A Minnesota Vikings fan reacts from the stands during a home game at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. The season opener on Sep. 11, 2022, featured an energized crowd dressed in purple and gold as supporters watched the action unfold during the early moments of the regular-season matchup. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports.
The Minnesota Vikings finished 9-8 last year with bottom-barrel quarterback play, and they’ll hope to fix the quarterback spot because the postseason is probably in reach next season if so. That all starts in free agency, which kicks off on Monday.
Minnesota enters the week with cap limits, clear priorities, and another quarterback move looming.
Here’s what to know about the process to get you ready.
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The 5 Forces Steering Minnesota’s Opening Week Plan
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell speaks with owner Ziggy Wilf during training camp activities as players and staff worked through summer preparations on Aug 3, 2023 at TCO Stadium in Eagan, Minnesota, with leadership figures observing practice and discussing the team’s direction during the early portion of camp. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports.
1. The “Triangle of Authority” Is Back
During the Brett Favre era, for example, the Vikings featured an unorthodox style of leadership, with roster-building authority shared among Rick Spielman, Brad Childress, and the Wilfs (the owners). A few years later, the Wilfs tapped Spielman on the shoulder to take on full-time general management duties, and that model remained until January 2026.
The Wilfs fired Adofo-Mensah, who held the GM post for four seasons. What happened next? They returned to the previously model — a new triangle of authority.
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Interim general manager Rob Brzezinski is technically in charge, the guy mostly known as the capologist or money wizard. Kevin O’Connell feels like the unofficial team CEO, and Brian Flores is expected to pick the defensive players.
Everyone insists this will work great — no disharmony.
We shall see what happens when one or more voices disagree on the final calls of personnel decisions.
2. The Funds Are Low
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At this time last year, websites like this one bragged about the Vikings having over $70 million to spend on free agents. It was a real thing. Entering the 2026 offseason, that money train has run out, as Minnesota embarked on February underwater by $30-$40 million.
They’ve recently cleared cap space with contract releases and restructures, but the 2026 free agency period won’t feel like last year, when Adofo-Mensah could pursue anybody and everybody.
Most expect the Vikings to target bargain-bin players, either men chomping at the bit for more playing time on their existing squads or guys coming off injuries.
3. A Quarterback Is Coming
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Brzezinski said at the NFL Combine late last month, “We’re exploring every option that can be out there. What we do know is we need a level of baseline quarterback play for us to be effective.”
“A lot of this has been J.J. in unfortunate situations with some of the injuries and things that he’s dealt with, but we’re going to explore every opportunity, and I don’t think there’s anything specifically we’re looking for. We can’t manufacture anything that’s not there. So, No. 1, what are the options? Is it reciprocal? Is it financially doable? All those things. There’s just a lot of factors that go into it.”
That means a passer like Kyler Murray or Geno Smith is on the way to Minnesota — an affordable quarterback tossed out by his old team who is now available for cheap.
That man will then take McCarthy’s job outright or force him to battle for it at training camp.
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4. Bargain Bin Free Agents Mandatory
Mentioned in No. 2, the Vikings will operate on a condensed budget next week.
Examples of bargain-bin free agents might include:
Kendrick Bourne | WR
Andre Cisco | S
Trevon Diggs | CB
Kenneth Gainwell | RB
Christian Kirk | WR
Isiah Pacheco | RB
Asante Samuel Jr. | CB
The list of bargain-bin solutions is actually quite large, but the players above make especially good sense for Minnesota, given price and roster needs.
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell (14) races downfield with the football after breaking free for a touchdown during the first half against the Baltimore Ravens on Dec 7, 2025 at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, finishing the scoring play as Pittsburgh’s offense struck early in the AFC North matchup. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images.
SI.com‘s Will Ragatz on the Vikings’ possible interest in Gainwell: “Kenneth Walker III is going to be out of the Vikings’ price range, and they may not even sign someone like Travis Etienne or Rico Dowdle to replace Jones. Instead, I like the idea of going after Gainwell, who had over 1,000 yards from scrimmage, 73 receptions, and 8 touchdowns for Pittsburgh last season. Jordan Mason, Gainwell, and a third-round rookie would be a quality RB room.”
5. Expect Brian Flores Fingerprints Everywhere
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For a few weeks of the offseason, it was a true mystery whether Flores would return for Year No. 4.
And then something strange happened. The Vikings extended Flores — and fired Adofo-Mensah a few days later. Throughout the last three seasons, Adofo-Mensah would often draft defensive players, and then Flores wouldn’t do much with them: CB Mekhi Blackmon, DT Jaquelin Roy, and ILB Kobe King.
Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores watches the field from the sideline during the second half as Minnesota faced the New York Jets on Oct 6, 2024 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, staying locked in while directing the Vikings defense during the international regular-season matchup. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.
The working theory suggests that Flores returned to Minnesota because he could wield more power over personnel decisions, effectuating the old Bill Parcells slogan: “If they want you to cook the dinner, at least they ought to let you shop for some of the groceries.”
Meanwhile, Minnesota probably won’t be a part of any Tua Tagovailoa sweepstakes; the two didn’t see eye to eye.
DIO’s Diary in Bizarre Lineage is an elusive item required to complete the Journey to Heaven quests. This item is a random drop from the DIO Raid battle and Legendary Chests, contributing to its elusiveness. Since it is a crucial item for getting the Made in Heaven Stand, endgame players will be looking to add this Diary to their collection.
Here’s how you can get DIO’s Diary in Bizarre Lineage.
Getting DIO’s Diary in Bizarre Lineage
Clear the DIO Raid for a chance to get DIO’s Diary (Image via Roblox)
As mentioned earlier, there are two ways of getting DIO’s Diary: the DIO Raid battle and Legendary Chests. While it is the more challenging option, the DIO Raid battle is one of the required quests for completing the Journey to Heaven quests. So, since you will be defeating the Raid boss numerous times for the SSS Rank, you will most likely get the Diary in the process. This is an efficient way to get the Diary without having to grind for it separately.
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If that fails, you will also get a large number of Legendary Chests in the process. Open them for a random chance to get DIO’s Diary. Note that since DIO’s Diary is a Mythical item, the odds of getting it through Chest openings are extremely low. So, we only recommend relying on Chests as a last resort.
DIO’s Diary serves a single purpose: to evolve C-Moon into Made in Heaven. The item is used in the final step of the evolution process: the Journey to Heaven 4 quest. After completing all preceding Journey to Heaven missions, take the Diary to Pucci inside the cathedral near Bus Stop 18. Give the Diary to Pucci to initiate the transformation of your C-Moon Stand into Made in Heaven.
Note that you can only use the Diary if you have C-Moon as your active Stand. If you wish to acquire Made in Heaven, the strongest Stand in the game, refrain from using Stand Arrows and Lucky Arrows while C-Moon is active.
Norwegian club Molde FK has released an official statement regarding former Nigeria U-20 midfielder Daniel Daga after his recent sentencing.
The club addressed the situation while explaining its position and the steps it has taken as the legal process continues.
In a statement, Molde described the situation as difficult for everyone involved and stressed that the club has a duty to handle the matter responsibly.
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“This is a very difficult case for everyone involved.
Molde Football Club has a responsibility as an employer to take care of our employees in a responsible manner, while also having great respect for the seriousness of the case and the burden it places on all affected parties,” the club said.
The Norwegian side also confirmed that the Nigerian midfielder will not take part in matchday activities for now.
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“In light of the situation and the ongoing legal process, the club has decided that the player will not be part of the matchday squad until further notice.”
Molde had earlier announced in December that Daga would be withdrawn from both training sessions and matches while the legal proceedings were ongoing.
The club says it will continue to monitor the situation as the case develops.
The recent court ruling involving Nigerian midfielder Daniel Daga has sparked serious discussion in the football community. However, despite the six-month prison sentence handed down by a Norwegian court, I remain confident that justice will prevail when the case goes to appeal.
Daga, a Nigeria U-20 international and player for Molde FK, was sentenced to six months in prison by the Nordmøre og Romsdal District Court after being convicted of committing a sexual act against a person who did not consent.
In addition to the custodial sentence, the 19-year-old midfielder was ordered to pay NOK 10,000 in legal costs, which is about ₦1.45 million.
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However, the case is far from over. Daga’s legal team has already filed an appeal, meaning the verdict is not final under Norwegian law.
His lawyer, Astrid Bolstad, made it clear that the player strongly disagrees with the ruling and continues to maintain his innocence.
“He is terribly sorry that the verdict was the way it was. He believes he is innocent and that everything happened with consent,” Bolstad said.
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“He will appeal the verdict. The verdict is not final. He will be treated like everyone else until he is sentenced.”
From what has been presented so far, Daga admitted that he had a sexual encounter with the lady involved, but he insists that it was consensual. According to his position, the claim that it was not consensual is simply not true.
Sadly, football has seen situations before where accusations have damaged the reputation and careers of players before the full truth emerged. There have been cases where footballers were accused of similar offences but were later cleared after long legal battles.
This is why I strongly believe that the appeal process will give the court another opportunity to carefully examine the facts of the case. Justice requires patience, and appeals exist precisely for situations like this.
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Another very important point is the position of his club, Molde. Unlike many clubs that quickly distance themselves from players facing legal problems, Molde have chosen to stand by Daga while respecting the seriousness of the case.
The club said in a statement:
“This is a very difficult case for everyone involved. Molde Football Club has a responsibility as an employer to take care of our employees in a responsible manner, while also having great respect for the seriousness of the case and the burden it places on all affected parties.”
Molde also confirmed that the midfielder will not be involved in matchday activities while the legal process continues.
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“In light of the situation and the ongoing legal process, the club has decided that the player will not be part of the matchday squad until further notice.”
This support from the club is significant. It shows that Molde still believe in their player and are prepared to allow the legal process run its course.
It is also important to clarify that because the case has been appealed, the legal process is still ongoing and the verdict is not final. The appeal will determine the final outcome.
For me, the key issue is simple: justice must be based on facts and truth. I remain convinced that when the appeal process is completed, Daniel Daga will clear his name and return to football stronger.
While the IBF and WBA are yet to comment on the status of Usyk’s belts, the WBC has confirmed that it will sanction his contest with Verhoeven.
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But the Ukrainian, of course, is widely expected to score a convincing victory over Verhoeven, whose only professional boxing contest came against 0-6 heavyweight Janos Finfera – who he stopped in the second round – in 2014.
Usyk, meanwhile, is coming off a fifth-round stoppage win over Daniel Dubois in July, dominating their rematch to become a three-time, two-division undisputed champion.
After his match with Verhoeven, Usyk has told Inside the Ring that he will target an undisputed clash with the winner of Fabio Wardley vs Daniel Dubois – which takes place on May 9 – before exploring a potential trilogy showdown with Tyson Fury.
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When asked if he would face heavyweight prodigy Moses Itauma, though, Usyk simply insisted that the 21-year-old is on a completely different path.
“No, I’m not going to fight with Itauma because he’s a young guy. I don’t want to break this guy.”
Itauma is gearing up to face durable customer Jermaine Franklin on March 28, with many expecting the American to take him into the later rounds.
There is little doubt amongst fans, analysts and fighters that Itauma is on the way to championship fights, but it appears he will not have the chance to face the top dog from the older generation.
Eddie Howe has declared his Newcastle side capable of competing with Europe’s elite, despite a dramatic late equaliser denying them a crucial first-leg victory against Barcelona in their Champions League last-16 tie.
The Magpies will travel to the Nou Camp next Wednesday with the tie finely poised at 1-1, after Lamine Yamal’s stoppage-time penalty snatched a win from their grasp at St James’ Park.
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The draw felt like scant reward for a spirited performance against one of European football’s giants.
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Howe, who described the equaliser as “soft”, remains confident his team can pose a significant challenge to Hansi Flick’s side on their home turf.
“In the cold light of day when we wake up tomorrow, we’ll see the positives. The tie is very much alive, we played really well,” Howe stated.
Harvey Barnes looked to have secured a priceless win for Newcastle (PA Wire)
“We showed our qualities. We’ve been really competitive. The challenge is we need more on a consistent basis. We’ve showed we can play against the very best when we’re at our best.”
Newcastle had seemed destined for a priceless 1-0 advantage when Harvey Barnes netted his 14th goal of the season in the 86th minute. However, a famous victory was cruelly snatched away in the dying moments.
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Malick Thiaw’s challenge on substitute Dani Olmo prompted Italian referee Marco Guida to award a penalty, which Yamal duly converted in the sixth minute of added time, leaving Barcelona with the momentum heading into the return leg.
Asked if his team deserved more, Howe affirmed: “Yes, we do. A really good performance from the team, very, very good in all phases, really. I thought we limited them with a really good defensive performance from the team and I thought we attacked really well too.
“Although we didn’t create an abundance of clear-cut chances, I thought there were chances all through the game for us. It was great to see us finally score and then the last attack of the game, the last kick of the game, it’s a tough one to take.”
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Lamine Yamal rescued a draw for Barcelona (Owen Humphreys/PA) (PA Wire)
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick, whose team secured a 2-1 win at St James’ Park in the league phase back in September, admitted his side struggled for periods but was ultimately content with the draw.
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“If you had asked me before the game with a 1-1, I was always happy,” Flick commented.
“With the ball, we made not a good game. We lost too many balls, easy mistakes and this is what Newcastle only wants.
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“When they get the ball, the transition they make is good, they have a lot of dynamic, very fast players, so it was not easy.
“But at the end, what I appreciated a lot from my team is that we defended together, the performance in defence was really good today.”
Ross Dellenger of Yahoo!Sports wrote a piece that laid out the growing possibility of the SEC breaking away from the rest of college football.
That would be an awful idea.
On today’s episode of Locked On College Football, I discuss North Dakota State’s full schedule as a football member of the Mountain West.
They could start as UNLV did in 2025. Penn State enters 2026 with plenty of intrigue and a very new roster from the one James Franklin took the field with last year.
Will Matt Campbell’s easy non-conference slate work to his benefit?
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00:00 SEC Frustrations: Tampering & NIL 06:00 SEC Breakaway Hurts Everyone 06:57 Big Ten Surpasses SEC in Football 15:36 North Dakota State’s Strong Start? 18:29 North Dakota State’s Tough Road 24:20 Penn State’s Easy Schedule? 33:53 Penn State’s Needed Shift
The WBC recently approved Oleksandr Usyk’s title defence against Rico Verhoeven but ordered the Ukrainian to face interim champion Agit Kabayel next.
Usyk will face kickboxing star Verhoeven in Egypt this May, with the contest originally thought to be for a commemorative WBC belt but later sanctioned as a legitimate world title bout. The WBC has received backlash for the decision, given the Dutch kickboxing champion has just had one professional boxing match and does not feature in the world rankings.
President Mauricio Sulaiman has guaranteed that Kabayel’s well-earned shot will be next up, but Usyk’s most recent interview, in which he revealed his planned final three fights before retirement, made no mention of the German heavyweight.
Should Usyk manage to keep hold of his IBF and WBA belts – far from guaranteed as neither sanctioning body has commented on the Verhoeven bout – and negotiate with the winner of WBO champion Wardley vs Dubois, he may lobby for the WBC to allow the undisputed contest to trump his mandatory challenge and be allowed to keep the belt.
That would be a hammer blow to Kabayel, who has held the interim belt since February 2025 with a win over Zhilei Zhang. He has since defended against Damian Knyba in Germany, drawing a packed arena to move to 27-0 with 19 knockouts.
While Walsh is a serial winner, lining up alongside her on Sunday will be another of Chelsea’s statement signings from 2025, Alyssa Thompson.
Like her experienced team-mate, 21-year-old Thompson also told BBC Sport of her trepidation when first arriving at Kingsmeadow.
“I had low expectations for myself because I was scared about being in England, away from everyone I knew,” said the USA forward. “I didn’t know if people would like me.
“It was daunting because of the calibre of players at Chelsea.”
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She has impressed for Bompastor’s side this season, scoring six times in the WSL and providing a threat with her searing place and clever movement.
However, despite the Blues’ outlay in the past 14 months – they also briefly broke the women’s transfer world record to acquire centre-back Naomi Girma in January 2025 – results have taken a downturn.
Not that Thompson is accepting this.
“Winning at Chelsea is written in the DNA,” Thompson said. “That’s why people come here and one of the reasons I did. It’s a huge part of our culture.
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“When you put on the Chelsea jersey, you know what you have to bring. No-one has told me that but I feel it from the team.
“It’s unspoken in the locker room.”
Thompson has enjoyed her time on international break, named player of the tournament in the SheBelieves Cup where USA won their three games against Argentina, Canada and Colombia.
Before going away, Chelsea knocked Sunday’s opponents Manchester United out of the FA Cup in extra time and this game will be a rematch of last season’s FA Cup final, also won by Bompastor’s side.
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“I’m so excited,” Thompson added. “I’ve never won a senior trophy!”
Whether or not the SheBelieves Cup now counts as silverware in her eyes, Thompson will hope to be celebrating again on Sunday.
Chelsea’s intimidating record of 15 wins and just one defeat in 18 games against Manchester United puts history, at least, on her side.
Things were much different the last time Brooks Koepka was at the Players Championship. His hair was bleached blonde, the state and future of his game uncertain — and a few months later he was off to LIV Golf. At that point, it appeared that Koepka’s final round at TPC Sawgrass would be the second-round 81 he shot in blustery conditions before marching off the property early in 2022.
Four years have passed since then. For many in the pro-golf sphere, it has felt longer. Koepka got healthy while on LIV, won the 2023 PGA Championship and then battled putting troubles before returning to the PGA Tour in January as part of the one-time Returning Members Program that gave him a pathway back.
The Koepka that left for the Saudi-backed breakaway league was famous for his bravado and hardened exterior. A big-game hunter with unlimited self-confidence. The Koepka that returned at Torrey Pines was softer. He talked about the nerves surrounding his return. The uncertainty around how his return would be received kept Koepka up at night. Koepka embraced the unknowns. He looked forward to any tough conversations he might have and was vulnerable about what it meant to be welcomed back with open arms. The famously stoic Koepka let the emotions seep through as fans cheered his return along the San Diego coastline as if were a conquering hero. It hit him in a way he didn’t anticipate.
“I didn’t think it was going to be maybe as emotional for me, but it was,” Koepka said on Tuesday at TPC Sawgrass. “It was great. It was honestly a great feeling. Sometimes I can be very good at burying my emotions, and I just look at it as this is a job; just be robotic and go about your process. I’m pretty sure everybody sees that when I’m on the golf course. … I was just taking in the moment and appreciating where I was. I think that was something I haven’t done in maybe my professional career, and it was just enjoyable.”
Koepka later added: “I didn’t know how the reception was going to be. Obviously, you can sit in bed and just kind of lay there and think about a million different things about how it’s going to go. I mean, right? You have all these scenarios that play out, but it never really comes to fruition of exactly what you think. I think that’s been the big thing. It’s been exciting. It’s been fun. And it makes it enjoyable to be out there.”
At Torrey Pines, Koepka said he has “fallen back in love” with golf. He wants his son to see him at his best and to understand everything the game has given him. The major champion carrying his son after finishing his second round illustrated how time has changed things for Brooks Koepka. Priorities shift, armor softens. And yet, the sands of time can change only so much.
A notoriously “slow starter,” Koepka arrives at TPC Sawgrass for the first time since 2022 after going T56-MC-T9 in his first three starts back on the PGA Tour. Fifth major claims aside, since its move to March, the Players Championship’s identity is that it’s as an important mile marker in the golf season. It’s the unofficial gateway to the major season, a time when the best in the world can truly measure the state of their game on a major-esque track. Play well, and you’ll leave Ponte Vedra Beach confident with the Masters looming. Get blown out to sea, and you’ll have precious little time to sharpen up before you set foot on the property at Augusta National and the major season washes over you.
“This is kind of right where I feel like you needed to know where your game was at,” Koepka said Tuesday. “Every time you come to the Players, you get a good idea of, hey, you’ve got a couple more weeks right before Augusta; if you’ve got to make any changes, this is where it needs to happen. This is kind of, in my eyes, the kickoff of the real heat of the golf season. And it’s a lot of fun, it’s exciting, and just need to be on top of things.”
Koepka understands the challenge of TPC Sawgrass, and how it highlights the true state of your game, all too well. In six starts at TPC Sawgrass, he has finished no better than T11 while playing the famed 17th hole in a cumulative 20 over, including a triple-bogey and a double in his last two rounds in 2022. He chalked up that week to a mixture of bad luck and poor play. The knee injury he was battling was also a factor, but nonetheless, the poor showing at the Players forecasted what was to come that year. He went MC-T55-55-MC in the four majors after leaving Sawgrass while defecting to LIV. Koepka’s two best Players finishes, T16 and T11, came in 2017 and 2018, respectively, when he won three of his five majors.
It’s not a fool-proof indicator, but the Players often has a way of foreshadowing what’s to come. Three of the last four Players winners have gone on to win a major later that year. Scottie Scheffler didn’t in 2023, but he still carded three major top-10s after winning at Sawgrass. Going back to 2014, when Martin Kaymer won the Players and the U.S. Open later that year, only Si Woo Kim (2017) and Webb Simpson (2018) didn’t follow up their Players win with either a major win or multiple top 10s.
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With the emotions and nerves of his PGA Tour return in the rearview, Koepka is settling into a familiar but still new routine. He has changed putters and tinkered with his mechanics. The confidence in his game is building and his patented mojo is returning with each round.
The next phase of his reentry starts this week at the Players, where Koepka hopes to find evidence that the Koepka of old, the major killer, can still be the Koepka of today.
“The answer to everything is play good golf and everything will take care of itself,” Koepka said.
But answers aren’t always easy to find at TPC Sawgrass.
The trainer Ciaron Maher is appealing for jockey Jamie Spencer from the UK to take over the ride on Light Infantry Man at the Caulfield track.
Set for the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes (1800m) on Saturday, Light Infantry Man has prompted Maher to connect with Spencer on whether he can ride the gelding.
Back in the UK, Spencer was Light Infantry Man’s go-to jockey and journeyed to Australia in 2022 for the gelding’s Golden Eagle effort at Rosehill.
Post-Golden Eagle, the gelding returned to Britain, where Spencer sustained their collaboration until Light Infantry Man’s Australian return for the 2023 King Charles III Stakes at Randwick.
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That time Zac Purton rode, joined by Australian pilots like Jason Collett, Craig Williams, Mark Zahra, John Allen, Blake Shinn, James McDonald, Chad Schofield, and Ethan Brown who have since piloted the gelding here.
Only McDonald and Brown, local to Australia, have notched wins aboard Light Infantry Man, with Brown’s two Group 1 successes including the previous year’s Australian Cup (2000m) conducted at Flemington.
Brown and Zahra face suspensions, McDonald heads to Sydney for weekend mounts, leading Maher to contact Spencer about availability.
“Ethan Brown’s suspended, Mark Zahra’s suspended, so I was talking to Jamie Spencer,” Maher said.
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“I’ve still got to confirm that, but he knows the horse quite well.
“He rode the horse out here in the Golden Eagle and in a lot of Group 1 races in Europe, so it would be good if he came out, but we just need to firm that up.
“He is a quirky horse, and Ethan obviously gets on very well with him.
“He came through his first-up run in great order. He’s feeling great and doing everything right.
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“It looks a nice race for him at weight-for-age over the 1800 metres.”
Check betting sites for competitive racing odds on the Peter Young Stakes.
They could start as UNLV did in 2025. Penn State enters 2026 with plenty of intrigue and a very new roster from the one James Franklin took the field with last year. 
;)
