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Wipe One RB Off the Free Agent Board for Vikings

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Broncos RB Javonte Williams in 2024
Dec 2, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams (33) scores a touchdown in the first quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Dallas Cowboys running back Javonte Williams reclaimed his career on Jerry Jones’s team in 2025 — and he’s not going anywhere in 2026 free agency. Dallas re-signed Williams over the weekend, wiping a high-profile and veteran name off the board for the Minnesota Vikings if the club has interest in a veteran tailback in the first place.

With Williams gone, Minnesota’s best paths now run through a smaller pool of vets and draft depth.

Williams wasn’t inches from signing in Minnesota, but he could have been a quasi-affordable option.

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Remaining Free-Agent RB Options for the Vikings

The list of free-agent options for Minnesota is now minus one.

Javonte Williams stands on the field before a Cowboys–Broncos game at Empower Field at Mile High. Vikings Free Agent Running Back Options.
Dallas Cowboys running back Javonte Williams (33) warms up and surveys the field before kickoff at Empower Field at Mile High on Oct 26, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA. Williams returned to face his former team during a season that helped restore his value as a starting-caliber NFL runner. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Williams Back to DAL

Williams re-upping with the Cowboys is a done deal.

ESPN’s Todd Archer announced Saturday, “The Dallas Cowboys kept a key player to their offense Saturday, agreeing to a three-year deal with running back Javonte Williams that guarantees him $16 million, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The total deal is worth $24 million and includes a $6 million signing bonus, according to sources.”

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“When the Cowboys head to Indianapolis for the NFL scouting combine next week, they can turn their attention to Pro Bowl wide receiver George Pickens. The expectation is the Cowboys will put the franchise tag on Pickens at a cost of roughly $28 million before the March 3 deadline and then hope to work out a multiyear deal. Pickens set career highs last year in catches (93), yards (1,429) and touchdowns (nine).”

Williams entered the NFL in 2021 as the next big thing for the Denver Broncos, a scouting report that didn’t translate to immediate stardom. He never wholly struggled in Denver, but Williams did not pop off as a show-stopping bellcow back.

In Dallas last season, he began to reclaim his story. Now, he’ll stick around Arlington for three more years.

The Production in 2025

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Williams revitalized his career in Dallas this season, amassing 1,338 scrimmage yards and 13 touchdowns, fueling championship runs for fantasy managers. Williams, who will turn 26 during draft weekend, was expected to garner significant attention in free agency and likely command around $8-10 million per year. The Cowboys settled on $8 million, which seems fair.

Broncos RB Javonte Williams in the 2023 season
Jan 7, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams (33) carries against the Las Vegas Raiders during the first quarter at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

After failing to establish himself as the Denver Broncos lead running back — despite being te 2nd-Round pick in 2021 — many had written him off. His resurgence in Dallas raises questions about whether the Broncos were utilizing him effectively. Probably not. One can’t break off 1,338 yards from scrimmage by accident.

Remaining FA Options at RB for Vikings

If one assumes the Vikings will scour free agency for an RB1, Williams back to Dallas makes the board a wee bit smaller. “Legal tampering” begins in two weeks, and Minnesota, in theory, could target these men:

  • J.K. Dobbins (Denver Broncos)
  • Rico Dowdle (Carolina Panthers)
  • Travis Etienne (Jacksonville Jaguars)
  • Breece Hall (New York Jets)
  • Kenneth Walker III (Seattle Seahawks)

Dobbins is oft-injured, and he’s — you guessed it — recovering from a season-ending injury. Dowdle will turn 28 this summer and is probably past his prime. Etienne is the best pass-blocking running back from the group; the Vikings will probably love that. Hall is the almighty free-agent RB prize. And Walker is fresh off the steam of a Super Bowl MVP.

Will Minnesota Pursue an RB in March at All?

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The Vikings currently have just over $20 million in 2026 cap dollars committed to Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason, the RB1 and RB2 from 2025. That’s a lot of dough at running back already spoken for. While it’s tempting to glance at the availability of players like Etienne, Hall, and Walker, all those men will fetch contracts over $10 million per season. So, one must wonder if Minnesota has the budget for another veteran tailback.

Many expect Jones to be released, easing the pain a bit of a cash-strapped salary cap. But Minnesota would still be on the hook for $7 million in dead cap funds if so.

Aaron Jones runs the ball for the Vikings against the Chargers at SoFi Stadium.
Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones Sr. (33) carries the football during first-half action against the Los Angeles Chargers on Oct 23, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA. Jones worked between the tackles and along the edge as Minnesota leaned on its veteran runner in road action at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Athletic‘s Alec Lewis opined on the possibility of Jones’s release last week: “This move would leave a major void. Jones has played nearly 60 percent of the team’s offensive snaps over the last two seasons. During that time, he ran for nearly 1,700 yards, caught 79 passes and served as a reliable pass protector on early downs.”

“Backfield mate Jordan Mason is an efficient runner, but he’s not a proven three-down guy. That’s why the Vikings could find themselves in the market for another back if they part ways with Jones. The more likely outcome would be a free-agent acquisition.”

April’s draft may be a more reasonable spot to find a running back of the future. Notre Dame runners Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price, along with Jonah Coleman (Washington), Emmett Johnson (Nebraska), Mike Washington Jr. (Arkansas), and Nick Singleton (Penn State), headlining the 2026 class.

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Suspended player sues WTA for $20M over steroid ban

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Britain's Tara Moore Handed 4-Year Anti-Doping BanBritain’s Tara Moore in action during her round of 32 match against Britain’s Heather Watson at the 2021 Nottingham Open.

Suspended WTA professional Tara Moore of Great Britain filed a $20 million lawsuit in New York claiming her positive test for steroids in 2022 was because of contaminated local meat served during an event in Colombia.

Moore, 33, was given a four-year suspension after testing positive for two different steroids at the Colombia event. The lawsuit references “concrete, actionable knowledge” the WTA has regarding meat at certain tournament locations that might contain banned substances.

The lawsuit comes as this week’s ATP Mexican Open eliminated local meat at its player restaurant over contamination fears. Last week, the International Tennis Integrity Agency cleared three players who tested positive for the steroid boldenone during an event at Colombia in May.

The substances boldenone and nandrolone appeared in Moore’s positive test in 2022.

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Moore has ranked as high as No. 145 in singles and No. 77 in doubles.

–Field Level Media

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Women’s FA Cup quarter-final draw: Chelsea v Tottenham or London City Lionesses, Arsenal v Brighton

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Holders Chelsea will host either Tottenham Hotspur or London City Lionesses in the Women’s FA Cup quarter-finals.

WSL 2 side Birmingham City welcome WSL leaders Manchester City, while Brighton will travel to 14-time FA Cup winners Arsenal.

The final tie is WSL 2 leaders Charlton Athletic against WSL strugglers Liverpool.

The fixtures are set to be played on Sunday, 5 April.

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Spurs and the Lionesses are playing the remaining fifth-round tie on Monday evening.

Six-time winners Chelsea reached the quarters-final on Sunday after beating Manchester United 2-1, thanks to an extra-time goal from defender Naomi Girma.

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Team USA men’s hockey returns to United States after old medal win

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The U.S. men’s hockey team arrived in Florida on Monday hours after winning the gold medal in a thrilling overtime win over Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

The players flew to Miami International Airport and will begin the celebratory festivities. The team is set to revel at E11EVEN MIAMI nightclub later in the night.

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Team USA celebrates a win over Canada

Jack Hughes (86) of the United States celebrates with teammates after scoring the game-winning goal against Canada in the men’s ice hockey gold medal game during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on Feb. 22, 2026. (Geoff Burke/Imagn Images)

U.S. fans, some with signs, waited for their arrival into the terminal with bated breath – and when they did, jubilation.

Jack Hughes, Auston Matthews and Matthew Tkachuk showed off their gold medals to the cameras.

“We’re gonna celebrate for a few days,” Hughes told reporters at the airport.

The team will go to an upscale restaurant for dinner before continuing their celebration at one of Miami’s famous clubs.

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Hughes gave the U.S. the gold on Sunday when he scored in overtime, getting the puck past Canadian goaltender Jordan Binnington. The U.S. won 2-1.

Connor Hellebuyck with the flag

Connor Hellebuyck of United States celebrates after defeating Canada in the men’s ice hockey gold medal game during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on Feb. 22, 2026. (David W Cerny/Reuters via Imagn Images)

“This is all about our country right now. I love the USA. I love my teammates. It’s unbelievable. The U.S. are a hockey brotherhood. It’s so strong and we had so much support from ex-players. I’m so proud to be American today,” Hughes told NBC after the game.

The team celebrated in the locker room and FBI Director Kash Patel was the go-between for the team and President Donald Trump.

Trump invited the team to his State of the Union address, which is set to take place on Tuesday.

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“I’ll tell you what. I just told my people two minutes ago, I didn’t know they’d be calling, I said we’re giving the State of the Union speech on Tuesday night,” Trump said. “I can send a military plane or something, but if you would like to, it’s the coolest night, it’s the biggest speech …”

One player cut off Trump and said, “We’re in.”

“We’ll get Kash, and we’ll get the military to get you guys over,” Trump continued. “You won’t have to worry about the weather or landing. We don’t care if it’s snowing or if it’s the worst blizzard – we’ll be sailing through like you did on the ice.”

Team USA greets fans in Milan

Jack Eichel (9) of the United States greets fans after the game against Slovakia in a men’s ice hockey semifinal during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on Feb. 20, 2026. (Geoff Burke/Imagn Images)

It’s unclear if the team will attend.

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House Speaker Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., told Fox News that they were still working out the logistics of them attending the event.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

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all characters and weapons revealed

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Genshin Impact has officially released the details of all characters and weapons featured on the Phase I banners of the Luna V update. The long-awaited Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius, Varka, will be released during the Phase I character banners. His signature weapon, Gest of the Might Wolf, will also be featured on the Weapon banner.

The Phase I Character and Weapon banners will be available from February 25, 2026, till March 17, 2026. Flins will have a rerun banner, and his signature weapon will be featured alongside Varka’s weapon.

On that note, this article lists the details of all characters and weapons that will be featured in the first half of the Genshin Impact Luna V update.


Phase I banners for Genshin Impact Luna V

As mentioned, the Phase I banners for the Genshin Impact Luna V update will be released globally on February 25, 2026, at 11 am (UTC+8), and they will be available until March 17, 2026. Varka and Flins are the featured 5-star characters during these banners, and their signature weapons will also be featured on the Weapon banner, Epitome Invocation.

Since the Phase I banners typically release along with the new update, players can pull for the new characters and weapons as soon as the maintenance for the Luna V update ends.

Phase I Character banners

Here’s the list of all units that are featured on the Phase I character banners in Luna V:

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  • Varka (5-star Anemo Claymore)
  • Flins (5-star Electro Polearm)
  • Bennett (4-star Pyro Sword)
  • Sucrose (4-star Anemo Catalyst)
  • Xiangling (4-star Pyro Polearm)

Varka is the new character who will be released alongside the Luna V update. He is an Anemo DPS that can deal other Elemental DMG types, based on his team composition. Meanwhile, Flins is an Electro DPS whose teams primarily revolve around the Lunar-Charged Elemental reaction.


Phase I Weapon banner

Phase I Weapon banner for the Luna V update (Image via HoYoverse)Phase I Weapon banner for the Luna V update (Image via HoYoverse)
Phase I Weapon banner for the Luna V update (Image via HoYoverse)

Here’s a list of all weapons that are featured during the Phase I Weapon banner in the Luna V update:

  • Gest of the Might Wolf (5-star Claymore, Varka’s signature weapon)
  • Bloodsoaked Ruins (5-star Polearm, Flins’ signature weapon)
  • Sacrificial Fragments (4-star Catalyst)
  • Sacrificial Bow (4-star Bow)
  • Favonius Greatsword (4-star Claymore)
  • Favonius Sword (4-star Sword)
  • Sacrificer’s Staff (4-star Polearm)

The signature weapons for both Varka and Flins will be featured on the Weapon banner, Epitome Invocation.

Also read: Genshin Impact Varka’s signature weapon leaked


Chronicled Wish Ode to the Dawn Breeze

Mondstadt Chronicled Wish will be featured during the Phase I banners of Luna V (Image via HoYoverse)Mondstadt Chronicled Wish will be featured during the Phase I banners of Luna V (Image via HoYoverse)
Mondstadt Chronicled Wish will be featured during the Phase I banners of Luna V (Image via HoYoverse)

HoYoverse has also announced that a new Mondstadt Chronicled Wish will be available during the first half of the Luna V update. This new banner features some 5-star characters and weapons from Mondstadt, and will be available from February 25, 2026, to March 17, 2026.

Here’s the list of all 5-star characters on this Chronicled Wish:

  • Eula (Cryo Claymore)
  • Klee (Pyro Catalyst)
  • Albedo (Geo Sword)
  • Mona (Hydro Catalyst)
  • Diluc (Pyro Claymore)
  • Jean (Anemo Sword)

Meanwhile, here are all the weapons that will be featured on the same banner:

  • Song of Broken Pines (5-star Claymore)
  • Elegy for the End (5-star Bow)
  • Wolf’s Gravestone (5-star Claymore)
  • Aquilla Favonia (5-star Sword)
  • Skyward Spine (5-star Polearm)
  • Lost Prayer to the Sacred Winds (5-star Catalyst)
  • Skyward Blade (5-star Sword)
  • Skyward Pride (5-star Claymore)
  • Skyward Atlas (5-star Catalyst)
  • Skyward Harp (5-star Bow)

Similar to the previous iterations of the Chronicled Wish, this banner will also feature all the 4-star characters and weapons from the Mondstadt region.

Also read: Genshin Impact Luna V first phase event schedule