypien, 28, was released earlier this week by the Chicago Bears. He spent the first four seasons of his career with the Denver Broncos (2019-2022), starting three games, before moving to the Los Angeles Rams in 2023. Rams coach Sean McVay and Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell are close friends and share a similar offensive system.
The Vikings remain on track to start Sam Darnold in Week 1 against the New York Giants, with fellow veteran Nick Mullens serving as his backup. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said the team will try to re-sign Hall to its practice squad but was concerned about him being "one snap away, or one snap from one snap away" at this point in his development.
Hall, a fifth-round draft pick in 2023, started two games in the chaotic aftermath of Kirk Cousins' torn Achilles tendon but did not finish either game.
Coach Kevin O'Connell said "I fully believe in Jaren Hall's future" but added that Rypien represented a better "short-term" option.
"That move was really indicative of knowing what we went through last year," O'Connell said.
The Vikings were rocked earlier this month by a season-ending injury to rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who had surged in training camp and seemed on track to be the starter at some point during the season. They signed quarterback Matt Corral to maintain four quarterbacks on the roster but waived him earlier this week.
Speaking to reporters in March, Vikings owner and president Mark Wilf made clear that he did not accept injuries, especially the one to Cousins, as an excuse for the team's 7-10 record.
"That's part of the game," Wilf said at the time. "That's something you have to be prepared for, and I think [Adofo-Mensah and O'Connell] will be the first to tell you they take that on themselves."