5 things that stood out in the Vikings’ victory over the Eagles in the last preseason game

The Vikings wrapped up their preseason 3-0 on Saturday afternoon with a road win over the Eagles. Jaren Hall led the Vikings to a 20-3 halftime lead, and they held on in the second half to win the final exhibition game of the year 26-3. Will Reichard converted all six of his kicks, including a 57-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter.

Here are five things that stood out.

The Vikings rested their two best quarterbacks in this game, which meant Hall got to start. The BYU sophomore suffered an early throw that resulted in an interception that was nullified by a defensive penalty, but he got into his groove after that. Hall scored a touchdown on the opening drive through Trishton Jackson, found a touchdown to rookie receiver Justin Hall in the second quarter, and made several big gains in the first half.

Hall finished his day completing 17 of 25 passes for 189 yards and two touchdowns, looking decisive and precise. He should have the starting quarterback job, but the question is whether the Vikings will add him to the 53-man roster or release him and try to sign him to the practice squad. After a performance like that, it’s not out of the question that another team could have interest in Hall if he is released by Minnesota.

Matt Corral played most of the second half, completing just 4 of 6 for 13 yards with two sacks.

The Vikings rested their top four wide receivers – Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Jalen Nailor and Brandon Powell – in this game and still put together some strong performances at the position. Jackson has caught a touchdown pass in all three preseason games this month, which should help him cement his spot on the 53-man roster. Veteran Trent Sherfield, who caught a touchdown in the opening game, also deserves a spot because he’s good as both a pass catcher and a run blocker.

Outside of the top six, Lucky Jackson was impressive in this game, catching four passes for 53 yards, one of which was a spectacular catch that he pinned to a defender’s helmet. Lucky and rookie Jeshaun Jones are among those who have a good chance of remaining on the practice squad.

Speaking of depth, it’s a testament to the strength of the Vikings’ running back room that Myles Gaskin is their fourth running back behind Aaron Jones, Ty Chandler and Kene Nwangwu. The 27-year-old had over 1,800 yards from scrimmage and 12 touchdowns as the Dolphins’ star back between 2020 and 2021. In this game, Gaskin had 67 yards on 15 touches, including a nice 20-yard run. He’ll likely be released on Tuesday and could explore his options elsewhere, but the Vikings would like to keep him on the practice squad for depth.

The Vikings won the battle of possession over the Eagles 3-0. DT Jalen Redmond, formerly of the UFL’s Arlington Renegades, stripped the ball from a Philadelphia running back in the first quarter, leading to a forced fumble and subsequent recovery. He is coming off a solid preseason and could be eligible for the practice squad. On the first play of the second half, sophomore edge rusher Andre Carter II beat his opponent and recorded a strip sack that was recovered by James Lynch. That was one of two sacks for Carter in the game. And finally, sophomore DB Jay Ward had an interception in the fourth quarter on a dropped pass that deflected into the air.

Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell was interviewed from the sidelines throughout the third quarter. His appearance with commentators Paul Allen, Pete Bercich and Ben Leber was perhaps the highlight of the game. O’Connell walked viewers through the plays, gave his immediate reactions and even went over how to successfully challenge a call. It was highly entertaining television that livened up a preseason game.

Next up for the Vikings are roster cuts on Tuesday and their regular season opener against the Giants on September 8.