It’s been a whirlwind week for new Dallas Cowboys Pro Bowl outside linebacker Rashan Gary.

Gary was still a member of the Green Bay Packers on March 6, his football home of seven seasons after being selected 12th overall in the 2019 NFL Draft, when the craziness began.  He appeared to have posted a goodbye letter graphic to Green Bay and Packers fans on social media, but he was actually hacked. On Tuesday, the Green Bay goodbye became Gary’s reality with the Packers trading him to the Cowboys in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round pick.

“Yeah, just the whole experience, it was crazy,” Gary said on a conference call on Thursday. “I’m the type of guy that I pride myself on just going to work and keeping my head down, but everybody has social media in the offseason. You don’t find yourself looking for it, but just things [rumors of his Packers departure] pop up. Just the guy that I am to keep my head down, not believing in it.”

What he began to hear after being hacked started to turn the tide in his mind to believe there was a legitimate chance he would be dealt before being traded ended up becoming Gary’s reality. 

2026 NFL free agency live tracker: Full list of team-by-team signings and trades

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“Then, that weird thing happened. Got hacked. It kind of made the rumors that people were saying come to light,” Gary said. “Deep down inside, I’m still talking to my teammates, still talking to my coaches, about next season and still believing that I’m playing for the Packers. “All of a sudden I get a call from my agent, and he said a deal was done. … This is a great opportunity that I have in front of me, and I just can’t wait to go to work. … I’m just bringing a dog man. I’m coming in to be myself, lead by example and help the best way I can.” 

Maxx Crosby speculation 

Gary being hacked didn’t end up being the craziest thing connected to him for long. Once five-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Maxx Crosby’s trade to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for two first-round picks fell through prior to the start of the new league year because of medical concerns there was some speculation Dallas could jump back into the Crosby market. However, it didn’t seem feasible for the Cowboys to be able to roster both Gary and Crosby and remain salary cap compliant. Once Gary passed his physical with Dallas, it was official that Gary would be a Cowboy and Crosby would remain the fanbase’s pipe dream. 

“To be honest, I didn’t hear nothing about it. I was on my visit handling the things I had to handle. I ended up passing my physical and then end up hearing about what was going on [with Crosby]. The league is crazy man,” Gary said. “It’s a business, and you never really know what’s going on. He’s a hell of a player, and I know regardless of the situation that he’s put in and wherever he may be, he’s going to do his thing.”

Trading places with Micah Parsons

Instead of potentially being sent back to Green Bay thanks to Crosby, Gary ended up actually trading places with All-Pro teammate Micah Parsons. Parsons became a Packers teammate of Gary’s a week before the 2025 NFL season began when Dallas sent Parsons up north to Green Bay in exchange for two first-round picks and three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark. Now, Gary occupies Parsons’ old role in Dallas as the most established edge rusher on the Cowboys defense. The two have texted but haven’t had a chance to really chat over the past week. 

“Everything has been going crazy the past week, the past few days. He was able to reach out to me, and I was able to text him back, but I have yet to be able to really have a conversation with him,” Gary said. “At the end of the day, it’s a business, so I don’t look at it as trading places or things like that. I’m just coming here to be me and be the impact that the Cowboys need.”

Gary’s focus is now turned toward doing something in Dallas that he was accustomed to in Dallas: winning games and playing postseason football. The Packers earned playoff berths in six of his seven seasons in Green Bay including a stretch of three consecutive 13-win seasons from 2019 to 2021 — the only such streak in NFL history.  

“The main thing for me is to come in, play good ball and play good ball to the point that we’re playing meaningful games,” Gary said. “Then, playing for some trophies and playing for some hats and T-shirts [things that come with winning the division, NFC and the Super Bowl]. That’s my goal.”

Gary’s Green Bay reunion in Dallas

Despite joining a new team for the first time in his eighth NFL season, Gary will be welcomed to a new locker room by three familiar faces from his Packers days: defensive tackle Kenny Clark, new Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker and pass rush consultant Brandon “BT” Jordan. Once the deal to come to Dallas was completed, Gary immediately called Clark to let him know it’s “an honor and a privilege” to suit up alongside him once again. 

“KC is my dog. I’ve been in Green Bay seven years, and I’ve been with KC all seven [at least through training camp], so he watched me mature as a man, mature as a player and he also gave me key pointers on the way up,” Gary said. “He always told me to stay focused on the process. One thing I love about KC is he’s a guy that loves ball. … So just being able to join back with a player like that… I can’t wait to go out there and do it because it’s going to get infectious throughout the defense and the defensive line.”

Gary only spent two seasons with Parker in Green Bay when the latter was a defensive quality control coach for the Packers from 2019 to 2020. Parker then went on to be the Denver Broncos‘ defensive backs coach from 2021 to 2023 and then the Philadelphia Eagles passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach from 2024 to 2025. 

“Short time with CP in Green Bay. I was the first draft class [he had], so just having him see me come in as a young player and him going  and getting more experience as coach to me going into my eighth year and being a proven, elite player in this league, it’s kind of a full circle moment,” Gary said.

Parker told Gary he’ll have him lined up as an outside linebacker in his 3-4 defense with 4-3 spacing that will have multiple front looks along the defensive line. 

“When you talk to CP, he knows ball. Coverages, fronts, the in and outs, understanding the weaknesses of offenses, understanding where to put players to succeed,” Gary said. … “He’s hungry. He wants it.”  

Getting himself and Dallas’ defense back on track

What Parker, head coach Brian Schottenheimer, Jerry and Stephen Jones and Cowboys fans will all be looking for from Gary is sacks. Without Parsons in 2025, Dallas racked up just 35 sacks as a team, which ranked as tied for the seventh-fewest in the league for what ended up as the NFL’s worst scoring defense. The Cowboys’ 30.1 points per game allowed last season was the second-most in a season in Dallas’ 66-season history, and only the inaugural 1960 team surrendered a higher points per game allowed average at 30.8.

After teaming up with Parsons in Green Bay last season, Gary raced out to a torrid start with 7.5 sacks in the first eight weeks of the season, which ranked as the fifth-most in the entire NFL in that span. However, he didn’t record a single sack the rest of the 2025 campaign from Week 9 through the Packers’ opening round playoff loss at the Chicago Bears. That’s not something Gary is worried about affecting him in 2026 with the Cowboys as he and Parker hope to affect change into Dallas’ deflated defense. 

“Just understanding the player that I am and just understanding through the I guess six or seven games [without a sack] as you said, football is football,” Gary said. “At that time, we were playing meaningful games, so when you’re really playing meaningful games man, it really doesn’t come down to stats. It’s really about how you affect offenses and things like that. So just being able to lock in, being able to be effective and playing how I need to play and being the player that I am, the plays are going to come my way.”

The England and Wales Cricket Board appears ready to reverse plans to stop its Ashes players speaking to the media ahead of the new county season.

The ECB had initially intervened to block England’s Test contingent from appearing at the annual round of county media days, held by all 18 teams ahead of the 2026 campaign which begins on April 3.

Sources confirmed to the Press Association that counties were informed those involved in England’s troubled 4-1 defeat in Australia would not be cleared to take to field questions. In some cases, they had already been offered up for interview on a provisional basis and slots were subsequently cancelled.

It is understood the ECB preferred to put up chief executive Richard Gould and managing director of men’s cricket Rob Key for a media briefing reflecting on the events of the winter in the coming weeks and did not want individual players to front up before the management have had their say.

But that simply fuelled the idea that players were being gagged and there was also frustration from some county camps, who believe the presence of established international stars helps shine a spotlight on the work of the first-class game.

Several hours after the news emerged, the ECB stance had pivoted again, though a brief statement stopped short of confirming that all subjects would be up for discussion.

A spokesperson for the ECB said: “We want to enable the counties to promote the game ahead of the start of the domestic season, and for England players to take part in these events. We’re in touch with counties to enable this to happen.”

Although Jacob Bethell, Ben Duckett, Jofra Archer, Will Jacks and Brydon Carse will be absent due to involvement in the Indian Premier League, 11 other players are around for the start of the season.

That number includes captain Ben Stokes, Harry Brook, Joe Root, Gus Atkinson, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue, Mark Wood and Shoaib Bashir.

Those involved in the recently concluded T20 World Cup took part in interviews throughout the tournament, with white-ball captain Brook facing lengthy examinations during the warm-up series in Sri Lanka following revelations about his altercation with a bouncer in New Zealand.

Questions those within the England set-up would expect to face in any media interactions would include the future of head coach Brendon McCullum, who has declared his intention to stay on but may find the role comes with new conditions following a series of mis-steps Down Under.

Pre-series preparations, drinking habits, backroom staffing and the broader methods of the set-up all remain on the agenda, alongside selection issues in a series that saw rising star Bethell held back for the faltering Pope and Bashir frozen out after two years of full-blooded support.

Gould announced a ‘thorough review’ of the Ashes series within hours of the Ashes concluding, presumably seeking many of the same answers over the last couple of months.

When Bud Cauley rolled in his short birdie try on the par-5 16th hole in the opening round of the Players Championship, he was enjoying a solid, if not spectacular, round: four birdies against two bogeys to keep him very much in the mix on a day when no player in the early wave could manage better than Mav McNealy’s five-under 67.

Even the most casual fan knows what follows 16 on Pete Day’s vaunted Stadium Course: the iconic par-3 17th, where players, from approximately 140 yards, are asked to hit to a green surrounded by water. In any other setting, it’d be a nothing shot for the world’s most skilled golfers — but when you ring the green with thousands of fans plus a massive corporate hospitality buildout, mix in wind gusts and club indecision and the pressure of one of the game’s marquee events, the generous 4,000-square-foot target can feel more like 400 square feet. It’s not a shot you want to overthink and yet many players will tell you that from the moment they step foot on the course, 17 occupies real estate in their temporal lobes.

Cauley went off the first hole Thursday so he had 16 holes to ponder his fate at 17. Which turned into 16 and then some.     

That’s because moments after Cauley had holed out on 16, a horn sounded, signaling suspension of play on account of a storm cell that was rolling through.  To escape the downpour, Cauley and his partners, Vince Whaley and Chandler Phillips, took shelter in the back of a van, with only their thoughts to keep them company.       

“The first thing I thought of was, is the wind going to switch? Because that happens a lot when a storm blows through,” Cauley said after the round. “We kind of had it down off the left before the delay, which wasn’t that bad.”

The stoppage proved to be brief — just 21 minutes — but when Cauley and his partners returned to the tee, they encountered markedly different conditions.

“From down off the left to pumping straight in,” Cauley said of the wind direction. “Probably close to 30 yards.”

As in a 30-yard increase in the effective distance the tee shot was playing.

Cauley had the honor. “I was the first guy to hit so I was kind of guessing,” he said.

Cauley said before the delay, he would have a hit a wedge but when he came back the shot called for an 8-iron. “Landed just short of middle of the green and spun back in the rough,” he said. “I was just happy to be on land.”

From the front of the green, Cauley played his second shot to the back-left pin to four feet and saved his par.

He made another par on the difficult par-4 closer to finish at two under.

“It was tough with the delay,” he said. “But I was happy to make two pars coming in.”

There was a collective groan from horseracing fans at the Cheltenham Festival when it became clear that JP McManus and Willie Mullins did not intend to run fan-favourite Fact To File in Thursday’s Ryanair Chase.

The pair had already raised the eyebrows of spectators last week when omitting him from Friday’s Gold Cup with the reaction to that news one of disbelief. But that wasn’t how McManus saw it.

A year ago, Fact To File’s owner had watched him travel strongly and remain in touch with the leaders in the 2025 running of the Ryanair before heading into the lead three jumps from home and going clear by the next fence. He saw the way Fact To File won by nine lengths decided that a repeat performance would be good enough. Until it wasn’t.

There were rumblings that something was up early in the morning, with the ground (Good, Good to Soft in places) believed to be too firm for Fact To File, and that despite a consistent downpour of rain over Prestbury Park.

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“I left it [the decision to run him] to Willie,” McManus said after the second race of the day. “I have to say I found it too much for him., It was a bit, part of the course, all together, not to my liking.

“I’ve walked the track every day, they’ve done a great job, but I think they could’ve done more, especially at the top of the track, not everyone would agree with me, if there’s significant rain, he’ll run, if there’s not, he won’t.”

He didn’t. And that was to Heart Wood’s gain.

Henry de Bromhead’s gelding finished second in 2025, losing on the stretch to the superior Fact To File but this year was different. JPR One set the pace from the start and was tracked by the favourite, Jonbon, who held off his shoulder and was being ridden forward by Nico de Boinville.

Darragh O’Keeffe rode Heart Wood and stayed back. Holding him in position around fourth and fifth until the downhill on the second circuit. He drifted to the outside and made his move at the turn, a tactic well used this week. Two jumps from home he took the lead with as JPR One fell away and Banbridge looked to make a late attack.

It wasn’t to be for them as Heart Wood cleared the last with distance to spare and Jonbon had enough left in the tank to take second place.

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But that wasn’t the end of the tale as Mullins lambasted the ground keeping at the Festival and promised to stop bringing his best horses here if conditions do not improve.

“It’s jump racing, we want soft in the ground, good ground, we think it’s not good enough for the type of individual we’re buying and trying to race and have the top horses in the best festival, if the ground is like this, we won’t bring them,” he told Racing TV.

“I think [Cheltenham should have done more], we were promised watering, and I’m not sure the watering has been done. I’m a bit annoyed about that… this isn’t good for the type of horses we’re bringing over here, for the majority, we’d like it a bit softer.”

As the preeminent trainer in the industry, Mullins’ words carry weight but how will they impact the Festival going forward?

Elsewhere, Lossiemouth’s triumph in the Champion Hurdle on Tuesday meant she would no longer be running in the Mares Hurdle and her absence left the door open for Wodhooh.

Gordon Elliott’s prize winner entered the race having won in four of her last five runs, with her only defeat coming last April to Lossiemouth at Aintree. She was star, the 5/6 favourite and the one to beat in a small field of just seven runners. With few opponents to compete against Wodhooh was in her element. As was Jack Kennedy sat atop her. He controlled her race, positioning her in third off the start and sitting on the shoulder on Dream on Baby with a gap to the outside.

She made his move down the hill and towards the turn for home, drifting further away from the rail and taking to the front of the pack. There were loud cheers as Wodhooh cleared the last but Jade De Grugy offered a final test with a late charge down the home straight. Wodhooh had reserves though and kept her at bay to bring Elliott is first win of the Festival week.

Kennedy said: “She’s some mare. It has been a frustrating couple of days, but we knew we had a proper shot at getting on the board. I had no winner last year, but thankfully for Gordon and the team they have not had to wait so long.”

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Elliott thought he had a strong chance of a second winner in as many races as with Teahupoo the favourite to win the in the Stayers’ Hurdle for the first time since 2024. Yet is was disappointment again as a thrillingly impressive run from Home By The Lee, at 33/1 no less, earned a JP O’Brien and jockey JJ Slevin the plaudits in the other premium race of the day.

But perhaps the best story came at the start.

In the opening race of the day 31-year-old jockey Tom Bellamy rode 40/1 outsider White Noise to victory and won his first ever race at the Cheltenham Festival. It was a sort of full circle moment for the emotional Bellamy who claimed he had ‘waited for this his whole life’.

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“I’ve waited my whole life for this day. I can’t believe it, I’m speechless,” he told ITV. “”A great performance from a really likeable filly. I’m delighted for the team at home. This tops my whole career, not just this season.”

He added that he used to ‘bunk off school’ to come and see the races at this course saying: “I’m nearly crying here. I bunked off school as a kid to come and watch the Cheltenham Festival, and I can’t believe I’m walking around here after winning.”

US President Donald Trump has said Iran’s national football team would be welcome to travel to the United States for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, even as he suggested the players should reconsider the trip because of concerns about their “life and safety” amid rising tensions between the two countries.

Trump made the remarks on his social media platform, Truth Social, after Iranian officials indicated that the national team might not be able to participate in the tournament following recent US airstrikes on Iran.

Trump says Iran players welcome but warns of risks

In his post, Trump said the Iranian team could take part in the World Cup but questioned whether it would be appropriate for them to travel to the United States given the current geopolitical climate.

“The Iran National Soccer Team is welcome to The World Cup, but I really don’t believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety,” Trump wrote.

His statement came in response to comments from Iranian officials suggesting that the national side “cannot” participate in the competition because of the escalating conflict between Washington and Tehran.

Conflict escalates after US strikes on Iran

The tensions follow a series of US airstrikes on Iran that began on February 28 in coordination with Israel. According to reports, about 1,200 people have been killed since the hostilities began nearly two weeks ago.

The US military is also examining a strike that reportedly hit a girls’ school in Iran on March 1. Iranian authorities say the attack killed as many as 175 people.

The conflict has triggered diplomatic friction around the World Cup as well. Iran has urged FIFA to take action against the United States, describing the host nation as a “rogue nation” and asking the global football governing body to respond to the situation.

Trump meets FIFA president Infantino

Trump’s comments also came shortly after FIFA President Gianni Infantino met him at the White House on Tuesday.

During the meeting, Trump reportedly told Infantino that Iran’s national team would be permitted to participate in the tournament if it chose to do so.

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  Group G fixtures will be played between June 15 and June 27, 2026.
• 
  The group-stage games will be hosted at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and Lumen Field in Seattle.
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  Under the expanded 48-team format, the top two teams from each group will move into the Round of 32, along with several of the best-performing third-placed sides.

At the top of the offseason, head coach Kevin O’Connell and former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah told the world that their top priority was to bring the deepest possible quarterback to life. Fast forward two months, and O’Connell — Adofo-Mensah was fired on January 30th — might be days away from assigning Kyler Murray, J.J. McCarthy, and Carson Wentz jobs on his depth chart.

Minnesota’s QB picture suddenly feels a lot less messy.

Murray feels destined to sign with the Vikings, while Wentz could be re-signed as the QB3.

Minnesota’s Top 3 Quarterback Paths Are Starting to Surface

It’s the same QB room as 2025, with one huge change to headline the enterprise.

QB1: Kyler Murray?

The Arizona Cardinals dropped Murray on Wednesday after seven seasons, and on the same night, the 28-year-old was en route to the Twin Cities, scheduled to meet with the Vikings on Thursday, the team he grew up cheering for.

NFL Network‘s Tom Pelissero tweeted (and later deleted) Wednesday night, “Just spoke to Kyler Murray’s agent, Erik Burkhardt, who tells me Murray plans to Zoom tonight and tomorrow with executives from 3-5 teams that potentially have a QB need in 2027 — a chance to reintroduce himself to people he hasn’t seen since the 2019 draft and get a jump start on his free agent process a year from now.”

“In the meantime, Murray and Burkhardt are flying to Minnesota tonight and plan to meet with the Vikings on Thursday. The Cardinals still owe Murray $36.8 million fully guaranteed, which is subject to offsets, so if all goes well, a one-year minimum deal could come together quickly.”

Signing Murray for $1.3 million will instantly become the best-value deal in all of the NFL, perhaps in all of sports. Across a 17-game season, Murray averages nearly 4,000 passing yards, 30 total touchdowns, and over 600 rushing yards. He also has a better career EPA+CPOE than Trevor Lawrence and Baker Mayfield.

From a March standpoint, Murray feels inevitable for the Vikings, and he could be on deck for a complete career reclamation after the Cardinals kicked him out. His numbers don’t need much rejuvenation, but his reputation is at its lowest point.

QB2: J.J. McCarthy

Murray’s probable relationship with the 2026 Vikings does not bode well for McCarthy. It just doesn’t. There was a world where O’Connell and Co. saw enough from McCarthy in December and January to roll with him once again as the main QB1 solution in 2026, but that didn’t happen. McCarthy’s durability probably played a factor here; since joining the club in the 2024 NFL Draft, McCarthy has sustained a torn meniscus, a high ankle sprain, a concussion, and a broken hand.

The guy has missed 70% of games in the NFL due to injury.

Minnesota’s brass seems like it’s on the verge of telling the world a quarterback competition is on the way between Murray, if signed, and McCarthy this summer. That’s fine. Everyone knows how it will end. Murray will seize the job on the first day of training camp, while fans wonder if McCarthy will sniff any playing time whatsoever in 2026.

The Vikings don’t seem inclined to give up on McCarthy, but adding Murray would severely damage his long-term trajectory as the franchise quarterback. There’s very little precedent for veering away from a 1st-Rounder in favor of somebody else, only to return to the original guy months or years later.

QB3. Carson Wentz?

Wentz met with the New York Jets this week, and some Jets-themed writers claimed that Wentz as Geno Smith’s backup could come to fruition.

Now, that theory is on life support.

The Athletic‘s Zach Rosenblatt tweeted Wednesday, “On Jets QB2 situation: They’re still exploring their options. They had interest in Carson Wentz but he’s unlikely to be signing with the Jets as of now, according to multiple sources. Things can still change — but that’s where it stands.”

Reporting all offseason has indicated that the Vikings would welcome Wentz back with open arms in 2026. If he doesn’t net a contract from the Jets — Rosenblatt says it’s not happening — he has every reason to re-up with the Vikings and claim the QB3 job.

In two of the last three seasons, Minnesota has needed the QB3 for extended duty.

O’Connell tapped Wentz on the shoulder last year when McCarthy suffered his high ankle sprain, and Wentz responded by guiding the team to a 2-3 record, showing a knack for moving the offense downfield, even if he lacked top-tier quarterback efficiency.

Wentz also did himself a favor by showing his true grit; he played through a torn labrum for a couple of games last October.

In his third Australian stint, Birdman under Chris Waller’s guidance may soon exhibit the talent his owners envisioned upon acquiring the Irish youngster.

Having won his first two staying races, Birdman was bought by a syndicate featuring Ozzie Kheir and John O’Neill hoping for future Melbourne Cup glory.

Birdman skipped last year’s Melbourne Cup but his pair of runs this preparation hint at readiness for this year’s November showdown.

Birdman’s schedule post his February 28 win in the Blamey Stakes (1600m) at Flemington includes the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes (1800m) over Caulfield’s track this Saturday.

According to jockey Ben Melham, the gelding’s two most recent efforts confirm his acclimatisation to Australia, with expectations of ongoing progress.

“It took him a little while to settle in and we’re starting to see the best of him now,” Melham said.

“I feel he’s gone to a new level this preparation and can continue that upward trajectory.

“He’s a happy horse and seems to have really fitted in here now.”

The Peter Young Stakes leads towards the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on March 28, a target shared with stablemate Buckaroo.

Buckaroo was withdrawn from the All-Star Mile at Flemington last week after a morning scope detected slight mucus, now contesting Saturday’s Peter Young Stakes.

Suspension sees Jye McNeil reclaim the mount on Buckaroo from Mark Zahra.

McNeil guided the gelding to second place in the Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield recently before riding Leica Lucy in the All-Star Mile.

Buckaroo’s Tuesday gallop at Caulfield satisfied McNeil regarding his stretch out following the small problem.

“He felt amazing,” McNeil said.

“He towed me throughout his work. He was really sharp and he seems in great order.

“He was free in his action and pulled up fine after the gallop, so there’s no indication of there being anything wrong with him.

“It’s great to get the opportunity on him second-up and the rise is distance to 1800 metres is going to be right up his alley.

“He seems to love it at Caulfield and I’m excited to get the chance to ride him again.”

Find the finest betting sites with betting markets for the race in the Peter Young Stakes.

Sumit Antil in Paris Paralympics 2024. (PTI Photo)

NEW DELHI: India enjoyed a dominant day at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix, with Paralympic champion Sumit Antil leading the charge by winning gold in the men’s javelin throw (F43/F44/F64). The double Paralympic gold medallist produced a powerful throw of 69.25 metres to secure the top spot. Fellow Indians Pushpendra Singh and Poonam Ram completed the podium with silver and bronze respectively.Antil admitted that his winning throw was better than he had expected. “This time we have multiple tournaments lined up. I will try to perform well in the upcoming competitions. It is an off-season loading phase for me. I was not expecting such a throw; I expected around 67-68m, but the throw was good today at 69.25m. So I am happy, and my team is happy as well,” he said.The 27-year-old from Sonipat, Haryana, added that he is focusing on improving gradually rather than changing his technique. “I am not changing my technique because we know we are moving in the right direction in our training. Right now, we just need the right conditions where the throw falls perfectly in place. That is why I am participating in tournaments so I can find those conditions somewhere,” he added.Looking ahead, Antil has already set a major target for the season. “I am targeting the Asian Games, and the goal is 75m. I haven’t achieved it yet in practice, and no athlete has done it yet, but I am working on whatever improvements are possible in technique or strength to reach that mark.”India’s success was not limited to javelin, as several athletes delivered medal-winning performances across track and field events. The country dominated multiple races and throwing events, including the 400m races, shot put, long jump, discus throw, and javelin, with Indian athletes frequently sweeping the podium.Overall, it was another impressive outing for India’s para-athletics contingent, showcasing strong depth and momentum ahead of upcoming international competitions.

Usually, former Green Bay Packers players join the Minnesota Vikings’ roster; Aaron Jones, Za’Darius Smith, Ryan Longwell, Brett Favre, Dean Lowry, Greg Jennings, Chandon Sullivan, Bashaud Breeland, and Robert Tonyan can attest. This time, the reverse occurred, as Vikings defensive tackle Javon Hargrave signed with the Packers on Wednesday.

Green Bay grabbed a former Viking and kept the rivalry heat climbing.

Minnesota dropped him as a cap casualty this week, and although many consider him washed, Green Bay will hope to rekindle his Pro Bowl ways.

Green Bay Added a Familiar Name to Its Defensive Front

The turncoat saga takes a new turn.

Hargrave to GB

Hargrave worked with new Packers defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon a few years back in Philadelphia, the apparent luring factor.

ESPN’s Rob Demovsky wrote Wednesday, “The Packers found some much-needed help up front for new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon on Wednesday when they agreed to terms with former Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Javon Hargrave. Agent Drew Rosenhaus told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that Hargrave agreed to a two-year, $23 million contract which includes $13 million in the first year. Hargrave was officially released by the Vikings on Wednesday.”

“The Packers already were thin on the defensive line even before they traded defensive tackle Colby Wooden to the Indianapolis Colts for linebacker Zaire Franklin earlier this week. In Hargrave, Gannon gets a player he’s familiar with. Gannon, the former Arizona Cardinals head coach, was the Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator for two of Hargrave’s three seasons with the Eagles.”

Hargrave earned $19 million in guaranteed funds from the Vikings and $13 million from Green Bay. The man is stacking dough, even with mediocre performance.

The Packers’ DTs at the Moment

Green Bay lost Kenny Clark in the Micah Parsons trade with Dallas, and Hargrave is evidently a part of the replacement plan.

Heading into the next wave of free agency, and with the draft six weeks away, here’s a look at the Packers’ interior defensive linemen after the Hargrave signing:

• Devonte Wyatt
• Javon Hargrave
• Karl Brooks
• Warren Brinson
• Nazir Stackhouse
• Jordon Riley
• Jonathan Ford
• Anthony Campbell
• Dante Barnett
• James Ester

That group certainly doesn’t lack quantity, but the quality is suspect. Wyatt suffered a down year by his standards in 2025 and hopes to rebound next season. The Packers could also draft a defensive tackle, though they have no 1st-Round picks due to the aforementioned Parsons trade.

Hargave’s 2025 Output

Hargrave’s Pro Football Focus grades indicate he is a slightly above-average interior defender. In 2025, he earned a 70.0 pass-rushing grade and a 57.3 run-defense mark, resulting in an overall grade of 68.0, which ranked him 35th among interior linemen. While his pass rush shows promise, his run defense has been inconsistent.

His volume statistics support this assessment. Across 16 games and 537 defensive snaps (53%), Hargrave recorded 52 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 6 quarterback hits, 4 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, and 31 pressures, a total that ranked him 34th among defensive tackles.

Green Bay is acquiring a dependable veteran who brings experience and pass-rushing ability. Although Hargrave earned a Pro Bowl selection earlier in his career, recent film and data suggest he now performs as a mid-tier defensive tackle.

Meanwhile, Minnesota’s defensive tackle unit already appears somewhat strong without Hargrave. Jalen Redmond emerged as one of the defense’s top performers last season and appears poised to become a long-term starter, assuming the Vikings extend his contract.

Levi Drake Rodriguez is developing as a run defender and could compete for starting snaps next season. Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins saw significant playing time as a rookie, and undrafted defensive tackle Elijah Williams impressed during training camp and the preseason.

Like Green Bay, Minnesota may be in the market for a rookie DT in April.

All the Packers’ Free Agency Moves

Similar to the Vikings, the Packers have been quiet this week compared to NFL teams. In addition to sending Rashan Gary to the Cowboys for a 4th-Round pick, here’s a peek at their free-agent transactions:

• Brenton Cox Jr. (ED) GB → GB
• Javon Hargrave (DL) MIN → GB
• Darian Kinnard (RT) GB → GB
• Skyy Moore (WR) SF → GB
• Benjamin St-Juste (CB) LAC → GB

Green Bay has lost these players to the open market:

• Zayne Anderson (S, MIA)
• Romeo Doubs (WR, NE)
• Kingsley Enagbare (ED, NYJ)
• Elgton Jenkins (C, CLE)
• Quay Walker (LB, LV)
• Malik Willis (QB, MIA)

The Packers also added veteran off-ball linebacker Zaire Alexander via trade with the Colts, as mentioned by Demovsky.

Hargrave turned 33 last month. He’ll be remembered for his one-year, underwhelming pit stop in Minnesota.

The Jacksonville Jaguars released tight end Johnny Mundt this week after one tour of duty, and many, including this website, expected the Minnesota Vikings to kick the tires on a diminutive reunion contract. That was wrong. Instead, Mundt signed with the Philadelphia Eagles on Tuesday.

Mundt’s next landing spot came together fast after free agency opened.

Mundt was a fan favorite and “lunchpail guy” in the Twin Cities; that status may carry over nicely to Philadelphia.

Philadelphia Added a Familiar Former Viking at Tight End

Mundt’s 2026 free agency lasted a day.

Mundt to PHI

He’s back in the NFC. The Eagles website published on Wednesday: “Before the start of Free Agency, the Eagles retained a player who has been involved in the team’s run of success the past four seasons, agreeing to terms with tight end Grant Calcaterra, and then added a trusted veteran in tight end, Johnny Mundt. Both players are here on one-year deals. Mundt enters his 10th NFL season after going undrafted out of Oregon in 2017.”

“The 6-foot-4 Mundt spent his first five seasons on the Los Angeles Rams before playing the next three on the Minnesota Vikings, overlapping with new Eagles Offensive Coordinator Sean Mannion in 2022 and 2023. While it remains to be seen what Mannion’s vision is for the offense, the tight end position has played a vital part in Philadelphia, and the scheme the new coordinator has the most experience with, in both the run game and the pass game over the years.”

Mannion and Mundt have now crossed paths thrice — in Los Angeles when Mannion lived in the Rams’ quarterback room, and Mundt played as a young tight end, in Minnesota in the same roles, and now in Philadelphia as a coach and player.

The Eagles’ Revised TE Room

Dallas Goedert may or may not return. Stay tuned. Veteran Kylen Granson is also a free agent. With those two players in flux, here’s a look at the Eagles’ TE room at the moment:

• Grant Culcaterra
• Johnny Mundt
• Cameron Latu
• E.J. Jenkins
• Jaheim Bell

If Philadelphia prefers a more dependable TE1, and Goedert doesn’t re-sign, free agents like David Njoku and Darren Waller remain on the open market.

Career Numbers and Tenure in MIN

In 2025, Brenton Strange became a key receiving target for the Jacksonville Jaguars, establishing himself as the team’s primary tight end. He tallied 46 receptions for 540 yards and 3 touchdowns, offering quarterback Trevor Lawrence a dependable option, especially over the middle, and commanding a larger share of the tight end targets.

This expanded role for Strange affected the depth chart, with Johnny Mundt becoming a key complementary player alongside Strange and fellow tight end Hunter Long. Mundt primarily served as Jacksonville’s TE3 throughout the 2025 season.

Mundt’s usage reflected his role. Over 16 games, he participated in 389 offensive snaps and contributed an additional 70 on special teams. Lawrence targeted Mundt 19 times, resulting in 9 receptions for 111 yards and 6 first downs. With Strange now cemented as Jacksonville’s lead tight end, Mundt is pursuing opportunities with a new team.

Before joining Jacksonville, Mundt played for the Vikings, signing as a free agent in March 2022. There, head coach Kevin O’Connell utilized him as a TE3.

Mundt’s connection with O’Connell began in 2017, when he entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Los Angeles Rams. He spent five seasons with the Rams, including the 2020 and 2021 seasons under O’Connell’s offensive coordination, culminating in a Super Bowl victory in 2021. When O’Connell became the head coach in Minnesota, Mundt quickly followed.

Throughout his 114-game career, Mundt has recorded 74 receptions for 658 yards and 4 touchdowns on 103 targets.

Eagles Offseason Moves

Strangely, Philadelphia has been quiet in free agency — just like the Vikings. It has signed two newcomers this week: Mundt and Super Bowl champion cornerback Tariq Woolen of the Seattle Seahawks.

The Eagles, too, are reportedly shopping for EDGE defenders after Jaelan Phillips departed for the Carolina Panthers. Their rumor mill has even lassoed Vikings outside linebacker Jonathan Greenard, who is evidently on the trade block if Minnesota cannot come to an agreement on a large contract extension.

If Minnesota and Philadelphia do trade business on Greenard, the Vikings are reportedly seeking a 2nd-Round pick. That could be snagged by Greenard’s modest 3 sacks in 12 games last year.

Mundt should have no problem securing the TE3 role in Philadelphia later this summer with Mannion running the offense. He’ll turn 32 right before Thanksgiving.