If you spin the Wheel of Quarterbacks, the most likely tile you’ll land on is Josh Dobbs, but there’s still a chance the wheel will stop on Nick Mullens or Jaren Hall.
The Vikings have yet to name the starting quarterback for Sunday’s return to action against the Las Vegas Raiders, though The Athletic‘s Dianna Russini reported Sunday that her “sense” is that Dobbs will remain the signal-caller. According to offensive coordinator Wes Phillips, the team will name this week’s starting quarterback on Wednesday.
“There were some discussions over the break. I know [head coach Kevin O’Connell] talked to you guys, he’s going to announce tomorrow. But there were discussions about really the whole offense in general, kind of where we’re at, what’s kind of been good for us, not so good and really try to play to our guys’ strengths as we go forward,” Phillips said Tuesday.
“Whether that’ll be the quarterback position or any other position, or scheme-wise as well, so trying to really lock in on some things we’ve done well and had some success with and that we can build on going forward.”
Regardless of who starts, the bye week gave the coaching staff a chance to better evaluate Dobbs, whose magic in his first two games with the Vikings disappeared in back-to-back losses to the Broncos and Bears.
“It gave us time to look at what he’s done here more closely and take a breath from game-planning for the next team and starting to look at, OK, what did he have success with, what are some things we could help him with and work on throughout yesterday’s practice and going forward this week?” Phillips explained.
“Just him getting accustomed to our offense and our system, he’s got more time. But we can kind of put a couple of those things together where we’re hopefully getting some things that are going to be good for him and vice-versa.”
Also regardless of who’s throwing passes, they’ll have Justin Jefferson at their disposal, which Phillips believes will be a game-changer after the reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year missed the last eight games with an injured hamstring.
“He’s the best receiver in the game, in my opinion. You lose a guy of that caliber, he really has shown up throughout his career, at all levels, short, intermediate, down the field. He’s a hard guy to get up and press. He’s a hard guy to play off of. There’s just really not a lot he can’t do out on the football field,” said Phillips. “It’s what makes him so unique, so special.”
“It makes it a lot easier for the [quarterback],” Phillips added.
