Connect with us

Sports

A Vikings QB Trade Could Come Faster than Expected

Published

on

Advertisement

Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell in 2025
Dec 21, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell during the first half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Are you excited to see what plan of action the Minnesota Vikings concoct at quarterback? If so, the verdict could arrive sooner rather than later if head coach + de facto personnel general manager Kevin O’Connell uses a trade for his next quarterback. Splashy trades have occurred in the NFL, well, right about now on the calendar.

The calendar has produced real QB deals in this stretch before, and Minnesota’s situation makes an early move feel realistic.

If O’Connell, interim general manager Rob Brzezinski, and Brian Flores pull the trigger on a quarterback trade, news of the deal doesn’t have to wait until March.

Advertisement

The NFL Calendar Has Precedent for QB Trades … Right Now

Yes, trades are basically fair game in January and February.

John Dorsey, Alex Smith, and Andy Reid at a Chiefs press conference
Kansas City Chiefs general manager John Dorsey stands with quarterback Alex Smith and head coach Andy Reid at a press conference, captured on Mar 13, 2013, in Kansas City. The image marks Smith’s arrival via trade, introducing Reid’s new quarterback and signaling a reset for the franchise’s leadership direction. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

The January and February Trade Examples

On January 30th, 2018, the Kansas City Chiefs ended the Alex Smith era via trade to the Washington Commanders, leaning full tilt into Patrick Mahomes, a decision that would net three Super Bowl trophies and counting. Smith attempted to latch on to the Commanders, but that didn’t really pan out.

On January 30th, 2021, the Los Angeles Rams conducted an NFL landscape-changing deal by shipping Jared Goff and draft picks to the Detroit Lions for Matthew Stafford. The swap changed each team and the league forever, culminating in a Rams’ Super Bowl triumph one year later. Goff became a Top 12 quarterback in Detroit, whisking that then-sad franchise back to relevance.

Advertisement

On February 18, 2021, the Indianapolis Colts attempted to put their foot down, hoping to solve the quarterback spot once and for all by acquiring Carson Wentz from the Philadelphia Eagles for draft picks.

All these deals happened [checks notes] right now on the calendar. There’s no rule stating teams must wait on the trade framework until March. O’Connell can wheel and deal right now if he chooses.

For the Vikings, Why Wait?

Unless Minnesota has sights set on a free agent, like Malik Willis, there’s no reason to wait to work the trade phones. Of course, nobody is absolutely sure if the Vikings prefer to swing for the fences at quarterback or if a veteran backup like Jimmy Garoppolo or Case Keenum would do the trick.

Advertisement

If O’Connell wants the former option — obtaining a big name to compete with McCarthy or flatly takes his job — he may want to act now. Between the Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Jets, and Vikings, a new quarterback might be on the menu for all three teams, especially if Aaron Rodgers retires.

In that vein, for whichever passer Minnesota has in mind, it’s better to agree to trade terms now — like Smith, Stafford, Goff, and Wentz — than to wait until free agency or the draft. The early bird gets the worm.

Code for Kyler Murray?

So, what exactly are we talking about here? It could be an obvious code for Kyler Murray.

Advertisement

The Cardinals have reportedly reached the end of the road with the 28-year-old, hiring a new head coach last week and likely wanting a fresh start after Murray took Arizona to the postseason just once in seven years. Think of it this way: if the Vikings had the same QB1 since 2019 and the club reached the playoffs one time, wouldn’t you want them to try something different?

That’s where the Cardinals are entering the 2026 offseason.

Because Murray’s stock is low and his contract is fat, the team that trades for him can probably ship a 2nd- or 3rd-Rounder to the desert and call it good. Why not the Vikings? Why not in February?

Kyler Murray reacting after a Cardinals loss
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray reacts following the final whistle at State Farm Stadium, shown on Dec 8, 2019, after a loss to Pittsburgh. The moment captures postgame frustration during a turbulent season, reflecting the emotional swings of a young quarterback adjusting to NFL speed, scrutiny, and late-game pressure. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

Bleacher Report‘s Doric Sam noted on a Murray trade last week, “The relationship between Arizona and franchise quarterback Kyler Murray became strained during Jonathan Gannon’s tenure. Murray was limited to just five games this past season due to a foot injury, and there has been rampant speculation that he could be parting ways with the Cardinals this offseason.”

“ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss reported last month that ‘multiple sources’ said that Murray’s ‘trade value increased’ following Oregon quarterback Dante Moore’s announcement that he was returning to the Ducks. The Cardinals could wipe the slate clean for LaFleur by shipping away the 2019 No. 1 pick if they get an offer they can’t refuse.”

Advertisement

Non-Murray Candidates

If Murray is not Minnesota’s trade target, there are two lists. Here’s the realistic one of quarterback options:

  • Drew Lock
  • Davis Mills
  • Jalen Milroe
  • Mac Jones
  • Will Levis
  • Spencer Rattler
  • Anthony Richardson
  • Zach Wilson
Anthony Richardson kneeling in prayer after a game
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson kneels in prayer on the field at Lucas Oil Stadium, framed on Dec 22, 2024, following a matchup with Tennessee. The scene conveys reflection and composure after competition, highlighting Richardson’s leadership presence and personal routine amid a demanding season and public spotlight. Mandatory Credit: Grace Hollars/USA Today Network via Imagn Images

And the dream-big list, courtesy of starry-eyed Vikings fans:

  • Baker Mayfield
  • Joe Burrow
  • Justin Herbert
  • Lamar Jackson

It’s worth noting that Murray lives right in the middle of these lists — probably why he’s inside Minnesota’s rumor mill at a fever pitch.

Overall, remember that a would-be Vikings quarterback trade could hit your phone notifications at any minute.


avatar
Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sports

Sabaj redirects to 2026 All-Star Mile amid Blamey Stakes withdrawal

Published

on

With Pride Of Jenni lined up for the All-Star Mile, it complicates matters for the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr stable’s Sabaj.

The All-Star Mile (1600m) at Flemington scheduled for Saturday acts as Sabaj’s alternative after blood problems prevented his run in the Blamey Stakes (1600m) at Flemington last weekend.

Prior plans had Sabaj building towards the Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on March 28, via the Blamey Stakes and the Peter Young Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield a fortnight from now, factoring in Pride Of Jenni’s All-Star Mile nomination.

“Originally, we wanted to go Blamey, Peter Young, Australian Cup,” Price said.

Advertisement

“We thought that was the best option because if Pride Of Jenni is at her best, she is unbeatable.

“I don’t know if she is, but whenever she is a race, they can be upset races.

“Who is the horse that carts up?

“Those races are so unusual when Pride Of Jenni is blasting away, but because we had a bad blood count, we’ve ended up in the All-Star Mile, and I’m not sure whether we end up in the Australian Cup after that or not.”

Advertisement

Sabaj registered an inflammatory signal in his blood, which Price cited as reason to hold him back from racing.

The gelding is now in top shape, and Price looks for a solid effort from his draw, without positioning as the lone trailer behind Pride Of Jenni.

“He’ll be around there somewhere at the finish, but everyone needs her to have an off day,” Price said.

“If you have horses behind you and only Pride Of Jenni in front of you, it’s a tough gig, but I don’t think that will be us.

Advertisement

“I’m not sure who it is, and that is why it can be an upset race. You can only ride the race you are in, not Pride Of Jenni’s race.

“If she capitulates, you’re on, if not, no-one beats her.”

Price was eager to trial Sabaj at the 2000m distance, pinpointing the Australian Cup as suitable.

The interruption clouds whether he’ll make it there, with the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick the following month as a fallback.

Advertisement

The Doncaster Mile (1600m) presents another possibility beforehand.

“He’s a good miler on a big track but plans are up in the air because we had to divert,” Price said.

“I’ve been keen to try him at 2000 metres because I think he’s got that tempo about him and if they do get 2000 metres, it opens up more options.

“He could end up in the Queen Elzabeth, or he could go to Queensland, but we were going to find out a but in the Australian Cup.”

Advertisement

For the All-Star Mile, bettors can find great promotions at leading betting sites.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Sports

San Jose State sues federal government over transgender athlete ruling

Published

on

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

San Jose State University President Cynthia Teniente-Matson announced Friday that the school and the California State University (CSU) system are suing the federal government to challenge the U.S. Department of Education’s recent determination that SJSU violated Title IX in its handling of a transgender volleyball player. 

The department’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) announced at the end of January that an investigation into the university for its handling of a trans athlete and other players concluded that the school violated Title IX and gave the school an ultimatum to resolve the violation by agreeing to a series of conditions. 

But now, instead of complying like the University of Pennsylvania did last summer related to its handling of trans swimmer Lia Thomas, SJSU and CSU are suing to prevent potential federal funding cuts. 

Advertisement

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Blaire Fleming

Blaire Fleming of the San Jose State Spartans during the third set against the Air Force Falcons at Falcon Court at East Gym Oct. 19, 2024, in Colorado Springs, Colo.  (Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)

“Because we believe OCR’s findings aren’t grounded in the facts or the law, SJSU and the CSU filed a lawsuit today against the federal government to challenge those findings and prevent the federal government from taking punitive action against the university, including the potential withholding of critical federal funding,” Teniente-Matson said Friday.

“This is not a step we take lightly. However, we have a responsibility to defend the integrity of our institution and the rule of law, while ensuring that every member of our community is treated fairly and in accordance with the law. Our position is simple: We have followed the law and cannot be punished for doing so.”

The school is also requesting that OCR rescind its findings and close its investigation. 

Advertisement

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Department of Education for a response. 

Teniente-Matson affirmed the university’s commitment to defending the LGBTQ community in the announcement.

“Our support for the LGBTQ members of our community, who have experienced threats and harms over the last several years, remains unwavering. We know the attention the university has received around this issue and the investigative process that followed have been unsettling for many in our community,” the president said. 

“We’ve heard the fear and anxiety that it has created and recognize that waiting for the university’s response has been difficult at a time already filled with uncertainty.” 

Advertisement

The university and its volleyball program were thrust into the national spotlight in 2024 after it was revealed the team rostered trans athlete Blaire Fleming since 2022. Former SJSU co-captain Brooke Slusser joined a lawsuit and led her own, alleging she was never told Fleming was a biological male when she joined the team and shared bedrooms and changing spaces with Fleming without that knowledge.

Slusser has responded to SJSU and CSU’s decision to sue in a statement to Fox News Digital. 

“It makes me so mad that SJSU still refuses to see that everything they did is wrong. I think they’re just too scared to admit it and face the repercussions of their actions!” Slusser said.

Slusser made a public statement on X, calling the decision “absurd.” 

Advertisement

Seven matches, including a conference semifinal, were forfeited to SJSU in 2024 during the controversy

Among the department’s findings, it determined that a female athlete discovered that the trans student allegedly conspired to have a member of an opposing team spike her in the face during a match. The department claims “SJSU did not investigate the conspiracy, but later subjected the female athlete to a Title IX complaint for ‘misgendering’ the male athlete in online videos and interviews.”

Slusser alleged in her November 2024 lawsuit against the Mountain West that she and former assistant coach Melissa Batie-Smoose were made aware of a meeting between Fleming and Colorado State women’s volleyball player Malaya Jones on Oct. 2, 2024, during which Fleming discussed a plan with Jones to have Slusser spiked in the face during a match the following night.

A federal judge made a ruling in that lawsuit’s motion to dismiss on Tuesday. Colorado District Judge Kato Crews dismissed all the plaintiffs’ charges against the Mountain West Conference but did not dismiss charges of Title IX violations against the CSU system. 

Advertisement

Crews deferred his ruling on whether to dismiss those charges until after a decision in the ongoing B.P.J. v. West Virginia Supreme Court case, which is expected in June.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“The Motion to Strike Class Allegations is denied,” Crews wrote in his decision. “What remains of the Amended Complaint is Plaintiffs’ Title IX claims for damages against the CSU Board… So the Court defers ruling on the Title IX damages claims until after the Supreme Court has issued its ruling in B.P.J.

The CSU provided a statement to Fox News Digital in response to Crews’ ruling. 

Advertisement

“CSU is pleased with the court’s ruling. SJSU has complied with Title IX and all applicable law, and it will continue to do so,” the statement said.

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

Related Article

'Horrible' moments exposed for UNR volleyball players when they were roped into the SJSU Title IX scandal

Source link

Continue Reading

Sports

Manny Pacquiao asked if he still believes he beat Mayweather as rematch announced

Published

on

Manny Pacquiao hopes to avenge his most famous defeat when he meets with Floyd Mayweather for a second time, 11 years on from their initial encounter. Although, when reflecting on their first fight, ‘Pac Man’ spoke with disappointment.

Back in 2015, Mayweather held the unified WBC and WBA welterweight world titles, whilst Pacquiao held the WBO crown, with the lure of a three-belt unification being enough to finally force the pound-for-pound stars to square-off after years of encouragement.

In the fight, Mayweather landed the cleaner work throughout and delivered a disciplined, controlled display to claim a relatively wide unanimous decision victory on the scorecards – arguably the best win of his legendary career.

Advertisement

However, in an interview with All The Smoke Fight, Pacquiao revealed that he still believes that he won the fight due to the volume of punches that he threw, compared to ‘TBE’.

“Right after the fight, I went to the hospital and got operated [on] my shoulder. It really hurt.

“His style, I knew it, but the thing is – I review. I am expecting that I won the fight because he didn’t throw a lot of punches, I throw a lot of punches.

“I reviewed the Compubox [numbers] like slow-motion from first round to round 12, [checking] how many punches connected, how many punches he connected with, that is boxing.

“I am not complaining or making [excuses]. It happened that way. It happened to me many times.”

Advertisement

Compubox reported that Pacquiao threw and landed less punches than Mayweather, scoring with 19% of his shots and being far less efficient than the victor, who connected with 148 of 435 thrown blows (34%), although those figures remain disputed.

Mayweather-Pacquiao II takes place on Saturday, September 19, at The Sphere in Las Vegas, with the fight being available to watch live on Netflix.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Sports

Penguins’ Malkin receives five-game suspension for slashing Dahlin

Published

on

The penalty occurred in the second period of a 5-1 loss. While battling for position beside the Sabres’ crease, they began going at one another with cross-checks, and Malkin took it a step further, slashing at Dahlin’s head.

The 39-year-old Malkin has been suspended twice in his NHL career, one game for high-sticking Philadelphia’s Michael Raffl in February 2019, and four games in April 2022 for cross-checking Nashville’s Mark Borowiecki.

Malkin’s 10-game home points streak ended Thursday. He has 13 goals and 47 points in 46 games.

Pittsburgh is already without captain Sidney Crosby for a minimum of four weeks because of a lower-body injury.

Advertisement

— with files from The Associated Press

Source link

Continue Reading

Sports

College hoops fans react to Azzi Fudd signing latest NIL deal with Jordan Brand ahead of March Madness

Published

on

UConn guard Azzi Fudd signed an NIL deal with Jordan Brand, it was announced on Friday. The NIL deal comes on the heels of the Huskies completing their 2025-26 regular season with an unbeaten 31-0 record.

“I grew up watching what the Jumpman meant to basketball and to the culture around the game, so becoming part of the Jordan Brand family represents what I am stepping into and the greatness that I aspire to be,” Fudd said in a statement. “To wear the same logo that so many legends have worn is something I don’t take lightly.

“For me, it’s about honoring that legacy while also helping show what the next generation of women’s basketball looks like. I’m excited to keep pushing my game forward while representing Jordan Brand with pride. And I hope that I continue to inspire young girls who dream of playing at the highest level.”

When fans caught wind of Fudd’s link-up with the Jordan Brand, they had some interesting reactions.

Advertisement

“Unfathomable aura,” one tweeted.

@SoleRetriever @StorrsCentral @azzi_35 @Jumpman23 unfathomable aura

“Fudd around and find out,” another added.

“Fantastic congratulations,” a third commented.

Here are a few more reactions:

“Huge for women’s hoops + NIL. Jordan Brand picking Azzi feels inevitable—can’t wait to see what she’s rocking on-court,” one wrote.

“Yay!!! That’s sturdy,” another added.

“LFG!! Congrats Azzi!!” a user tweeted.

Fudd ended the regular season averaging 17.9 points, 3.0 assists and 2.6 rebounds. She is expected to play a key role for the Huskies

ALSO READ: “I’ve lost all confidence”: College hoops analyst shares blunt take on Matt Painter’s Purdue after win over Northwestern

Advertisement

ALSO READ: Top 5 best candidates for Providence after Kim English firing rumors run rampant ft. Richard Pitino

ALSO READ: “I’m gonna fight”: Mike Rhoades makes case for himself to continue coaching at Penn State amid firing rumors

Azzi Fudd’s UConn will face Georgetown in Big East Tournament quarterfinals

NCAA Womens Basketball: UConn guard Azzi Fudd  Source: ImagnNCAA Womens Basketball: UConn guard Azzi Fudd  Source: Imagn
NCAA Womens Basketball: UConn guard Azzi Fudd Source: Imagn

Azzi Fudd’s UConn (31-0, 20-0) will face Georgetown (14-16, 6-14) in the Big East Tournament quarterfinals on Saturday. The game will tip off at noon ET from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

The Huskies own the top seed in the Big East Tournament and earned a bye in the opening two rounds. Meanwhile, Georgetown owns the No. 8 seed and beat Butler in the second round of the conference tournament.