Vikings sign QB Brett Rypien, waive Jaren Hall

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 (2019-22), 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.

The team’s reasoning for moving on from Hall, a fifth-round draft pick last season who started two games in the chaotic aftermath of starter Kirk Cousins’ torn Achilles tendon, was not immediately clear. Hall suffered a leg contusion in Saturday’s preseason finale against the Philadelphia Eagles, but he was not waived with an injury designation.

General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is scheduled to speak to local reporters later Thursday.

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.”