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.
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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.
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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:
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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.
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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:
Franklin had never been stopped before heading into the bout, including in fights with Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte, but a vicious uppercut followed by a right hook sent the American face first onto the canvas and gave Itauma a dominant victory.
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Speculation has already begun over who the 21-year-old could face in his next outing, with some fans suggesting he already has the skills to test himself against unified world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.
Instead, it is a battle against WBA Regular heavyweight champion Murat Gassiev that may be next, after Gassiev’s promoter Al Siesta posted on social media confirming they are ready for the fight.
“Amazing performance by Moses. Remember we are READY to host Itauma against our WBA Champion Murat Gassiev NEXT. London, Moscow, Dubai, ANYWHERE.”
Gassiev became WBA Regular champion thanks to a stoppage win over Kubrat Pulev in December, and as Itauma is currently ranked as the number one contender with the WBA, a clash against Gassiev has been touted for some time.
I know there’s been some conversation in the media about whether Ty Simpson can challenge Mendoza for QB1. Maybe in 2-3 years, but not by late April. This is as close to a sure thing as you’re going to get.
The Jets were incredibly busy during free agency, especially when it came to bolstering the front seven … but in a class with no QB worth taking No. 2 overall and questions about Arvell Reese’s true position, Bailey is the best option here. Is he as good as former top-five edge rushers Abdul Carter and Will Anderson Jr.? Nope, but he was dominant at times for Texas Tech in 2025 and made huge strides from his 2024 campaign at Stanford.
Is this too rich for an RB? Maybe. But there’s something to be said for supporting a young QB with as many game-changers as possible. Love would rank behind Ashton Jeanty, Jahmyr Gibbs and Bijan Robinson — but not by much. He’ll immediately add some juice to the Titans RB room, and he’s also a threat as a receiver out of the backfield.
I’ve said this before, but if the draft were the week after the Super Bowl, we wouldn’t have months to create narratives that run counter to what our collective eyeballs told us in the fall. For Reese, it’s pretty simple: he’s a rare athlete who was one of the best defenders in the country in 2025. That his pro-day bag-drill workout didn’t meet expectations shouldn’t really carry much weight. He’s a freak who is the “positionless player” prototype.
I think this is too high for Freeling, but I can’t in good faith mock Kadyn Proctor to Cleveland here, not after all the concerns about Dawand Jones’ weight that saw him fall to the fourth round. Plus, even though I consider Freeling a bottom-half-of-the-first-round talent, that doesn’t mean teams don’t view him higher. Remember the 2013 draft, when the Chiefs were “stuck” drafting OT Eric Fisher No. 1 overall? I mention that draft because some guy named Lane Johnson was OT3 in that class. The point: sometimes — a lot of times — players can exceed their pre-draft expectations.
Downs is a culture changer, though in Kansas City the culture is in pretty good shape. The secondary needs some restocking and Downs, who gives me Troy Polamalu vibes, has a chance to be truly special.
This isn’t quite worst-case scenario for Cincy, but it’s not great, either. The defense desperately needs edge-rush help. And with Bailey, Reese, Bain and even Styles off the board, Plan B would be Downs … who the Chiefs grabbed at No. 9. Woods isn’t a bad consolation prize — the D-line could use reinforcements — and the Bengals did add Boye Mafe in free agency.
Delane ran in the 4.3s at his pro day, which answered any remaining questions about his speed. He was as close to a shutdown corner as you’re going to get in 2025, and with all the secondary needs in Miami, this pick feels like a layup.
Mesidor will be a 25-year-old rookie … and I do not care, not even a little bit. If the Cowboys get five good years out of him, it’s a sound investment. Plus, Mesidor has the size and versatility to line up at several spots along the defensive line.
Almost everyone agrees that Tate is WR1, but in talking to scouts at the Ohio State pro day, a recurring question was if he’s a top-10 pick. In this mock, he falls to No. 13, but lands in an ideal spot: a Sean McVay offense with Matthew Stafford somehow still in his prime.
Faulk is just scratching the surface on his abilities — he measured 6-foot-5, 276 pounds and had 34⅜-inch arms at the combine. At 21, he’s still growing into his body, but he’s flashed all the tools to be an elite pass rusher at the next level. In Tampa, he’ll fill a need at pass rusher.
Garrett Wilson has been asking for a legit No. 2, and Lemon provides that and then some. He’ll draw comparisons to Amon-Ra St. Brown because of his toughness and YAC ability.
If Penei Sewell moves to the left side, the Lions could look at, say, Spencer Fano here. But if Sewell stays at right tackle, Proctor feels like the natural successor to Taylor Decker.
Harrison Smith is a future Hall of Famer, but it appears, for now, that he’s played his last snap for the Vikings. McNeil-Warren is a long, athletic ball hawk who also excels in run support.
McCoy didn’t play a snap in 2025 after tearing his ACL the previous January, but his 2024 tape is some of the best in the class. Jaycee Horn is elite when healthy, but Mike Jackson is in the final year of his current deal.
The Cowboys get an edge rusher and cornerback with their first two picks. And if the defense just improves to above-average in 2026, there’s no reason the team won’t be in the mix for the division title. Hood excels in press-man coverage and is one of the most physical CBs in the class.
If Tyson is healthy, he’s battling for WR1. In Pittsburgh, he’ll take the Steelers WR room from “DK and everybody else” to “three dudes,” which is great news for Aaron Rodgers, Will Howard or whomever else might be under center in the Steel City.
The Chargers have needs along the interior offensive line, but Parker is too good to pass up here. Tuli Tuipulotu is one of the best young edge rushers in football, but Khalil Mack and Bud Dupree can’t play forever.
Fano could go 10 spots higher, but this is how the board fell. And in Philly, he can be next in line after Lane Johnson retires — and in the meantime, kick inside to guard.
The Browns get an offensive tackle and a big-play WR with their two first-rounders — filling their biggest roster needs. Concepcion can play in the slot or outside, has return ability and is one of the best yards-after-catch receivers in this draft class.
If Banks is healthy, he could be a top-10 pick. At 6-foot-6 and 330 pounds with 35-inch arms, he can take over games. The problem has been his inability to consistently stay on the field. If he’s cleared medically, Banks is a first-rounder all day long. If teams have questions, he could slip to Day 2 like Jer’Zhan Newton did a few years ago.
If the right wide receiver is still on the board, the Bills could target one, even after trading for DJ Moore. But with four wideouts already gone, Buffalo bolsters its secondary with Thieneman, who made huge strides at Oregon after transferring from Purdue.
We might look back in a few years and Lomu is the best tackle in the class. In San Francisco, he’ll be ready to step in for Trent Williams when he eventually moves on.
Thomas’ arms measure shorter than 32 inches … and no one should care. We all overthought it with Nik Bonitto, a second-rounder currently playing like one of the best pass rushers in football. The Chiefs need some juice off the edge, and that’s exactly what Thomas brings to the party.
The Dolphins traded Jaylen Waddle, and they’re replacing him with a long-striding, contested-catch machine in Boston, who should make Malik Willis’ already-tough job slightly easier.
Will Campbell is the Pats’ left tackle. The team continues to protect Drake Maye with Miller, who made enormous strides last season after an inconsistent 2024.
The Steelers have 12 picks, so they package two of them — Nos. 53 and 76 — to move up to No. 32 and take Simpson. Yes, next year’s QB class is LOADED … but don’t we say that every single year, and every single year it’s never quite as loaded as we all predicted? Meanwhile, midway through the season, we talked about Simpson being in the running for QB1 until injuries changed the conversation.
The Florida Panthers captain was ruled out for the remainder of the 2025-26 season by head coach Paul Maurice on Sunday.
Barkov has been practising with the team for weeks, leading to some speculation he could return during the final stretch. Maurice shut down that speculation.
“I don’t think so. Not in this situation,” he said, per Florida Hockey Now. “If (his timeline) is six-to-eight (months) and we put him in at seven and something happens, that doesn’t make much sense. We’ll let him go straight through the entire rehab process.”
Barkov has yet to play this season after tearing his ACL and MCL on the first day of training camp in September.
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Although he may have been able to return in time for the playoffs, the two-time reigning champion Panthers sit 15 points out with just nine games remaining.
Barkov has won the Selke Trophy in each of the last two seasons as the NHL’s best defensive forward, plus captained the Panthers to titles in each of those two seasons.
Liverpool playmaker Florian Wirtz believes the struggles he encountered after making the move to Anfield have made him stronger.
The 22-year-old Germany international arrived in a £116m deal from Bayer Leverkusen as one of Europe’s hottest young talents but bedding into a team which underwent a £450m summer overhaul proved difficult.
Wirtz struggled with the physicality but a tailored strength and conditioning programme designed to make him more robust for the Premier League helped get him through.
After failing to score in his first 22 appearances, he enjoyed a run of six in 10 matches from Boxing Day, although he has since gone eight games without scoring.
Florian Wirtz has endured a mixed first season at Liverpool (Getty Images)
But his overall success is not entirely in his own hands as he has created over 70 chances in the Premier League and Champions League this season but the under-performing team has failed to capitalise.
“It wasn’t an easy phase,” Wirtz, speaking about his first few months in England, told German television show Sportschau.
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“It’s sometimes good that things don’t always go upwards and that you experience a dip and grow stronger because of it.
“That’s how I see it now as well – it has made me a bit stronger. I had to overcome resistance and adapt. I had to learn to become stronger and hold onto the ball.”
While his domestic form may have dipped again, he showed his quality in Germany’s 4-3 win over Switzerland on Friday – with two goals and two assists – and he credited national team boss Julian Nagelsmann with helping him during his tough transitional phase.
“The coach always supported me during the difficult phase after my move to Liverpool and always had an open ear for me,” he added.
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“He gave me tips and reassured me. That has brought us closer together.”
The 41-year-old, who leads the PGA Tour in driving distance and clubhead speed, was dialed at Memorial Park Sunday, leading the field in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee in the final round on his way to a five-shot victory.
Woodland plays one of the coolest driver setups on the PGA Tour, opting for Cobra’s prototype OPTM Max LS-K driver, something Cobra Tour Rep Ben Schomin described as a “working prototype” earlier this season. It’s essentially a lower-spin, fade-biased version of Cobra’s retail Max K driver that was specifically built with Woodland in mind when he started playing Cobra’s DS-ADAPT Max-K driver last season.
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LOW loft. Heavy shaft. Back weighted.
They don’t make many drivers like Gary Woodland’s. He explains how he found his current gamer. pic.twitter.com/KGSTivFfR7
“This is my 18th year on Tour and the drivers that I’ve played when I’ve driven the golf ball well have been back-weighted,” Woodland told GOLF in February, referring to the deeper CG of drivers designed for game-improvement players. “Everyone wants front weight to get the spin down and distance. But for some reason, I’ve been back with it, and I started struggling with spin last year. I went through all the drivers, and I got to their Max K driver last year, and it was low spin for me for some reason.”
With that deep CG, Woodland prefers a lower lofted head, which is why his driver measures in at just 6.4 degrees of loft. He also pairs it with a telephone pole-like Ventus Black 8-X shaft.
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When Max Homa breifly switched into the prototype earlier this year, Schomin explained that because the LS-K is not a production model like the regular OPTM LS, X and Max-K, they can still make changes to it. The goal is to test design and performance concepts to potentially utilize in future production models.
Compared to the production Max-K, the LSK has a similar shape, but a lower and deeper CG to lower spin and produce a neutral-to-fade bias, Schomin said.
As opposed to the retail OPTM line of drivers, which have glossy crowns, the LS-K has a matte finish because it’s easier for the company to get it out on Tour. Woodland has been using the prototype since the PNC Championship in December.
He also pairs the prototype head with a lead pipe-esque Fujikura Ventus Black 8-X with VeloCore+, a shaft many players have in their 5/7-woods, but Woodland loves a heavy driver shaft at a shorter length to pair with his smoother tempo.
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Gary Woodland’s winning driver at the 2026 Texas Children’s Houston Open
If you’ve never set foot on the hallowed grounds of Augusta National, the occasion can feel momentous. Not only is Augusta one of the most famous and revered courses in the world, but the Masters is also a social event unlike any other — a place to see and be seen, with golf in between.
For those lucky enough to attend the tournament, one inquiry often looms large: What should I wear? It’s an important question that deserves some thoughtful consideration.
Attending in a patron capacity is a little different than attending as a member of the media. When you’re working, you need to be both comfortable and professional, right? Luckily, golf and athleisure apparel have come such a long way that it’s possible to tick those boxes with some style too. At the Masters, I like to go a little bit dressier than other events.
It’s been a while since I’ve attended the Masters in person, though, so I tapped my colleague Maddi MacClurg to weigh in with some guidance. Below, you can read our thoughts on the best approach to dressing for the Masters, as well as check out some links to items that would be right at home on the fairways of Augusta.
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Top recommendations for putting together a Masters-ready ensemble
Maddi MacClurg’s dos and don’ts
Do: Dress in layers. The weather at Augusta National can turn on a dime — cool morning breezes can give way to scorching midday heat, or even an afternoon shower. It’s common for patrons to experience multiple seasons in a single day — especially if you’re arriving early to secure your Masters Gnome. So, it pays to be ready to bundle up or shed a layer at a moment’s notice.
Don’t be afraid to dress to impress. The Masters is as much a style showcase as it is a major golf event, with plenty of patrons treating every day as an opportunity to break out their Sunday best. While there’s no dress code requiring you to dress up, leaning into sharp, spring-ready looks is part of the fun.
To go green or not?
Maddi: Absolutely! Green is the signature color of the Masters, so it’s a natural choice. But don’t be afraid to add pops of Augusta National’s other iconic hues, like yellow and pink. Pastels also work, and will help you nail the spring vibes.
Jessica: I agree, Maddi. It’s really fun to lean into the green, and lots of brands are aware of this and create special Masters-inspired apparel collections to make it easy.
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Which pieces are you eyeing for this year’s edition?
Maddi: Right now, I’m all about finding unique, playful accessories. A standout bag, a printed headband, or even a slinky, on-theme scarf can elevate an already great outfit — especially if you love a monochrome look as I do. Visors have also become a new favorite of mine. Not only do they keep the sun off your face, but the right one can feel incredibly chic — like the perfect finishing touch that pulls your whole outfit together.
Jessica: Golf brands specialize in making apparel that looks great and functions well on the course, so if you go this route, there’s no doubt you’ll be comfortable. But it’s ok to source your clothes from outside the golf world, too. At last week’s Ford Championship, one of my media friends at the LPGA tipped me off to this dress from Anthropologie, which she’s planning to wear on-site at Augusta. She said it’s a favorite of a player’s agent, too, and easy to see why: structured, comfortable and polished. Here are some other looks I’m currently loving:
The Somerset Maxi Dress
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I was pleasantly surprised to find that this dress is a popular silhouette with several different print options. I love the sleeves, the length and the cinched waist.
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Puma golf dress
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Puma Women’s 30904 Sleeveless Pique Golf Dress
This one’s for the sporty girlies! Easy to wear and super comfortable with a fun green stripe.
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Johnnie-O sweater
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Johnnie-O Bridget Garment Dyed Crewneck Sweater
You’ll find all shades of green onsite at Augusta, and I love the hue and texture of this sweater.
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Golf dress
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Addison Bay Smooth Sport Fairway Active Dress
This dress is a super-cute green-and-white look, and the print is also available in separates and a matching windbreaker.
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Rugby sweater polo
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G/FORE Rugby Merino Wool Sweater Polo
Rugby stripes are trending, and I love the contrast stripe collar on this cool sweater from G/FORE.
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Goldie dress
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This dress has a winning retro vibe and is available in a number of other solid colors.
Shoe guidance
Jessica: Sandals are cute, but they have the potential to not only hurt your feet but also get incredibly dirty — especially if it rains. Open-toe styles can be especially dangerous. Even if you opt to wear a dress or skirt, I think stylish sneakers are the answer.
Maddi: If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it a dozen times — and for good reason. Augusta National’s rolling terrain is more demanding than it looks, and the wrong footwear can leave you dealing with blisters before the afternoon groups even tee off. Plan to wear comfortable shoes that you don’t mind getting dirty from the course elements.
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Here are a few shoes I’m loving for the Masters:
Veja sneakers
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Veja Exclusive Volley Sneakers
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These shoes are the embodiment of Augusta National’s Azaleas, with their pops of green and pink. The vintage-inspired wingtip detailing is a nod to an earlier era of the game, when legends like Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson and Lee Trevino teed it up in classic brogue-style spikes.
Espadrilles
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TOMS Valencia Platform Espadrille (Women)
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Espadrilles of any kind will always complement a light linen or cotton outfit for a sunny, spring day on the course. That said, if you’re planning to trek all over the course, you may be better off opting for a slip-on or Mary Jane style like this one for added comfort and ease.
Adidas golf shoes
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Adidas Gazelle Spikeless Golf Shoes
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Whether you’re walking 18 or strolling across the clubhouse terrace with an Azalea in hand, these spikeless, sneaker-style golf shoes are a perfect on-course companion. Comfortable and practical, their extra traction comes in handy on slick grass—and with plenty of cute colorways, you can show off your personal style.
Cole Haan loafers
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Cole Haan Women’s Danby Travel Loafers
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Loafers are always a classic at the Masters — and for good reason. They strike that perfect balance between polished and practical. Whether you opt for a sleek leather pair or something with a bit more personality, loafers will easily elevate any outfit while still being able to keep up with you as you wander the grounds at Augusta National.
The first half-week of the Major League Baseball season is always such a mixed bag. We know we aren’t supposed to get all emotional or draw wide-sweeping conclusions based on such a small sample of games, yet we sat around and waited all winter for meaningful MLB action. Deep down inside, we can’t help ourselves.
As an example, most readers know I’m a Cubs fan. I will admit that while my head knew that the Opening Day loss wasn’t the biggest deal in the world, I was pretty bummed and even a bit angry about my favorite team getting pounded by what is likely one of the worst teams in baseball. I’m pretty livid about the series loss. Hey, we’re all human.
Still, here in the Power Rankings, the key is to keep our wits about us. I often say in the early going that we need to react without overreacting. With only a half week of action, there’s hardly anything to react to at all. Let’s look back at last year for some examples of how reacting could lead us astray.
The three teams with winning records above all missed the playoffs, while the teams that looked terrible ended up in the postseason. Of course, the Dodgers were 5-0 and that 0-4 Braves start was the beginning of a disaster of a season.
How do we know what is real and what was a mirage? We don’t, really. We can judge teams based on confirmation bias (I knew the Dodgers were gonna be unbeatable!), but that’s about it so far.
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Are the Braves and Orioles having bounceback seasons after falling apart last year? Are the Rangers for real? How about the Marlins?!?! The Brewers look great again, but was that just a lack of competition? The Yankees looked amazing, but do the Giants actually just suck? Are the Phillies taking a step back? How about the Blue Jays sweeping the Athletics; did that tell us anything?
We just don’t know yet and that’s part of the fun.
I do know one thing for sure: I missed this. I’m excited for the grind that is our marathon of a regular season. We’ll see plenty of surprises through the course of the season. The most unsurprising thing will be the Dodgers winning the NL West with ease. Again. But we’ll see plenty of other fun things. I promise. We’re back, baby!
Pete Crow-Armstrong last season had three bunt hits. So far this season, he already has two. It’s a nice wrinkle for a player who hit 31 homers last year and can fly.
I had concerns heading into the season that the offense would be far too reliant on the top three hitters, as awesome as they are, and nothing in the first three games has alleviated those concerns.
Obviously winning matters, but the Pirates weren’t really all that far from sweeping the Mets. Make Oneil Cruz catch two flies in the opener and then make better pitches in extras in game two. (Of course, they were awfully close to getting swept too).
Really good sign from Randy Vásquez to work six scoreless innings with eight strikeouts. The Padres’ rotation is worrisome, but a big step forward here could work wonders.
I’ve spoken with relievers before who have lamented that a bad outing early in the season can ruin their numbers for weeks or even months. Ian Seymour gave up five runs without getting an out on Opening Day. That’s gonna leave a mark.
It took 20 innings, but the Giants finally scored their first run of 2026 on Saturday. Maybe their manager should’ve given more “fire and brimstone” speeches. I hear those definitely help with big leaguers.
Zac Gallen’s problem innings last season were the first, second and fourth. He threw four scoreless innings against the Dodgers on Opening Day! And then he fell apart in the fifth. Back to the drawing board.
The appeal hearing involving Senegalese supporters detained in Morocco has been delayed once more, with the court fixing April 13 as the new date for proceedings.
The case was expected to continue as scheduled, but the presiding judge ordered an adjournment, causing another setback in the trial.
The supporters have been held in custody since January following incidents of disorder during the final match between Morocco and Senegal.
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Efforts by the Government of Senegal, which put together a legal team to defend the fans, have yet to yield progress, as the case continues to face repeated delays, raising concerns about how long the supporters have remained in detention.
Dmitry Bivol has finally had his long-awaited return to the ring confirmed.
The 35-year-old was last in action over 12 months ago when he went up against countryman Artur Beterbiev in their undisputed light heavyweight showdown back in February 2025.
It was a rematch of their clash the past October which Beterbiev had won by majority decision, but Bivol was able to gain revenge in the second meeting to dethrone his rival by the exact same outcome and become undisputed champion.
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Since then, Bivol had to relinquish his WBC title which is now held by David Benavidez, but the Russian still remains in possession of the WBA, IBF and WBO belts, and is now set to compete against his mandatory challenger Michael Eifert.
Bivol had to undergo back surgery which delayed his return, and after several extensions for purse bid negotiations were granted for the bout against Eifert, a date and location has been revealed.
It was initially expected that the fight would be part of the Oleksandr Usyk vs. Rico Verhoeven card in Egypt on May 23, but that won’t be the case, after it was announced that Bivol will face Eifert in Yekaterinburg, Russia on May 30.
Eifert has won 13 of his 14 professional contests, with his most notable win coming against Jean Pascal in March 2023. He has fought only once since then, a victory over Carlos Jiminez in August 2024, meaning the German has been more inactive than Bivol.
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Unified champion Bivol will be a big favourite in the bout, and if successful against Eifert, he has recently stated his desire to face Beterbiev in a trilogy contest next, before a potential fight against former rival Canelo Alvarez, or even a move up to cruiserweight.
The Columbus Blue Jackets have missed the playoffs in five straight seasons. They looked like contending for a wild card spot last year, but eventually fell two points shy of clinching it. They were hoping to equal that points tally from last season and solidify their playoff chances this year against the Boston Bruins on Sunday.
But the Blue Jackets surrendered in what looked like a routine win. Having gone up 3-0 in the first period, the Bruins mounted a spirited comeback in the third before winning the game 4-3 in a shootout. They leapfrogged the Blue Jackets into the top Eastern Conference wild card spot and left Columbus at 87 points.
Blue Jackets head coach Rick Bowness didn’t mince any words following his team’s fourth loss in five games (1-3-1). He called out to his players to develop a playoff mindset, as many on the roster have yet to taste playoff success in their NHL careers.
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“We got away from being aggressive, and I thought we got very selfish with the puck,” Bowness said. “Some of these guys, they’ve got a lot to learn about how to play in this league at this time of year.
“It gets harder and harder and harder, and we’re going to keep reminding them and reminding them every day how hard it is to win at this time of the year, and you just can’t get away. I hate it when we play on our heels, and we were back a little bit. Give them credit. They started coming, but there’s a lot to be learned from some of these guys, and they better damn well start listening.”
Bowness’ frustrations stem from the fact that the Blue Jackets dropped their game on Saturday against the San Jose Sharks in a similar fashion. They held a 2-1 lead after the second intermission, but let the Sharks come back into the game and eventually take a 3-2 win with a winner at 18:35 in the third.
Blue Jackets players express their disappointment after surrendering 3-0 lead
Captain Boone Jenner stated during the postgame interviews that is imperative that the Blue Jackets leave the loss behind them and look to consolidate their footing in the final eight games left in the regular season.
“It’s a tough loss, obviously, and we know what’s at stake,” Jenner said. “We are where we are right now. We can’t change the games where we didn’t get points, right? We have eight huge games here the rest of the way. We have to learn from tonight and we need to get better in order to get some more wins down the stretch.”
Jenner was guilty of taking a tripping penalty with 42 seconds left in the game, which led to Pavel Zacha’s second and game-tying goal. Leading up to the goal, the Blue Jackets tried to dump out the puck, with the nervousness showing in front of the home crowd. With eight games left, that is one emotion that needs to take a back seat.
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“There was a reason we were up 3-0,” Coyle said, “and it’s because we were doing the right things and playing the right way. We’ve got to stick to it. And we had the talk in between period, like, ‘Let’s stay on it.’
“They’re a good team. They’re going to push and play well and press a little bit, but it’s up to us, no matter what happens, to just stay on it. We can’t be turning pucks over like that and giving them easy transition.”
Columbus has played eight times in the last 13 days. They will get a rest day on Monday before they are off to face the division leaders, Carolina Hurricanes.
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