Nov 30, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Jordan Mason (27) runs the ball during the second half against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
NFL free agency will begin in about three weeks, and after the Minnesota Vikings presumably clear a ton of cap space, the club can sign new players. In the meantime, a handful of men from the 2025 roster could, in theory, be in line to start for the 2026 Vikings.
The Vikings’ roster will change significantly in the next few months, and a few non-starters from 2025 already look positioned to climb into bigger 2026 roles.
Here’s a look at the players who could command promotions by default if no replacements are signed or drafted this offseason.
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Three Vikings Perhaps Positioned for Starting Roles in 2026
A quick peek at the 2026 depth chart.
Minnesota Vikings guard Michael Jurgens (65) stands with teammates in a pregame huddle on Sep 14, 2025, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, before kickoff against the Atlanta Falcons. The offensive lineman locks in alongside fellow starters as Minnesota prepares for a regular-season matchup at home. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images.
1. Michael Jurgens | Center
In Jurgens’s final four appearances of 2025 — when Ryan Kelly missed time — he fired up these pass-blocking grades from Pro Football Focus:
vs. GB: 71.6
vs DET: 83.7
at NYG: 14.6
at SEA: 78.2
Generally speaking, it’s unlikely for the Vikings to roll with Jurgens, a 7th-Rounder from the 2024 NFL Draft, but he did enough to stay attached to the roster for the duration of his rookie contract and be the backup center. There’s also a world where the Vikings’ coaching staff is impressed enough to give him a starting audition.
Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling wrote about Kelly, the starting center for 2026, at least on paper, last week: “The Vikings would save $8.75 million by releasing Kelly this spring; he has no guaranteed money left in his deal, so they could take their time if they wanted to gauge the market.”
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“Kelly’s concussion history could also lead him to consider retirement. The Vikings will likely be thinking about their future at the position even if Kelly, who turns 33 in May, decides he wants to return in 2026.”
If Kelly walks away, Minnesota must decide between Jurgens, Blake Brandel, a free agent, or a rookie from the draft. Jurgens is in the mix.
Mason also led the Vikings in rushing last season, banking 758 yards and 6 touchdowns. His 4.8 yards per carry outshone Aaron Jones’s 4.2.
While Minnesota should probably find a game-changing RB1 — they haven’t employed one since Dalvin Cook’s 2021 campaign — the club may cut ties with Aaron Jones, roll with Mason as RB1, and draft a rookie runner like Penn State’s Nick Singleton or Washington’s Jonah Coleman.
At least for a few weeks, Mason would start while the new guy gets acclimated to the NFL.
Minnesota Vikings running back Jordan Mason (27) accelerates through the line on Aug 9, 2025, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during first-quarter action against the Houston Texans. Mason lowers his pads and pushes into traffic as Minnesota evaluates its rushing attack in preseason play. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images.
The Viking Age‘s Brad Berreman opined on Mason last month, “Mason had the seventh-best rushing success rate (minimum 100 carries), he was 10th in yards after contact per attempt (3.41, also minimum 100 carries), and he had 22 rushes of 10-plus yards.
“When Aaron Jones was out early in the season (Week 3-7), Mason was the RB16 in fantasy. From there to the end of the season (Week 8-18), he was RB48 in 0.5-point PPR. From Week 10-15, before he was injured early in Week 16 and missed the following game, Mason averaged 5.3 yards per carry but had double-digit carries just twice in that span. Then he finished the season with 94 yards on 14 carries in Week 18.”
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Mason will carry a $5.8 million cap number into 2026 — more than reasonable.
Berreman continued, “The Vikings may move on from the 31-year-old Jones this offseason. That would open up more carries for Mason next season, which, even during his downturn in workload this season, he proved deserving of based on how efficient he was. If Jones is gone and a notable addition is made in free agency or the draft, that would be a huge fly in the Mason fantasy breakout ointment for next season.”
“But if he can get to 200 carries, leaving aside his lack of a role in the passing game, there could be significant value in what’s lined up to be a depressed Average Draft Position (ADP) come July and August.”
3. Jay Ward | Safety
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Turning 26 this summer, Ward’s contract situation comes at an ideal time for the Vikings. Entering the final year of his rookie deal after being drafted in 2023, Minnesota faces a decision: whether to consider a second contract now, before Ward gains the upper hand and his price tag potentially rises.
His on-field performance already warrants consideration. Last season, Ward excelled when given significant snaps, playing with an undeniable edge, delivering mean hits, and injecting the youthful energy that the defense needed.
Late in 2025, defensive coordinator Brian Flores increasingly relied on Ward, even favoring him over Theo Jackson in crucial situations — a clear indication of internal trust, which Ward validated by consistently delivering.
He banked a 70.9 Pro Football Focus grade last year while playing about 250 snaps. That’s a building block for 2026.
CommBank Stadium will play host to Monday’s
Round 5 NRL game between Parramatta Eels and
Wests Tigers. The game kicks off at 4:05 pm with Parramatta Eels heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Parramatta Eels vs.
Wests Tigers
game and give you our free tips and bets.
Wests enter as underdogs but bring a level of unpredictability that could challenge their opponents. Their attacking approach has shown promise, while defensive consistency remains a focus. Their opposition will look to assert control early and limit opportunities. Expect a competitive contest, with intensity high across the middle. For Wests, this presents a chance to challenge expectations and deliver a strong performance.
Parramatta Eels vs Wests Tigers Teams
Eels team: 1. Joash Papali’i 2. Bailey Simonsson 3. Brian Kelly 4. Sean Russell 5. Josh Addo-Carr 6. Jonah Pezet 7. Mitchell Moses 8. Jack Williams 9. Ryley Smith 10. Junior Paulo 11. Kelma Tuilagi 12. Kitione Kautoga 13. Dylan Walker 14. Tallyn Da Silva 15. Sam Tuivaiti 16. Charlie Guymer 17. Luca Moretti 18. Jack de Belin 19. Apa Twidle 20. Ronald Volkman 21. Teancum Brown 22. Araz Nanva
Tigers team: 1. Jahream Bula 2. Faaletino Tavana 3. Sunia Turuva 4. Heamasi Makasini 5. Luke Laulilii 6. Jock Madden 7. Adam Doueihi 8. Terrell May 9. Apisai Koroisau 10. Fonua Pole 11. Samuela Fainu 12. Kai Pearce-Paul 13. Alex Twal 14. Latu Fainu 15. Sione Fainu 16. Royce Hunt 17. Alex Seyfarth 18. Bunty Afoa 19. Jeral Skelton 20. Tristan Hope 21. Tony Sukkar 22. Patrick Herbert
Tiger Woods reportedly called Donald Trump shortly before the legendary golfer was arrested for DUI.
Woods was involved in a car accident in Jupiter, Fla. on Friday. In footage shared earlier this week, Woods told officers that he was briefly distracted by his phone before he clipped the trailer of a vehicle in front of him. Several pills were discovered in his pocket. Woods was arrested and charged with misdemeanor DUI and refusal to submit to a lawful test. He pleaded not guilty to the charges on Tuesday.
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TMZ shared police bodycam footage from the scene on Thursday that showed Woods talking into his cell phone away from officers. “Thank you so much. All right. You got it. Bye,” Woods said into his phone as an officer approached.
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Walking back toward the crash with an officer, Woods said he was “just talking to the president.” Trump commented on the crash shortly after it happened, speaking to reporters outside of Air Force One. The president called Woods “a very close friend of mine.”
“I feel so bad. He’s got some difficulty — there was an accident, and that’s all I know,” Trump said. “He’s an amazing person, an amazing man. But some difficulty. I don’t want to talk about it.”
Woods is dating Trump’s former daughter-in-law, Vanessa Trump. Vanessa Trump has five children with Donald Trump, Jr., to whom she was married from 2005 to 2018.
Shakur Stevenson has soared up the pound-for-pound rankings in recent months, but despite his usual confidence, the Newark southpaw has admitted that he is not the best fighter on the planet at present.
Throughout last year, the debate for the best active boxer raged on and was left undecided, with fans unsure which of Terence Crawford, Oleksandr Usyk or Naoya Inoue deserved to be recognised as the pound-for-pound king.
However, with Crawford now retired, Usyk being 39-years-old and Inoue taking on his toughest test yet, there may soon be a time where a new contender can break through that threshold and be considered for top spot.
Now, Stevenson is seeking further success, expected to reign in the super-lightweight scene for years to come and hoping to become the undisputed champion of the division.
Yet, despite his recent plaudits, Stevenson recognises that he is not yet worthy of being named as the best boxer on the globe. Instead, on X, he stated that Usyk deserves the number one position in the pound-for-pound ratings.
“You’re one of my fav fighters in the sport right now champ the number 1 spot belongs to you @usykaa. My time is coming.”
Stevenson has also been linked to a move up to the welterweight scene and a possible clash with Ryan Garcia, where he could become the second-youngest quintuple champion in boxing history after Oscar De La Hoya.
Yuvraj Singh shone bright in the Indian cricket team at a time when the side had several giants. From Sachin Tendulkar to Virender Sehwag, MS Dhoni to Zaheer Khan, the first decade-and-a-half of this millennium saw some of the biggest names in Indian cricket play together. In the midst of this, Yuvraj Singh was one of the chief architects of India’s two biggest triumphs – the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 ODI World Cup.
It was also a period when MS Dhoni led the side with great alacrity. This meant that Yuvraj Singh never got the chance to lead the team on a long-term basis.
After Yuvraj’s playing career ended, his father, Yograj Singh, was quite vocal about MS Dhoni’s role in Yuvraj not getting the captaincy.
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In a Sports Tak podcast, whose teaser was released on Thursday, Yuvraj Singh said: “I would like to apologise to Kapil Dev and MS Dhoni.”
He was also asked: “Do you feel bad when you listen to the interviews?” Yograj Singh’s photo appears when the query is made. Possibly responding to that question, Yuvraj says: “I told dad, it’s not OK.” Yuvraj’s ‘apology’, thus, may be in this regard.
Yograj Singh, a renowned cricket coach in Punjab, is known for making controversial statements about former players. In 2025, he said he wanted to kill Kapil Dev for the then captain dropping him from the team during the 1980s.
“When Kapil Dev became captain of India, North Zone, and Haryana, he dropped me for no reason,” Yograj said on the YouTube channel ‘Unfiltered by Samdish’.
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“My wife (Yuvi’s mother) wanted me to ask Kapil questions. I told her that I would teach this bloody man a lesson. I took my pistol out and went to Kapil’s house in Sector 9. He came out with his mother. I abused him a dozen times. I told him, because of you I have lost a friend, and for what you have done, you will pay for it.
“I told him, ‘I want to put a bullet through your head, but I am not doing it because you have a very pious mother who is standing here.’ I told Shabnam, ‘Let’s go.’
“That was the moment I decided I would not play cricket – Yuvi will play.”
On MS Dhoni and other former players, Yograj had once said: “I talk about Bishan Singh Bedi, Kapil Dev, MS Dhoni. I can talk about people whom I have been with. They have treated people like shit. Jo galat hai woh galat hai. Two wrongs cannot make one right. I say this openly – our cricketers and the team were destroyed by our captain.
Canada won its seventh game in a row at the men’s world curling championship and stayed in the hunt for a direct berth in the semifinals with a 9-2 win over Germany in Thursday’s afternoon draw.
Matt Dunstone’s Winnipeg-based team improved to 9-2, tied for second with Scotland with one draw left.
The top two teams after Thursday’s final draw earn semifinal spots, while the next four must play in a qualification round.
Sweden, which is idle in the final draw, leads at 10-2. The Swedes closed their preliminary round with an 11-2 rout of Czechia in the afternoon draw.
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Canada plays Norway in the final draw, while Scotland faces Czechia.
In other afternoon draw results, playoff-bound Italy beat winless Norway 7-4 and Japan defeated South Korea 9-3.
Real Madrid are planning to sign a new midfielder in the summer, as they get set to finally replace Toni Kroos/Luka Modric. The likes of Rodri Hernandez, Vitinha and Kees Smit have been linked with moves to the Bernabeu, but in recent weeks, one name in particular has started to gain a lot of prominence in this regard: Enzo Fernandez.
Fernandez is increasingly keen to leave Chelsea this summer, and if he does push to do so, Real Madrid are expected to rekindle the interest they showed after his fine performances at the 2022 World Cup. The 25-year-old would be open to joining Los Blancos, and he’s not the only one that wants to see him in white for the start of next season.
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Franco Mastantuono is teammates with Fernandez in the Argentine national team, and as per comments to DSports (via ED), he would certainly welcome his compatriot with opens arms if he ends up at Real Madrid this summer.
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“Of course I would like him to come (to Real Madrid).”
Mastantuono could be on his way out of Real Madrid
But even if Fernandez does join Real Madrid in the summer, there is no guarantee that he would be teammates with fellow River Plate alumni Mastantuono. Bernabeu officials are considering letting the teenage forward leave on loan for the 2026-27 season, as they want him to gain prominence elsewhere before returning to the club in a better place – as has, and will, be the case with Endrick Felipe.
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Whether that happens or not remains to be seen, and this is also the case for Fernandez’s possible move to Real Madrid. Chelsea’s delicate financial situation, which saw them record the biggest one-season loss in the Premier League history earlier this week, could mean they look to sell on the Argentine midfielder when the summer transfer window opens at the start of July.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has appointed Akeem Ishola Busari as the new head coach of Nigeria’s U-17 girls’ team, the Flamingos.
Busari’s appointment was confirmed on April 2, 2026, marking a new beginning for one of Africa’s most successful youth teams. He replaces Bankole Olowookere, who guided the team to a bronze medal at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in 2022.
The new coach now faces the task of building on that success while introducing fresh ideas to the team.
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Nigeria is preparing for the qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, which will be hosted in Morocco. After receiving a bye in the first round, the Flamingos will play either Niger Republic or Guinea in May in a two-legged tie.
The schedule is tight, leaving little room for mistakes. If the team qualifies, they will face stronger opponents in July. Busari will also need to build a new squad, as players at this level often move on quickly.
Another key task for the coach is to restore confidence in the team. The Flamingos were knocked out in the round of 16 at the last World Cup after a heavy defeat to Italy, a result that still affects the team.
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Busari brings a wealth of experience to the role. He is a CAF A-licensed coach and has worked in both men’s and women’s football in Nigeria and abroad.
Before his appointment, he was Technical Adviser at Pacesetter Queens in Ibadan. He has also coached clubs such as Shooting Stars, Crown FC, Gateway United, and Bayelsa Queens. At Shooting Stars, he helped the club gain promotion to the top flight during the 2008/2009 season.
He has also won several State FA Cup titles with Gateway United and Shooting Stars. At Bayelsa Queens, he served as Technical Director, gaining valuable experience in both coaching and administration.
Outside Nigeria, Busari has coached clubs in the Benin Republic, including Espoir FC and JSP Benin.
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He is known for an attacking style of play, with his teams pressing high and moving the ball quickly. This style could suit the Flamingos, who are known for their speed and energy.
Off the pitch, Busari has also contributed to coaching development. A graduate of Lead City University, he has worked with the Lagos State Coaches Association, helping to train young coaches.
His new role with the Flamingos will focus on developing young players, maintaining Nigeria’s strong record in youth football, and preparing players for the senior national team.
The Tigers earned a crucial 3-0 win over Stockton Town in their bid to avoid relegation from the Pitching In Northern Premier League Premier Division.
Jonathan Reynolds MP hailed the power of community when he visited Hyde United for Non-League Day.
The government Chief Whip met the club’s volunteers, and even had a go at helping out himself, as the Tigers earned a crucial 3-0 win over Stockton Town in their bid to avoid relegation from the Pitching In Northern Premier League Premier Division.
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Almost 600 were in attendance at the Project Solar Stadium on a day that put the lower levels of the pyramid in the spotlight, and Reynolds was full of praise for those who keep the club running.
“It’s a wonderful way to recognise the volunteers and what they do for a club like this,” he said.
“We are so blessed in this area. I represent three different non-League clubs and what they have all got in common, as well as a bit of rivalry, is that they are run by volunteers and community power.
“It is not just about sport, it is about local identity, local community. Maybe sometimes people take for granted the depth of the English football pyramid.
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“In a place like this we do recognise and value what these clubs bring and the contribution these people make.”
The Tigers have battled against the drop all season but are in with a chance of survival heading into the final month.
Victory over play-off chasing Stockton was a huge boost to their chances but commentator Ian Burke believes the club is about far more than just the 90 minutes every Saturday.
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Non-League clubs like Hyde are fuelled by volunteers, with league sponsors Pitching In providing fans an easy way to find opportunities to help out at their nearest club through its Volunteer Hub.
And Burke hopes Non-League Day may have encouraged a few more fans to discover the lower leagues and maybe even volunteer themselves.
“Non-League Day is important. It exposes people who aren’t used to the non-League game to it,” he added.
“It is almost like the biggest minority sport in the country. People know it’s there, but it is totally different from what you see in the Premier League.
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“Non-League football runs on volunteers. There’s people who grumble constantly who work on the gates or around the ground. Everyone who works here does it for the love of it.”
Terence Crawford remains unwilling to return to the sport after his December retirement, but has named the two active and undefeated fan-favourite fighters that swerved a showdown with him when he was campaigning as a welterweight.
The Omaha operator then moved up to the super-welterweight division and dethroned Israil Madrimov for the WBA super-welterweight crown on his way up to the super-middleweight division.
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Up at 168lbs, Crawford decisioned Canelo Alvarez in a legacy-defining win, becoming boxing’s sixth five-division world champion, joining Thomas Hearns, Sugar Ray Leonard, Oscar De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather and Pacquiao in that extremely elite club.
However, in an clip captured by Jai McAllister, Crawford revealed that he was willing to face the up-and-comers during his welterweight reign, but that Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis and Vergil Ortiz Jr. avoided a shot at his WBO strap.
“I had the opportunity to fight Boots but Boots chose to drop out of the WBO rankings, him and Vergil [Ortiz Jr.]. So that is why I ended up fighting Shawn Porter.”
Ennis is a former unified welterweight world champion while Ortiz is the reigning WBC interim super-welterweight champion. The pair looked to be on a collision course with one another, but issues between Ortiz and his promoter Oscar De La Hoya ended those plans.
Instead, ‘Boots’ will attempt to become a two-division world champion when he challenges WBA and WBO titleholder Xander Zayas at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on June 27.
Michigan star Elliot Cadeau has rejoined his teammates for the Final Four a day after being rushed to the hospital.
The starting point guard revealed that he was hospitalized due to an allergic reaction after an accidental exposure to nuts.
“I just ate something I was allergic to,” the junior said as he sat at his locker at Lucas Oil Stadium two days before the Wolverines meet fellow No. 1 seed Arizona in the national semifinals.
Coach Dusty May said Cadeau, who averages 10.2 points and 5.8 assists, is “fine.”
Cadeau’s treatment came as his teammates were flying to the Final Four, though Cadeau said a Michigan staffer had driven him to Indianapolis to rejoin teammates ahead of Thursday’s locker-room interviews and other pregame promotional activities.
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Fans were concerned after Detroit radio station WWJ 950 posted a video on X Wednesday showing Cadeau being wheeled out of Michigan’s player development center on a gurney (Getty Images)
Cadeau described it as “just a minor inconvenience for me.”
“I just had a little bit of hives so that’s why I went to the hospital, just to prevent anything further from happening,” he said.
Detroit radio station WWJ 950 posted a video on X Wednesday showing a covered individual sitting upright while being wheeled out of Michigan’s player development center on a gurney and loaded into an ambulance.
Michigan later confirmed it was Cadeau, who had complained of a possible allergic reaction and received medical supervision “out of an abundance of caution.”
“If it’s the worst thing that happens to us, then we’re very blessed,” May said Thursday. “It also just shows him how much he means to his teammates. They were very concerned, obviously, like we all would be for a reaction like that.
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“But just grateful that he’s fine. We have great medical care, and he’s back with us. Dude is a warrior. He’ll be fine.”
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