Nov 30, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones (10) warms up before the game against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images
The Minnesota Vikings have all but confirmed they will add another quarterback this offseason, probably via trade or free agency. And based on the landscape of possibly available signal-callers, San Francisco 49ers QB2 Mac Jones might move the needle. Wouldn’t you know it? He sure sounded like a guy this week who would welcome a trade.
The fit runs through Shanahan roots, a more straightforward path to snaps, and the Vikings’ need for an absolute contingency behind J.J. McCarthy.
Jones spoke to NFL.com, explaining his desire to start again, which won’t happen in San Francisco unless Brock Purdy gets injured.
Advertisement
Jones-to-Vikings Has Real Logic
Jones chatter in the purple rumor mill won’t die anytime soon.
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones completes pregame throws at Lucas Oil Stadium as preparations unfold in Indianapolis, with December 22, 2025 sitting at the center of a late-season matchup against the Colts. The controlled warmup captures Jones’ mechanics and timing under dome conditions while coaches and evaluators observe routine reps before kickoff nearby. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn
Jones on His Plans to Start Again
Reporters asked Jones this week if he’d like to start elsewhere, and he replied, “Honestly, it’s a business. You know how this goes. I’ve proven I can be a starter. I’ve proven I can be a starter in multiple different spots. I have 50-plus starts or whatever.”
“I know how to do it, but it’s also a business. I understand both sides of it. If you’re a quarterback that’s a free agent or could get traded or whatever your situation is, you want to go somewhere that fits and makes sense. At the end of the day, that’s what I want in San Francisco. We’ll see what happens. It’s good to be talked about.”
Advertisement
He also said about the 2025 campaign, “Getting back to having fun and being around a group of guys that I really mesh well with, coaches and players. I felt like it was very laid back, but we put in a lot of work in OTAs.”
“Just for them to take me under their wing and for me to learn from all the Hall of Fame players we have, it was awesome. Kyle has been great for me. We’re really on the same … I call it ‘wi-fi.’ We’re just a really good match.”
That sounds like a man who wouldn’t mind a trade and starting gig in 2026.
Just an Insurance Policy in SF
Advertisement
Why does Jones want to eventually wiggle out of San Francisco? Simple — he can’t start there. The 49ers pay Brock Purdy the megabucks, and unless Purdy gets hurt again, Jones is merely an insurance policy.
Elsewhere, with the Vikings, New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals, or Pittsburgh Steelers, Jones could be the top guy.
It’s all a matter of San Francisco’s willingness to trade him this offseason. General manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan said a couple of weeks ago that they have no desire to offload Jones. Some have reasoned that 1st- or 2nd-Round draft pick might change their minds.
The Numbers in 2025
Advertisement
The case for Jones to Minnesota — or anywhere — is really straightforward. He started eight games in 2025, with the 49ers finishing 5-3 on his watch. If one scales his eight-game performance to a full 17 games, the numbers look like this:
4,570 Passing Yards
28 Passing TDs
13 INTs
69.6% Completion
That’s close to 2024 Darnold output, and Minnesota finished 14-3 that year.
There’s no reason to believe that Jones would arrive in Minnesota and suddenly struggle.
New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones delivers a first-quarter throw at Gillette Stadium during an early-season test against Dallas, with October 17, 2021 positioned mid-paragraph as the moment unfolds in Foxborough. The in-game snapshot reflects pocket rhythm and decision-making as the Patriots traded scores with the Cowboys before halftime under steady pressure throughout Sunday. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
SI.com‘s Jose Sanchez compiled a list of Jones’s trade spots this week and noted on the Vikings, “Last, but not least, is the most obvious team — the Vikings. It was recently reported that they have Jones on their radar, which makes sense.”
“They are the most playoff-ready team on this list and can offer the 49ers a great deal. Justin Jefferson is what fans would love to hear, but that won’t happen. It’s more likely for the 49ers to get a pick and Jordan Addison from the Vikings. Minnesota gets its quarterback, while the 49ers add draft capital and needed speed at receiver with Addison.”
The Next Darnold/Mayfield?
Advertisement
Baker Mayfield turned his career all the way around in Tampa Bay. So did Sam Darnold in 2024 and 2025. Jones could be next.
He also opined on Darnold, who will play in the Super Bowl on Sunday: “I get asked that a lot. Everyone’s journey is so different. I feel like I’ve watched him in interviews, and he does say that learning from Kyle and Brock really changed his career. I see why now.”
“I’ve learned so much this year. I know Sam probably felt the same way (in his one year in San Francisco). You can see it on the tape, there’s a lot of crossover.”
Carolina Panthers quarterbacks Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield jog onto the field at FedExField during pregame routines, with August 13, 2022 embedded mid-paragraph before a matchup against Washington in Landover. The shared warmup moment captures a transitional quarterback room as roles and responsibilities were evaluated ahead of kickoff by coaches and staff members together. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
If anyone replicates the Mayfield-Darnold path as early as 2026, it will probably be Jones. He already showed his ability to produce at an impressive level in the right system.
Feb 23, 2014; Sochi, RUSSIA; Canada forward Sidney Crosby (87) prepares for the face-off against Sweden in the men’s ice hockey gold medal game during the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games at Bolshoy Ice Dome. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images
MILAN, Italy — Sidney Crosby waited 12 years to be back at the Olympics but the Canada captain said on Sunday that he sometimes felt as though no time had passed, as he stepped onto the ice at the Milan Cortina Games for the first time.
Future Hall of Famer Crosby is in the minority as a returning Olympian in Milan Cortina, where the NHL is allowing its players to compete in the Games for the first time since 2014, casting a massive spotlight on the men’s tournament.
“There’s some days that it feels like 12 (years) and other days it feels like yesterday,” said Crosby, the architect of Canada’s “golden goal” in 2010, who also helped the team to the top of the podium in 2014.
“There’s been a lot of anticipation ever since we found out we were going back to the Olympics. … So it’s just great to be with the guys, get out there and get to work.”
Advertisement
Crosby and his teammates hopped off the plane and just hours later onto the ice for their first practice at Santagiulia Arena on Sunday, swamped by reporters with little time to waste ahead of Wednesday’s tournament kickoff.
Led by the Pittsburgh Penguins center Crosby, the Canadian team are favored after beating rivals United States in the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament last year.
Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, another marquee name on the Canadians’ wildly accomplished roster, praised Crosby’s leadership as he prepared for a “surreal” Olympic debut.
“He’s been here and done that and played in the biggest moments and succeeded,” McDavid told reporters. “Just a calming presence … a guy that doesn’t get too high or too low.”
Advertisement
Canada begins its Olympic campaign with a Group A game against Czech Republic on Thursday.
The Seattle Seahawks produced a devastating defensive display to beat the New England Patriots and claim their second Super Bowl victory.
Two of the NFL’s strongest defences battled it out in Sunday’s showpiece and the Seahawks emphatically came out on top to win 29-13 at Levi’s Stadium.
It was a defensive performance for the ages and Briton Aden Durde played a pivotal role, becoming the first overseas coach to win America’s biggest game.
Seattle’s 46-year-old defensive coordinator has helped create the most-feared defence in the NFL, which has become known as ‘the Dark Side’, and they showed why on American football’s biggest stage in Santa Clara, California.
Advertisement
New England’s second-year quarterback Drake Maye narrowly missed out on this season’s Most Valuable Player award but was stifled by the Seahawks, who claimed six sacks, forced three turnovers and claimed a defensive touchdown.
After Seattle led 9-0 at half-time, Maye’s first turnover resulted in the game’s opening touchdown for tight end AJ Barner early in the fourth quarter.
Linebacker Uchenna Nwosu then returned an interception for a 45-yard touchdown, while Jason Meyers kicked a record five field goals.
A Davis Cup tie between Columbia and Morocco recently witnessed some shocking scenes, as Colombian player Nicolas Mejia pulled out a controversial ‘shut-up’ celebration. The Moroccan audience was unimpressed by Mejia’s gestures and threw bottles on the court in retaliation.
On Sunday, February 8, Mejia took to court at the Union Sportive Marocaine Tennis Club in Casablanca against home player Reda Bennani. The match got off to an impressive start for the Colombian as he clinched an easy win in the opening set. While Bennani rallied in the second set, in the end it was Mejia who took the win 6-1, 4-6, 6-2. After his victory, the 25-year-old celebrated by shushing the crowd but the audience was quick to return fire, throwing bottles at the Columbian team.
Advertisement
Thanks for the submission!
Watch a video of the moment below:
Advertisement
The Davis Cup tie between Columbia and Morocco began on a strong note for the latter, with Rena Bennani beating Adria Soriano Barrera. However, things went downhill for Morocco from there, with Columbia clinching the next three matches to win the tie.
Nicolas Mejia defends himself after causing Davis Cup controversy between Colombia and Morocco
Mejia at the 2023 Davis Cup (Image Source: Getty)
Nicolas Mejia’s celebration at the Davis Cup caused a fair amount of controversy, but the Columbian tennis star has defended himself against allegations of disrespect. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the World No.177 stated that the Moroccan crowd had threatened him and his family while maintaining ‘zero fair play’, writing,
“You don’t know what happened. All the time people threaten me and my family. Moroccan team on my face and trying to make people scream at me more every point. Zero fair play. Better get your facts before talking what you don’t know.”
In a separate post, Mejia agreed that his celebration hadn’t been the best, but maintained that his gestures were solely in response to insults he had been receiving, explaining,
“My celebration probably wasn’t the best, but I’d been putting up with insults against me and my family the whole match from the crowd, and insults from the opposing team and captain. I let it out, and that’s it. But I didn’t insult anyone.”
Nicolas Mejia is one of Colombia’s leading tennis players at the moment. Outside of the Davis Cup, the 25-year-old, who turned pro in 2019, makes regular appearances in ATP Challenger events and has achieved a career-high ranking of World No.168 earlier this year.
City went into that game wanting to reply to Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Sunderland on Saturday afternoon. But they had champions Liverpool and Anfield standing in their way.
Advertisement
After a pretty uneventful first half, the game burst into life upon the restart. City found themselves a goal down after Dominik Szoboszlai’s strike in the 74th minute.
But they turned it all around in the final six minutes plus stoppage-time with Bernardo Silva finding the net, and Erling Haaland making no mistake from the spot. There was, however, time for more drama.
City thought that they had made it 3-1 with a late goal, only for VAR to rule out that goal. It was determined that Haaland had fouled Szoboszlai as the ball was making its way into the net.
The Liverpool man was, however, shown a straight red for a pull on Haaland when he was through on goal.
Advertisement
The win for City moves them to within six points of Arsenal. It means that the next few weeks could be crucial in the title race. Here’s a look at what awaits for the current top-three;
Arsenal (1st place, 56 points)
vs Brentford (A) – Thursday, February 12 (8pm)
vs Wigan (H) – Sunday, February 15 (4.30pm) – FA Cup
The verdict: The standout fixture here is the North London Derby against Tottenham at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. It’s followed by another difficult clash against a resurgent Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium.
Advertisement
Man City (2nd place, 50 points)
vs Fulham (A) – Wednesday, February 11 (7.30pm)
vs Salford City (H) – Saturday, February 14 (3pm) – FA Cup
vs Newcastle (H) – Saturday, February 21 (8pm)
vs Leeds (A) – Saturday, February 28 (5.30pm)
Advertisement
vs Nottingham Forest (H) – Wednesday, March 4 (7.30pm)
The verdict: On paper, at least, City probably have the easiest of runs, with games against teams in the bottom half of the table.
vs Newcastle (H) – Saturday, February 14 (5.45pm) – FA Cup
vs Leeds (H) – Saturday, February 21 (7.30pm)
vs Wolves (A) – Friday, February 27 (8pm)
vs Chelsea (H) – Wednesday, March 4 (7.30pm)
Advertisement
The verdict: Villa’s home form could be key over the next few weeks, with four of the five coming at Villa Park. They will have to make the most of that if they’re to close the gap.
Buy Carabao Cup Final VIP tickets
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Super Bowl Sunday is upon us and the proverbial “big game” has arrived! The Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots will kick off Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, California on Sunday, February 8 at 6:30 p.m. ET. The Seahawks are a 4.5-point favorite against the Patriots with a total installed at 45.5. The Seahawks moneyline odds are -225, while the Patriots are +188.
The Super Bowl brings plenty of fun times with a sizable portion of the American public (and many around the world) watching the game. Whether you’re a football fan or not, there’s a good chance you’ll be watching the game either at home or at a friend’s Super Bowl party. There will be great food and commercials, but also, plenty of prop bets.
Advertisement
This is the first game in four years not to feature the Kansas City Chiefs, and Seattle is coming into this with high expectations. We’ll be focused on if they finish the job or if the Patriots can spring the upset, but there will be plenty more to enjoy even if you aren’t a fan of either team. There is no shortage of bets to place on just about every possible outcome you can imagine at Levi’s Stadium. Advanced bettors may be the ones focused on the details, but plenty of folks just want to bet on the coin flip or the length of the National Anthem. There is something for everybody on Super Bowl Sunday.
Advertisement
FanDuel Sportsbook has put together a list of 12 prop bets with an either/or answer on its printable prop bet tracker. The tiebreaker is the final margin of victory for the winning team. You can view the printable prop sheet below, and below that I will be updating the results as they come in before, during, and after the game.
You can use this printable prop bet tracker as part of a contest at your Super Bowl party or just among you and your friends.
If you’ve found this article, odds are you probably know what a prop bet is (pun entirely intended there). But maybe you just stumbled across this here at sbnation.com and have no idea what I’m talking about. If that’s the case, you probably do know what it is, but the term itself is what’s confusing you. A prop bet is when you bet a specific event happening within the auspices of a larger event. There is some greater nuance to it, but we’ll stick with that for now.
You can bet on whether the Seahawks or Patriots will win or lose on Sunday, but you can bet on so many more things besides that. You can bet on Drake Maye total passing yards, or if Sam Darnold will throw an interception (or even a specific number of interceptions), or if Kenneth Walker III will rush for more or less than a certain amount of yards.
We have the full printable prop bet scorecard above, and below we’ll be tracking results into the evening. Good luck and may the odds be ever in your favor!
Results
National Anthem (119.5 seconds): Over/Under Coin toss: Heads/Tails More turnovers: Seahawks/Patriots First team to score: Seahawks/Patriots Team leading at halftime: Seahawks/Patriots Bad Bunny total songs (11.5): Over/Under Will Cardi B wear a Stefon Diggs jersey: Yes/No Team to start 2nd half with the ball: Seahawks/Patriots Will both teams score in the 3rd quarter: Yes/No Total points scored be odd or even: Odd/Even Will winning coach have Gatorade or water poured on him: Gatorade/Water Will QB win SB MVP: Yes/No Final margin of victory: 16
As the Super Bowl entered the fourth quarter, things got a little bit more intense on the Levi’s Stadium field.
Stefon Diggs of the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks defensive back Josh Jobe grabbed each other’s facemasks early in the fourth quarter and had to be separated, but not before a punch was thrown.
The incident came shortly after the Seattle Seahawks made it a 19-0 game.
Seattle Seahawks cornerback Josh Jobe leaves the field at the end of the first half against the Los Angeles Rams in the 2026 NFC Championship Game at Lumen Field.(Kevin Ng/Imagn Images)
Jobe pushed Diggs to the turf out of bounds, and Diggs got in Jobe’s face to return some pleasantries.
Diggs then grabbed Jobe’s facemask before Jobe returned with an open hand to Diggs’ head area. Kayshon Boutte and Mack Hollins then had to take Diggs away from the situation.
Jobe then threw a left fist at Diggs.
Advertisement
Refs did not catch Jobe’s punch, so he stayed in the game.
Treveyon Henderson of the New England Patriots catches a pass against Josh Jobe of the Seattle Seahawks during the first quarter Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium on Feb. 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, California. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Perhaps the brouhaha lit a fire under the Pats, because Mack Hollins scored a touchdown shortly after to make it a 19-7 game.
For a long while, the game looked to be perhaps the first in Super Bowl history without a touchdown, but two were scored on back-to-back drives in a short time after slow offense through three quarters.
Advertisement
New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson (38) is tackled by Seattle Seahawks cornerback Josh Jobe (29) in the first half in Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium.(Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)
Agrarian Girl’s grit has been praised by Adrian Bott as her defining trait, earning her a potential entry into the Golden Slipper via a debut triumph in the Lonhro Plate at Randwick.
Jumping at $31 despite accounting for Hidrix, the Canonbury Stakes winner from last weekend in a trial, the filly set the tempo early before threatening to succumb to Spicy Miss ($3.70), who filled the minor placing.
Displaying resolve, she fought back emphatically to hit the line a half-length in front, leaving Savage Look ($61) 1-3/4 lengths adrift in third.
Bott revealed the stable held no doubts about her ability, viewing her trial efforts as part of an ongoing education process.
Advertisement
“Maybe she has looked a little bit under pressure in her trials, but she has still been learning and developing, and she responded in those and that’s exactly what she did today,” Bott said.
“She has been a very talented filly all the way through. We did feel we were throwing her a little bit in the deep end, we did have her nominated for Canberra yesterday as well.
In fairness, off her trials and the way she looked, she just looked too magnificent to pass up racing here for a bit of black type on her home track.”
The result qualifies Agrarian Girl for a pathway to the Golden Slipper (1200m), with Bott to decide on the next steps.
Advertisement
“I think we have to. Whether that’s through a Silver Slipper or we trial into a race like the Reisling (Stakes), she has certainly got to be in contention with that tenacity she showed today,” he said.
“I’m sure there is some really nice improvement to come.”
Jockey Winona Costin notched an early double on Agrarian Girl after landing the opener aboard Zenmaster for Craig Carmody, appreciating the stakes chance from Bott and Gai Waterhouse.
“I’ve always been able to get a fair few two-year-old winners for them so it’s good to get one in town for them,” Costin said.
Advertisement
Stablemate Lady Moscato, the $3.60 market leader, ran fourth after setting the pace wide.
Resuming from a debut second at the Gold Coast last month, Bott anticipates further progress.
“She was honest. She just got a little bit keen outside the lead,” he said.
“Maybe the time between races for her, she’s still got plenty of time to keep improving.”
Advertisement
Agrarian Girl’s Golden Slipper quote has contracted from $101 to $34. Bettors should review racing betting markets ahead of her anticipated campaign.
A busy and exciting round of matches took place in the Nigeria Premier Football League on Sunday, with several home teams recording important wins, while some visitors earned hard-fought draws.
Ikorodu City began the day in fine form with a 2-0 victory over Tornadoes. Joseph Arumala was the hero, scoring from the penalty spot in the 33rd minute before adding a second goal late in the game to seal the win.
Rangers and Abia Warriors played out a tight contest that ended goalless, while El Kanemi Warriors and Warri Wolves also shared points in a scoreless draw.
Advertisement
Kun Khalifat continued their strong home record with a 2-0 win against 3SC. James Ekebuike opened the scoring in the 24th minute, and Blessed Iyamu added another shortly after the break to make the points safe.
Kano Pillars also made home advantage count, defeating Remo Stars 1-0. Luis Dadong scored the only goal of the match in the 57th minute.
Plateau United claimed a late 1-0 win over Kwara United, with Sadiq Yusuf scoring the decisive goal in the 88th minute.
Advertisement
In Lafia, Nasarawa United and Bayelsa United played to a 1-1 draw. Victor John gave the hosts an early lead in the seventh minute, but Energy Otunuya equalised before halftime.
The most dramatic match of the day was in Bauchi, where Wikki Tourists and Katsina United played out a thrilling 3-3 draw. The game was disrupted by fan protests and was briefly stopped due to poor visibility. Katsina United also had Uche Collins sent off after receiving a second yellow card. The match is expected to resume from the 78th minute on Monday morning.
Sunday’s results showed how competitive the NPFL remains, with teams still battling hard for points as the season continues.
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland scored a late penalty as his team came from behind to beat Liverpool 2-1 at Anfield.
19:48, 08 Feb 2026Updated 20:05, 08 Feb 2026
Advertisement
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland told Liverpool goalscorer Dominik Szoboszlai that he didn’t want to talk to him moments before scoring the winner at Anfield. The Norwegian centre-forward had a quiet afternoon for the most part on Merseyside but with the scores level he was given the chance to win the game.
In the first minute of second half stoppage time, Matheus Nunes was brought down by Alisson to gift City a chance to win the game. Before the penalty could be taken, Nunes was receiving treatment and this gave Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister an opportunity to try and put the forward off.
Reflecting on that moment, the forward told Sky Sports: “He [Szoboszlai] started speaking with me, also Mac Allister, but I don’t remember [what he said] I was just focusing. I told him [Szoboszlai]: ‘This is the first time I don’t want to speak with you, so move away,’ but in the end I was nervous and then I am just happy that I scored.”
Haaland and Szoboszlai would then be at the centre of VAR controversy. With Alisson at the other end of the pitch as Liverpool pushed for an equaliser, City won the ball back and Rayan Cherki looked to have scored from his own half.
Both Haaland and Szoboszlai were chasing the ball as it trickled towards the goal. VAR intervened and ruled out the goal and the makeshift full-back was sent off for fouling Haaland.
Amidst that confusion, City managed to see out the game but Haaland admitted he felt sympathy for Szoboszlai, who he played alongside at RB Salzburg. “Of course the referee has to follow the rules but this will give him three games and in the end I feel bad for him because he gets three games [ban],” Haaland said.
Advertisement
Buy Carabao Cup Final VIP tickets
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
The Carabao Cup Final will see Arsenal v Manchester City at London’s Wembley Stadium this March.
“Just give the goal, don’t give a red card. Simple as that.”
Advertisement
Moments before that disallowed goal, Gianluigi Donnarumma produced a world class save to deny Mac Allister’s long range effort and Haaland reserved praise for the Italian. He concluded: “You see in the second half they managed to play good football and we managed to keep it away.
“Look at Gigi, look at the last save he made. It was incredible, the one with Mac Allister shooting. This is, for me, out of this world and it shows why he is the best in the world.”
Content cannot be displayed without consent
Aug 24, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell and Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni speak after the game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Caean Couto-Imagn Images.
The Minnesota Vikings’ offseason is in full motion, evidenced by the termination of general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah nine days ago. Things are changing. The club will embark on free agency in one month and the NFL draft in April. Expect three roster areas to get love and garner all the attention.
Minnesota’s offseason hinges on stabilizing the secondary and clarifying the QB room, with free agency and the draft both in play.
There is a litany of depth roster teams, as many teams encounter in February, but these are the biggies.
Advertisement
Three Vikings Roster Areas Drawing Special Attention in 2026
It’s a three-horse race for Minnesota’s paramount roster need.
Arizona Cardinals defensive backs Jalen Thompson and Budda Baker go through pregame warmups in Glendale, with the scene set on Sept. 19, 2021, as Arizona prepared to face Minnesota while the duo loosened up, communicated alignments, and set coverage expectations ahead of the interconference matchup at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK.
1. Safety
Who’s Under Contract in 2026:
Josh Metellus
Theo Jackson
Jay Ward
Kahlef Hailassie
The 2025 campaign might have been the end of the road for Harrison Smith, and if so, the Vikings will need an immediate replacement, mainly because Lewis Cine didn’t work out four years ago.
In theory, Brian Flores might be able to get by with Metellus, Jackson, and Ward. That just doesn’t feel likely, though. From free agency or the draft, Minnesota needs a Smith replacement if he walks away.
Advertisement
It’s also worth mentioning that Smith could return one more time with Flores back in the saddle as defensive coordinator, allowing Minnesota to push the safety timeline in 2027.
SKOR North‘s Judd Zulgad noted on Smith this week, “There remains no word on Smith’s plans, and that leaves the door ajar for the recently turned 38-year-old to continue playing. What could influence him? Many veterans will tell you that at the end of the season — and the few weeks that follow — that they give thought to walking away.
“This is a brutal sport, and the nearly constant in-season grind makes retirement seem attractive. Those same veterans will acknowledge that as they get into the offseason their minds drift toward what they love about the game. The camaraderie that comes from being in the locker room, the thrill of competing on game day, the ability to play a kids’ game into their 30s.”
Who the Vikings Could Target:
Advertisement
Dane Belton (NYG)
Reed Blankenship (PHI)
Nick Cross (IND)
Andre Cisco (NYJ)
Alohi Gilman (BAL)
Jalen Thompson (ARI)
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (Rookie, Toledo)
Dillon Thieneman (Rookie, Oregon)
The Athletic‘s Alec Lewis recommended Thompson this week: “If Harrison Smith retires, safety will be one of the team’s primary needs for 2026. Thompson is similar to Mays. He’s only 27 and has played for the Arizona Cardinals since 2019. He has the smarts to man the controls for Flores’ defense, and his athleticism would help the Vikings stick with receivers on the back end.”
“There are plenty of enticing free-agent safeties. The Los Angeles Rams’ Kamren Curl feels like a perfect player for Flores’ system, but Minnesota might be priced out of a rangy ball hawk like him.”
2. Cornerback
Who’s Under Contract in 2026:
Byron Murphy Jr.
Isaiah Rodgers
Dwight McGlothern
Zemaiah Vaughn
Vikings fans have yearned for a productive young cornerback from the draft since the days of Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander — guys drafted a decade ago. In fact, various Vikings general managers have swung and missed on virtually all cornerbacks in the draft, to the tune of eight and hopefully none counting.
The purple team limped into 2025 with an extremely skimpy CB room, got away with it, and will probably take measures to get deeper at the roster spot in 2026. Remarkably, Murphy Jr. and Rodgers didn’t miss a single game in 2025.
Advertisement
New York Giants cornerback Cor’Dale Flott secures a fourth-quarter interception at MetLife Stadium, with the play occurring on Oct. 9, 2025, as Flott undercut the route and took away a throw intended for Philadelphia wide receiver Jahan Dotson during a tense late-game sequence as momentum swung sharply in the final minutes. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images.
This one is for all the marbles. Minnesota will likely enter 2026 with McCarthy somewhere on the roster, but he’s no longer guaranteed a starter’s job “just because.”
McCarthy has played in 30% of Vikings games since joining the team in 2024. That isn’t enough. He’s officially injury-prone. And in his first season as a starter, he played about five good games, missed seven due to injury, and played poorly in the other five contests.
Chicago Bears defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr. brings down Minnesota quarterback J.J. McCarthy at Soldier Field, with the contact happening on Sep. 8, 2025, as Chicago’s interior pressure collapsed the pocket and ended the play during first-half action amid early drives, crowd noise, and shifting protection calls on a critical snap. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images.
Whether it’s a competition this summer or just an insurance policy, Kevin O’Connell will add a quarterback or two from this list:
