It’s official — more than official. The Minnesota Vikings formally hired Nolan Teasley on Monday to replace Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, who was fired four months ago, and on Tuesday, the franchise trotted him in front of Twin Cities media.

Teasley gave an introductory speech and answered questions. Here’s what we learned from the event, as training camp looms about eight weeks away.

Teasley Steps into a Win-Now Vikings Operation

1. Teasley Is Ready to Win Now; There Is No Rebuild

One reporter asked about the state of the roster, whether it was time to contemplate a rebuild or win now. Teasley, without hesitation, affirmed the goal is to win a Super Bowl in 2026, not operate under the guise of a rebuild.

“We’re going to build the deepest, most competitive roster possible so that we can be at our best in December and January and February, and ultimately working toward winning the Super Bowl that this fan base deserves,” he added.

Most fans assumed a rebuild was not afoot — the Vikings never tear it down to the studs and start over — and 2026 is no different. With Kyler Murray and Justin Jefferson on the roster, it’s go-time for Minnesota to win its first Super Bowl in 65 years of existence.

Teasley is not in town to start over.

2. Has Final Say of 53-Man Roster

While Minnesota has a unique power dynamic among Kevin O’Connell, Rob Brzezinski, and Teasley, the buck stops with Teasley.

Pressed by SKOR North‘s Judd Zulgad to clearly define the leadership hierarchy, Wilf said, “He’s the general manager of the organization. He has final say on the roster, of the 53-man roster, but in the end, he’s going to lean heavily — and he’ll say it himself — on our head coach, obviously, and people like Rob Brzezinski in the building that have deep experience and skillsets that are complementary.”

“So I think we have it all put together in a great way. And I’m confident that this is a great move for the organization, a great move for the Minnesota Vikings.”

Many believe the Vikings’ structure will be more custom than most, with O’Connell and Brzezinski having considerable input on the roster.

“Nolan, the General Manager, reports to ownership as well as the head coach,” Wilf stated.

You can wonder about a “triangle of power” until you’re blue in the face, but Teasley is the organization’s point guard.

3. Everyone Loves Kevin O’Connell

Throughout the 20-30 minute conversation, O’Connell’s name came up about a half-dozen times. Wilf and Teasley separately gushed about him, claiming he was the right man for the job.

Wilf even acknowledged that O’Connell was a part of the process in hiring Teasley: “We appreciate Kevin being part of the process in selecting a general manager. We haven’t had that type of iteration here, and I think that was a big part of it, their dialogue and communication.”

Teasley also said he checked with his former Seahawks coworkers who now work in Minnesota, and every one of them spoke glowingly of O’Connell, making Teasley’s decision to accept the job a no-brainer.

4. Wilfs’ Reiteration of Shared Leadership

Wilf, while introducing Teasley and answering questions, repeatedly name-dropped O’Connell and, when pressed about the leadership structure, replied, “Rob is part of the football operations, a football organization that’s under Nolan. So again, in the end, that’s the structure. That’s the way it is. If it comes to structure, we’ve got a problem, OK?”

“The end result is making sure leaders collaborate, work together, and kudos to Rob and the effort he led this past few months. Right now, we have Nolan, and I think that’s an incredible piece to our puzzle. Like I said, Nolan’s leading our football operations at GM reports ownership, and obviously Coach O’Connell reports to ownership as well.”

Teasley won’t work alone.

5. Don’t Expect to Learn Much from Teasley’s Words

On Adofo-Mensah’s watch, the former boss was actually quite revealing at times, telling reporters and fans his plan for the team. Some might argue he could be too forthcoming at times.

Teasley is not like that. Reporters asked him deep questions requiring elaborate responses, and in most cases, Teasley answered in two sentences with canned lingo one might use while running for the United States Senate.

Unless he suddenly changes his personality, Teasley won’t divulge much to reporters; his actions will do the talking. He’s not a “here’s what I will do” kind of guy.

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker

The Minnesota Vikings don’t start training camp until the end of July, and until then, NFL-focused media outlets are making bold predictions about the purple team and its peers.

SI.com‘s Conor Orr publishes such prognostications every summer, and this go-around for Minnesota, he picked Carson Wentz to start more games than J.J. McCarthy and Minnesota to exceed its Vegas win total of 8.5.

McCarthy Pressure Builds around Minnesota’s Summer Plan

Orr’s Two Predictions

Orr began at quarterback, writing, “J.J. McCarthy will start fewer games than Carson Wentz. All three Vikings quarterbacks — Wentz, McCarthy and Kyler Murray — will play at some point this season. Murray will get the lion’s share of snaps while Wentz steps in during a critical two-game late-season stretch to keep Minnesota’s playoff hopes alive.”

And for the win forecast, he opined, “The Vikings will surpass their current projected Vegas win total. Topping 8.5 wins feels manageable for a team that finished last year with nine wins despite a markedly worse quarterback situation. In fact, I’m bold enough to say that this team will have four wins by its Week 6 bye.”

It’s a pair of bittersweet, perhaps contrasting, theories.

An Awful Look for McCarthy

If McCarthy plays fewer games than Wentz, something will have gone really, really wrong. Foremost, it could be that the Vikings elevated Wentz to the QB2 job, which would be an utterly terrible look for McCarthy’s career trajectory — if he can’t win a backup quarterback job over a guy who’s a few years from retirement.

Or — the prediction could insinuate that McCarthy gets hurt again after suffering a torn meniscus, high ankle sprain, concussion, and broken hand through two NFL seasons. McCarthy has missed 73% of Vikings games due to injury.

Even if Murray establishes himself as Minnesota’s QB1 in 2026, McCarthy’s endgame cannot be Wentz playing more snaps. It would put McCarthy on borrowed time in Minnesota.

Nine Wins or More Checks Out

On the other hand, Orr’s second bold prediction is a little ironic and bittersweet. He expects the Vikings to win nine games or more — they finished 9-8 last year despite showcasing the NFL’s fifth-worst quarterback production per EPA/Play — while oddsmakers believe Minnesota will finish 8-9 or 9-8.

Having Wentz play more games than McCarthy but the Vikings still finishing with a winning record would either be a re-run of 2025 or feature a Minnesota club that is playoff-bound. Fans would prefer the latter.

Also, the Vikings boast one of the NFL’s top defenses, led by Brian Flores, who has marshaled a Top 3 defense since he arrived in Minneapolis three years ago. The working theory suggests that if that trend continues while Murray, McCarthy, or Wentz deliver average-or-better quarterback efficiency, the sky is the limit.

Orr basically thinks the Vikings will be good, and very little McCarthy will be needed.

Essentially Sports‘ Luke Hubbard predicted the Vikings to finish with a 7-10 record last week and opined, “I don’t not like the Minnesota Vikings’ roster, but I don’t love it either. It all starts at quarterback. As fun as Kyler Murray could be, there’s a reason Arizona let him go.”

“He’s dealt with a ton of injuries, and when he’s been on the field, he hasn’t been all that great. And we all know J.J. McCarthy isn’t the answer. If they had a quarterback, they would feel like a bubble team, but without above-average quarterback play, they’ll miss the playoffs by quite a few games.”

Other Bold Stuff from Orr

Orr, sadly, also picked the Detroit Lions to win the NFC North. He explained, “One of the most underrated aspects of a team’s schedule, in my opinion, is the runway with which to build momentum. That momentum overpowers the basic fact that many of those wins were against opponents that the team should have beaten. Those wins create a false confidence those teams carry with them into more neutral matchups or matchups in which a team should be considered an underdog.”

“I love the beginning of the Lions’ slate, even if Detroit has all of its road divisional games over the final weeks of the season. My thought: If the Lions can bank four wins from their opening stretch against the Saints, Bills, Jets, Panthers and Cardinals, they will be in a much better position to lose ground later in the season in Green Bay or Chicago.”

Sportsbooks agree, with the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears fighting for second place in the division, but the Vikings stuck in last.

Vikings training camp, the next major step in the summer, is about eight weeks away.

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker

Having revealed several superstitions in his on-court interview – thanking the crowd in French, maintaining the same racquet tension no matter the conditions and keeping the same post-match routine – Cobolli was asked about them in his press conference.

“I’m a little bit [superstitious] but not crazy – this week I’m a little bit more crazy than the others,” he said. “I just go to the same restaurant, the same menu, the same shower.”

Cobolli then recalled a moment at a previous French Open when he was using the shower and Nadal knocked on the door asking him to hurry up because he was waiting to use that particular cubicle.

“He told me that it was his shower since 14 years,” continued Cobolli. “So I think the best thing that I’m doing is the shower.”

Cobolli recovered from losing the first set to beat Auger-Aliassime 4-6 6-4 6-4 6-4 and he will make his top-10 debut on Monday if Jakub Mensik, who faces Alexander Zverev in the other semi-final, fails to win the title in Paris.

Arnaldi’s win in Wednesday’s night session means an Italian finalist is guaranteed, even after the shock second-round exit of overwhelming favourite Jannik Sinner and Lorenzo Musetti being ruled out of the tournament because of injury.

Game 1 heroes Justin Brownlee and RJ Abarrientos during Game 1 of the 2026 PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals between Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings and TNT Tropang 5G. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

Many see a different RJ Abarrientos in his return to the PBA Finals—a huge contrast from his two previous trips, when he was a rookie who often kept second-guessing things.

This time, Abarrientos looks more like a confident and secure sophomore who has emerged as arguably the team’s main man and, without doubt, one of the best in his position in the league.

Abarrientos finished with 24 points and seven rebounds to help the Gin Kings to a 102-100 victory over TNT on Wednesday in Game 1 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

But even he had a mature outlook on his late-game heroics, where he knocked down two huge four-point shots that paved the way for Justin Brownlee’s game-winner.

“Those two four-point shots that I made are not sustainable, so we need to be better,” Abarrientos said, while also admitting that he has a lot of things to tidy up if he and his teammates want to double their series edge in Game 2 on Friday.

On top of those things is his defense.

“Coach Tim (Cone) got mad at me,” Abarrientos said, noting how TNT erased an 18-point Ginebra lead and even went ahead courtesy of Rey Nambatac, the Finals Most Valuable Player from last season’s Commissioner’s Cup Finals.

“My defense against Nambatac, especially in this Finals, is unacceptable. So I need to be better and I have to embrace that,” Abarrientos said.

Abarrientos hit two four-pointers late—the first gave Ginebra a one-point lead and the second put the Kings ahead, 100-97, with 20 seconds remaining.

“He hit some huge shots, we were down both times and got the leads on both shots, which were gigantic,” Cone said.

The Tropang 5G again tied the game courtesy of a Roger Pogoy triple but Brownlee secured the win for the Gin Kings, hitting a jumper with six-tenths of a second remaining.

The midseason conference has become Abarrientos’ breakout campaign, one where the team and its faithful legion watched him knocking down big shot after big shot from Ginebra’s opening assignment all the way through the hard-fought semifinal series with Rain or Shine.

He is the league’s top local scorer at 21.4 points per game, hitting 49-percent of his shots, on top of 3.7 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.3 steals through 19 games of the second conference.

His rise in the ongoing conference has also made Abarrientos the front-runner for the Best Player of the Conference award, which could only be a mere formality given that other candidates from the early part of the tournament, NLEX’s Robert Bolick and San Miguel Beer’s June Mar Fajardo, were eliminated in the quarterfinals.

Summer is here, sort of, and it is everyone’s favorite time of the year, scouting time. Every year, we do Summer Scouting to preview college football for Vikings fans, but also give them an idea of names to follow and watch in the fall as needs pop up for Minnesota.

Are we going to write about quarterbacks? Offensive tackles? Edge rushers? You know it, but why? Because other NFL teams will draft them, just as they will draft every other position. It all matters whether these players end up on the Vikings, the Bears, or the Steelers. We write these so Vikings fans can be the most informed fans.

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So if you are still with us, enjoy our latest Summer Scouting report as we prepare you for the Fall.

Film

Background Info

• 3-Star prospect according to 247 Sports

• Top 3 rusher in Tennessee high school football history in yards and touchdowns

• All-State honors in high school

• Second-team All-SEC in 2025

Notable career stats heading into 2026

• Received 44.9% of the carries out of the backfield in 2025

Notable numbers from PFF heading into 2026

• 3.68 Yards per carry after contact

Strengths

• Shows quickness at the line

• Explosiveness getting to the second level of the defense

• Vision to find running lanes

• Speed to cut outside and turn up the field

• Doesn’t shy away from contact

Player Summary

DeSean Bishop has some potential to be something based on the traits he flashed on film. The quickness is there, he is explosive as a runner getting to the second level. On top of it all, for someone with his speed, he showcases some serious power in his style, where he isn’t afraid to meet defenders in space. He has a chance to really showcase some new skills as the Vols have a change at quarterback, so they will need the run game to bring him along slowly.

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This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: 2027 NFL Draft Summer Scouting Report on Tennessee’s DeSean Bishop

Rising U.S. Men’s National Team goalkeeper Diego Kochen is set to leave Barcelona on loan this summer, according to reports. 

The 20-year-old shot-stopper is set for the next stage of his development with more playing time, and Danish side Lyngby Boldklub are currently the favorites to temporarily add the American goalkeeper.

What Happened

Kochen is highly rated at Barcelona and spent much of last season rotating between Barcelona’s first team and the reserves. While he did not see the field for the senior team, he did serve as the team’s third goalkeeper behind Joan Garcia and Wojciech Szczesny, meaning he was part of 40 matchday squads for the Spanish giants.

Meanwhile, he featured in 20 games for Barça Athletic in the fourth tier of Spanish soccer last season. He has made one first team appearance, albeit in a friendly game against Club América back in 2023.

According to ESPN, though, the club is open to letting Kochen leave on loan this summer to earn the playing time needed to further his development.

Kochen’s US Men’s National Team Hopes

Kochen has been a regular for the U.S. on the youth level and has played for the U-16, 17, 19, 20, and 23 teams. The goalkeeper is eligible for Venezuela and Peru, but Kochen has solely been focused on playing for the USA.

He’s gotten close. Kochen was called into the USA camp twice in 2024 and is spending this summer with the senior team as a training goalkeeper alongside Philadelphia Union rising star Andrew Rick, allowing the two youngsters an up-close look at the World Cup experience.

A Potential Landing Spot

While Kochen’s future is not fully decided, Lyngby Boldklub are the reported favorites to sign him on loan this summer.

The club was promoted to the Danish Superliga after this most recent season. They are reportedly open to taking Kochen in on a season-long loan, while Kochen himself is also open to the opportunity. Kochen’s contract with Barcelona runs through 2028.

What Comes Next?

Kochen will remain with the U.S. throughout the team’s World Cup run, although he is not a member of the official roster and, as a result, is ineligible to play. 

After a win over Senegal this past weekend, the U.S. will face Germany this weekend before facing Paraguay, Australia, and Turkey in the group stage of the World Cup.

2026 FIFA World Cup: How To Watch

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will run from June 11–July 19, 2026. Spread across three countries, the tournament will culminate with the final on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. All 104 tournament matches will air live across FOX (70) and FS1 (34) with every match streaming live and on-demand within both the FOX One and the FOX Sports app. A record 40 matches, more than one-third of the tournament, will air in prime time across FOX (21) and FS1 (19).

The opening match on June 11 between Mexico and South Africa (3 p.m. ET) will stream for free on Tubi, as well as the USA’s opening match against Paraguay on June 12 (9 p.m. ET).

Kyler Murray left the Arizona Cardinals in March — they kicked him out — and now that franchise is embroiled in a contractual standoff with Jacoby Brissett, a man viewed by most as a decent backup quarterback in the NFL.

The Cardinals are no stranger to messy operations, but even this situation feels bizarre by their standards.

Cardinals QB Room Gets Stranger

Brissett Holds Out

ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss wrote late last month, “After months of negotiating, quarterback Jacoby Brissett and the Cardinals are still not close to reaching an agreement on a reworked deal for this season. A source told ESPN that the two sides are ‘significantly’ far apart. Brissett has not attended any of the Cardinals’ voluntary OTAs or the voluntary offseason program as he waits for a new contract for 2026, the second year of a two-year deal he signed in March 2025.”

“His deal currently pays him $4.88 million, with the potential to grow to $5.39 million, of which just $1.5 million is guaranteed. By comparison, Gardner Minshew II, whom Arizona signed as a free agent in March, had $5.14 million guaranteed by the team for 2026.”

Fast forward to June, and Brissett wholly skipped the first week of organized team activities (OTAs), confirming the holdout. It’s ugly in the desert.

This Would Be Like Carson Wentz Playing Hardball

To give you an example of how embarrassing this situation comes off for the Cardinals, consider a Vikings example. Pretend Carson Wentz was under contract on a two-year agreement for $6 million. All of a sudden, he tells the Vikings he wants $10 million. The Vikings’ front office and coaching staff would look at each other and say, “Who does this guy think he is? Do we even need him?”

That’s what’s happening in Arizona — except Brissett projects to be the Cardinals’ QB1 in 2026. And it’s worth noting that this is shaking out is because general manager Monti Ossenfort opted to conclude the Murray era.

Brissett is not among the league’s best quarterbacks, and for a guy who would be a backup quarterback on almost every other squad, it’s bizarre to witness a hardball holdout.

SI.com‘s Donnie Druin noted on the holdout, “Brissett, 33, is likely staring down at his last opportunity to earn more than slightly above minimum money. The Cardinals reportedly have known about Brissett’s desire for a raise through the offseason and have been willing to work with Brissett — though ESPN reported last week the two are significantly far apart in their negotiations.”

“While Brissett’s contract doesn’t reflect that of a starting quarterback, it feels as if the veteran has little leverage with two other capable passers in the room with him.”

The World Nudging ARI toward Carson Beck

The Cardinals should tread carefully before handing Brissett a fat contract. He’s 33 and hasn’t been a consistent starter in his career. The odds of him forging a Rich Gannon-like career arc are low. That hardly happens to anybody.

Arizona did, however, draft Miami’s Carson Beck in Round 3 five weeks ago. He’s hungry and waiting for his marching orders. If the Brissett standoff persists, the Cardinals should entertain telling Brissett “thanks but no thanks” while giving Beck a full audition for the QB1 job.

Most don’t expect Arizona to do much of anything in 2026, especially in a division with the Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, and San Francisco 49ers. The Cardinals can learn about Beck’s skill set and know that if he doesn’t have “it,” well, they’d be in line for a high draft pick next April, which could land Texas’s Arch Manning or Oregon’s Dante Moore.

The main takeaway? Arizona should examine Beck’s readiness, the longer Brissett continues the unorthodox holdout.

Brissett’s Career Resume

Brissett has essentially authored the blueprint for a top-tier NFL bridge quarterback. Across a ten-season career, he’s started 85 games, accumulating 14,766 yards, 76 touchdowns, and 45 interceptions, with a 61.9% completion rate. His career passer rating of 86.4 encapsulates his performance: solid, dependable, rarely erratic, and seldom spectacular.

His most statistically efficient year came with Washington in 2023, albeit in limited action, where he achieved an impressive 146.8 passer rating. His most extensive playing time was with Indianapolis and Cleveland, demonstrating his capacity to sustain an offense over prolonged periods.

Beyond his passing, Brissett has added 1,224 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns, proving his ability to convert crucial first downs. While Brissett won’t transform a struggling team into a championship contender, he also won’t be the reason for its downfall. His reliability and stability are valuable, which is precisely why teams in search of a credible, patient, and mature quarterback have kept him employed.

It’s just that he’s not the type of dude who should a team hostage via holdout.

Maybe the Cardinals should’ve kept Murray?

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker