The Minnesota Vikings signed a new quarterback, fired their general manager, found a replacement, traded their best defensive player, and onboarded a new draft class in the last several months, and all that work is good enough for a ‘D+’ offseason, according to Yahoo Sports‘ Frank Schwab,

Most Vikings fans would grade the offseason much higher, but as an outsider, Schwab is not very impressed.

Vikings Cap Reset Affected Every Major Decision

Schwab Delivers ‘D+’ Offseason Grade for Vikings

Sizing up each team heading into the 2026 regular season, Schwab wrote about the Vikings last week, “The Vikings lost three good linemen from their defensive front, which is evident from the salaries they commanded with other teams. A lot is now expected from edge rusher Dallas Turner, a 2024 first-round pick who did take strides with eight sacks last season.”

“Minnesota also lost receiver Jalen Nailor, who the Raiders thought was worth more than $35 million over three years. Minnesota didn’t do much in free agency, feeling the cap crunch. They did sign former 49ers receiver Jauan Jennings for $8 million over one year, and also cornerback James Pierre for $8.5 million over two years.”

In July, the Vikings have $13 million remaining in cap space.

“No other outside free agent got more than $1.5 million, though Kyler Murray’s minimum $1.3 million deal is included in that. The draft class, led by defensive lineman Caleb Banks and linebacker Jake Golday in the first and second rounds, was panned,” Schwab continued.

“Minnesota’s draft got the fourth-worst consensus grade, and two of the three teams behind them didn’t have a first-round pick. Jennings was a good addition and Murray was a value, but the roster overall took some hits. Grade: D+.”

Murray Alone (for $1.3M) Should Be Good Enough for At Least a ‘B’

In March, after much anticipation, the Arizona Cardinals finally dumped Murray, refusing to explore a trade and instead letting him walk to the open market and willing to pay him to play for another NFL squad. The Vikings pounced, handing him a contract worth $1.3 million.

All signs point to Murray starting for the Vikings after he partakes in a quarterback competition with J.J. McCarthy in a couple of weeks. Finding and empowering a starting quarterback for $1.3 million — especially one as productive as Murray — is just phenomenal value.

Even if Murray doesn’t pan out for the long term, giving him an audition for $1.3 million is enough to drag an offseason grade from a ‘D+’ to the ‘B’ range. Not long ago, Murray was considered a Top 15 quarterback in the business. Now, the Vikings employ him for the NFL’s version of free.

Jonathan Greenard Trade Less Than Ideal

The offseason wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, however. Outside linebacker Jonathan Greenard wanted a new contract, and Minnesota apparently could not afford his asking price, which turned out to be $100 million over the next four seasons. Interim general manager Rob Brzezinski traded Greenard and a 7th-Round draft pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for two 3rd-Rounders. One of those picks has already fetched safety Jakobe Thomas, and the other is on the way in April 2027.

Still, it’s risky business to trade productive pass rushers, and there’s a chance that Minnesota regrets the Greenard swap. He was the team’s best defensive player, and while he didn’t register many sacks in 2025, his quarterback pressure numbers remained top-notch.

Most serious and playoff-contending football teams stack EDGE rushers — like the Eagles. The Vikings hope to replace Greenard with Dallas Turner.

If Schwab’s offseason grade proves right, offloading Greenard might be the smoking gun.

Doing More with Less

Minnesota’s plan became crystal clear once free agency began.

The Vikings had a choice to pursue high-profile players. However, that strategy would have necessitated pushing substantial cap hits into future seasons, inevitably leading to a difficult reckoning — a path exemplified by teams like Philadelphia for years and New Orleans until their recent financial restructuring.

Instead, Minnesota’s front office opted for a different approach, prioritizing value. Murray’s acquisition perfectly illustrates this strategy: securing a potential starting quarterback on a modest deal allowed the Vikings to address a critical position without overextending their budget.

The decision also enabled them to avoid expensive bidding wars. Tyler Linderbaum was never a serious target, nor did Minnesota engage in the frenzy for Trey Hendrickson. This offseason was fundamentally about creating financial flexibility.

The Vikings effectively designated 2026 as a salary cap reset year while assembling a competitive team. Therefore, by next spring, their financial outlook should be vastly improved, granting the front office considerable freedom to address remaining roster needs.

If you want the Vikings to have a busy offseason in 2027 and 2028, low spending was required in 2026. That alone might fetch a grade higher than a ‘D+.’

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

Javelin thrower Anand Singh and the women’s 4x400m relay team clinched a gold medal each as India ended their campaign on a strong note at the inaugural Asian U23 Athletics Championships here on Sunday.

Overall, the Indian team won 16 medals — 3 gold, 4 silver and 9 bronze — in the championships.

On his way to winning the gold medal, Anand joined the 80m club. His brilliant gold winning throw of 80.57m, a personal best, was achieved in his last attempt.

Shivam Lohakare, the second Indian in the fray, won the bronze medal with a distance of 77.70m.

The gold winning quartet of Shravani Sachin Sangle, Sandramol Sabu, Pravallika Narimalla and Nofisa Khatun clocked 3:33.62 seconds in the women’s 4x400m relay.

China won the silver medal (3:35.14 secs), while Kazakhstan settled for the bronze (3:37.65 secs), 
India won a silver medal in the women’s 4x100m relay, clocking 44.68 seconds, behind China (43.75 secs). Kazakhstan settled for bronze (50.90 secs). The members of the women’s shorter relay team are Sanjana, Akshaya Saravanan, Sudheeksha V and Shreeya Rajesh.

The men’s 4x400m relay team also won a silver with a time of 3:04.24 secs. The team comprises Astik Pradhan, Sharan Megavarnam, Setu Mishra and Aman Choudhary.

China won the gold with a time of 3:03.46 secs, while Qatar took home the bronze (3:06.19 secs).

However, the men’s 4x100m relay team finished fourth with a time of 39.38 seconds.

In the men’s high jump, Sudeep finished fifth after clearing 2.10m, while Bhumeshwory Devi Huidrom ended at seventh in the women’s 1500m, clocking 4:29.81 secs.

Earlier in the day, Sachin Garhwal finished sixth in the men’s half marathon race walk with a time of 1:36:48, while Aarti (1:45:40) was fourth in the women’s corresponding event.

Gavin Carmody, host for Sky Thoroughbred Central, provided a concise assessment of the Cactus Imaging Handicap (1100m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday, noting Benevac’s commanding front-running display.

The talented young jockey Grima has now reached 32 city wins and is two victories ahead of her closest competitor, Braith Nock, in the Sydney apprentices premiership, having partnered Benevac for her maiden win with champion trainer Ciaron Maher.

She made the most of the opportunity on Benevac, starting brilliantly from the barriers, controlling the race from the lead, and cruising to a comfortable victory.

Maher’s Sydney stable representative confirmed that Benevac was the first winner Grima had ridden for the stable.

“Siena has only had a few rides for us before so it is great she has won for the stable on Benevac,” said Johann Gerard Dubord, Maher’s Sydney stable representative. “She’s riding really well and did everything right on the horse.”

Benevac, the striking chestnut runner priced at $2.70, led throughout the race and was never in doubt as the immediate chaser, Zoufame ($2.30 favourite), finished two-and-three-quarter lengths behind, with Escargoes ($6) securing third place.

Gerard Dubord noted that Benevac is a lightly-raced young sprinter who continues to improve as he gains more racing experience.

“He’s a lovely horse and we feel there is more to come from him,” Gerard Dubord elaborated. “He’s got a lot of upside.”

Benevac, cleverly named as he is by Godolphin’s highly-regarded young sire Bivouac out of Houston Benefactor, was purchased by Dean and Adam Watt’s Dynamic Syndications for $140,000 at the Magic Millions Yearling Sale two years ago. His latest win at Randwick was the second of his career from 10 starts (plus five minor placings), and he has already earned over $290,000 in prizemoney, with the promise of more to come.

The Randwick meeting also featured a significant achievement for Eagle Farm-based trainer Todd Pollard, who prepared his first Sydney winner with All Kinds Of Folk in the Asahi Super Dry Handicap (1800m).

In fact, All Kinds Of Folk was Pollard’s inaugural runner in NSW, with the trainer having only obtained his licence in February.

Pollard has made a remarkable start to his training career, accumulating 10 winners from just 44 starters, including two wins at Listed level.

“I don’t think we will keep that strike-rate going but I couldn’t have asked for a better start to my career,” he commented. “And to get a winner here at Randwick with my first runner is a very special moment for me.”

All Kinds Of Folk ($4.40 favourite), ridden with skill by champion jockey Kerrin McEvoy, overtook the front-running Tambela ($4.80) near the finish line to win by a long neck, with Existential Bob ($5.50) finishing nearly three lengths behind in third place.

Take advantage of the racing odds for the next major event.

Florida State is expected to hire ex-Texas, Houston and FAU coach Tom Herman in a support staff role, Noles247 confirmed Monday. The 51-year-old coaching veteran’s position with the team has not yet been clarified, but he will likely assist Seminoles coach Mike Norvell on the offensive side of the ball as he resumes playcalling duties following Gus Malzahn’s offseason retirement. 

Florida State is counting on experienced transfer quarterback Ashton Daniels to jump-start an offense that sputtered last season. Herman brings two decades of coaching experience with him as the Seminoles look to get back on track.

Herman has never been short on offensive answers. At his best, he was one of college football’s most creative playcallers, building systems that marry quarterback strengths with tempo, spacing and a physical run game. His work as Ohio State’s offensive coordinator helped power the Buckeyes to the inaugural College Football Playoff national championship, while his offenses at Houston turned Greg Ward Jr. into a star. 

Even during an up-and-down tenure at Texas, Herman consistently produced explosive offenses that stressed defenses in multiple ways. Norvell isn’t handing over the keys, but adding Herman gives the Seminoles another experienced set of eyes in game-planning, quarterback development and in-game adjustments. The Seminoles don’t need to lead the ACC in scoring to rebound in 2026, but they do need consistency, and Herman has built a career helping offenses find it.

The Herman files

Herman’s first head coaching position came at Houston in 2015 after a couple of years on Urban Meyer’s staff at Ohio State as the Buckeyes’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

Herman won the Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant in 2014 and went 22-4 as the head man at Houston before that success led to him taking over at Texas. After posting a 32-18 overall record in Austin, Herman was fired following a 7-3 campaign during the 2020 COVID season. He earned a $15 million buyout from the Longhorns.

Herman later served as an offensive analyst for the Chicago Bears before accepting the head job at FAU. He went 6-16 over two years with the Owls before his firing — and $4 million buyout — after the 2024 season and hasn’t actively coached in the collegiate ranks since.

Florida State welcomed 57 newcomers to the roster this offseason, including 23 transfers, many of which have already found roles within the two-deep. In what amounts to a make-or-break season for Norvell, given recent struggles, perhaps Herman’s presence could help extend his tenure.

First Published: Jul 13 2026 | 11:26 AM IST

LAS VEGAS — After almost 10 years away, college coaches have returned to what’s essentially the mecca of the summer recruiting scene.

For over two decades, Las Vegas played a big role in the summer live evaluation period. This city was the biggest pulse of the offseason, the dream destination for independent and shoe-company-sponsored teams alike. Wide-eyed teenagers and eager college coaches would descend upon this glitzy domain in the desert and commingle in a variety of tournaments, providing some all-time recruiting stories along the way. 

Going to Vegas became part of the fabric of the offseason in the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. Some kids had their lives changed forever after playing some of the best games of their high school careers in Las Vegas. And the same coaches who handed out those scholarship offers also lost thousands of dollars thanks to regrettable late-night decisions in smoke-scented casinos, just running on fumes for the love of the grind. It was perfect. 

That disappeared in the past eight years because, in 2017, an FBI investigation rocked college basketball that led to a lot of fallout (and even more wasted time and energy). Vegas proved to be one of the settings of some rule-breaking behavior (I know: shocking!) and that empowered the government to successfully convict 10 men, including four college basketball assistants. The case catalyzed the NCAA to form a commission to assess what was ailing the sport.

The live evaluation period in Las Vegas immediately went away and the offseason recruiting calendar went through multiple experimental changes in the ensuing years that barricaded a quick return to the land of milk and honey.

Eventually, NIL rules were put into place — making the decision to strip Vegas from the recruiting calendar altogether seem silly in hindsight. While high school prospects have played in smaller summer events in Sin City in the years since the FBI case broke, there was no evaluation period with a big-tent event.

That all changed, in a huge way, this past week. 

Who’s who of basketball descends on Sin City 

Nike’s EYBL circuit just completed four days worth of competition for hundreds of its boys and girls teams at the sprawling Las Vegas Convention Center. The setup was magnificent. There were 22 courts for the boys competition inside the Convention Center’s West Hall, hosting games for EYBL’s 15s, 16s, and 17s divisions. Nearly every big-name head coach could be seen here, in addition to at least half the NBA‘s high-level general managers and presidents of basketball operations. 

A few weeks ago, John Calipari was dapper as could be, sitting courtside at MSG for the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history. On Friday, he was waiting in line for the same oversized, $12 slice of pizza as me and everyone else, stealing a bite in between games. You were just as likely to bump into Tom Izzo or Dan Hurley as you were Brad Stevens or Danny Ainge. 

Why were so many other high-level NBA executives courtside for some of the biggest Nike games? The NBA’s Las Vegas Summer League is also happening right now, of course. And that’s the magic of it. For the first time ever, a live evaluation period in Sin City is happening concurrently with Summer League. Because of that, it’s brought thousands of people from the high school, college and NBA communities together, in one city, for the first time. 

This needs to be the standard moving forward. 

You’ve got college coaches bouncing over to the NBA’s Las Vegas Summer League at UNLV‘s Thomas & Mack Arena, to see their guys who just got drafted in the lottery get their first taste of NBA life. Others are watching their former players try to break through and hopefully make an NBA roster. 

AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson deliver glimpse of the NBA’s bright future in Summer League showdown

Gary Parrish

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It was also a common sight to see familiar NBA faces (Kevin Durant the most famous of them all), in addition to recent draft picks, popping over from to summer league games just to say hello to their old coaches, both college and AAU, at the Convention Center. 

In hotels all up and down the Strip there are lunches and dinners and agency parties happening every day. All hustle and bustle. Vegas always has a buzz, but the basketball takeover here is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. It’s essentially a huge hoops convention.

“This is now going to be the most important week in basketball moving forward,” one high-level agent told CBS Sports. “The whole industry is going to be here. It will be the epicenter of basketball. Coming to Vegas will be even more important than going to the Final Four.”

Meeting with agents more valuable than evaluating players 

In talking to more than two dozen college coaches, all of them raved about recruiting’s return to Vegas. And it’s not because of the access to the blackjack tables. (Though there were a few who predictably found their way to some late-night action there as well.) It’s about having so many people in one place, at one time, just taking in the games and continuing to network. The logistics of the court setups also make this a lot more practical. The game windows don’t start at 8 a.m. and go past 9 at night, either. It’s a little more than six hours in the middle of the day and early evening. 

That allows plenty of time for the biggest reason coaches are out here. No, it’s not to evaluate players. It’s to meet with player agents. This has become the game. Agents now populate the sidelines and alleyways of these AAU games the same way coaches and media do, as they continue to grease their connections as well. One Big East coach told me he talked in casual conversation with at least 20 agents in Las Vegas alone. 

“You almost have to come out here because of all the agents,” another coach said. “You can get so much shit done here now. This was really smart by Nike. It’s an unbelievable setup.”

Another coach told me, “Meeting with the agents here is more productive than anything.”

Twenty years ago, it used to be that Reebok, Adidas and Nike held their events in Vegas in three different parts of the city. Coaches would rent a car and spend half the day driving from one gym to another. The savvy ones would ask the AAU coaches which hotels they were staying in, then book a room there, just so, if by some crazy coincidence, they happened to bump into a player in the lobby, well, funny how that happened!

That’s no longer the calculus. Everything is in the open and the temperature has changed on how business gets done. Some coaches have adapted more quickly than others, but everyone understands how things operate now. 

And then there’s the chance to see NBA scouts and front office executives. It’s a basketball lover’s paradise.

Nike and the NBA working in harmony to make this happen just changed the paradigm of the summer recruiting calendar. While the Peach Jam will continue to be Nike’s championship event in North Augusta, South Carolina (and will be played later this week), the setup in Vegas seems poised to immediately become the primary destination for coaches, media, scouts, agents, everyone invested in all three levels of basketball. 

“Many of our alumni can’t make it to Augusta for Peach Jam during summer League, so we brought the show to them,” a Nike spokesperson told CBS Sports. “Over 100 of our NBA player alumni attended Session 4 in Vegas.”

And the fact that Adidas, Under Armour and the rising Puma circuit weren’t out here feels like a correction that needs to be made by those companies in 2027, or else they’ll be left behind.

“I don’t know why Adidas and Under Armour aren’t here as well,” one coach from the Midwest said. “Vegas is big enough and can handle it.”

Another source speculated that Adidas, at minimum, would be course-correcting and returning to Vegas next summer. (For a couple of years in the 2010s it hosted its premier tournament at the nearby Cashman Center.)

Nike told me it hasn’t yet 100% committed to coming back in 2027, but believe me, it will be back in 2027. I was told the decision would hinge on the feedback from the teams, parents and college coaches. Other than the regrettable decision to hang some banners that reinforced some of the worst stereotypes about grassroots basketball (a baffling call that was roundly mocked by a lot of people), I haven’t heard a single bad thing about the setup this week in Vegas. 

And credit to Nike for making it affordable for parents as well: It cost $10 per session for parents to watch their boys play this week. I spoke to the father of a girls player who told me it was less than $90 for a four-day ticket at the other end of the Convention Center. Nike has put an emphasis on making the game ticket affordable, and that should be commended in an age where youth sports pricing continues to get worse, a reality that’s faced increased scrutiny in the aftermath of the United States’ World Cup flameout. 

On the basketball side, things seem to be improving. Being here in Vegas this week, it felt like the start of a sea change for the offseason. This can be the template for offseason basketball, staging it in a familiar place with irresistible energy. Marrying the recruiting calendar with the Las Vegas Summer League fosters a productive networking environment — and reinforces what everyone knew all along.

The recruiting scene should have never left Vegas to begin with.

Now it’s back, it won’t be going away, and it will almost certainly get even bigger — and better — by the end of the decade.

Manchester City’s summer transfer business has kicked into gear in recent weeks.

The £116million capture of Elliot Anderson saw the Blues secure their top target early in the transfer window and City have since added goalkeeper Pierce Charles from Sheffield Wednesday and highly-rated winger Jeremy Monga from Leicester City. Mathys Detourbet has also joined from Troyes and subsequently left for Monaco on loan.

While Detourbet, and to some extent Monga, are buys for the future, Charles will fill a crucial goalkeeping role given the uncertainty surrounding James Trafford’s future and the desire for City to ensure they hit homegrown squad quotas in the Premier League and Champions League. Monga, tipped for top, was snatched from under Arsenal’s noses and is viewed as a first-team prospect by the Blues.

So far so good for City, who would still like to add a right back and another winger but in Anderson have achieved their statement signing already.

The Blues face a pivotal summer with Enzo Maresca now in charge after a decade of Pep Guardiola and have made a good start to the window, particularly considering there is a World Cup ongoing.

And a quick glance around the rest of the Premier League shows how calm City’s summer has been compared to the choppy waters elsewhere.

Manchester United wanted Anderson and Mateus Fernandes and missed out on both, while an agreed move for midfielder Ederson could yet fall through. The Reds are set to sign Andre Santos and Youri Tielemans from Chelsea and Aston Villa respectively but have moved for both after missing out on top targets.

Villa didn’t want to lose Tielemans but have gazumped Newcastle to the signing of highly-rated Switzerland midfielder Johan Manzambi to leave serious questions on Tyneside given the departure of Sandro Tonali for Tottenham and the historical issues of missing out on top targets at the last minute and seeing key players leave. Bruno Guimaraes could also depart St James’ Park with Arsenal keen, but the Gunners have not yet struck a deal.

Mikel Arteta’s men are also eyeing Julian Alvarez but Atletico Madrid are unwilling sellers and Barcelona are also interested, while the Argentine is still at the World Cup, and so far Arsenal are having to wait on their top targets.

Liverpool have spent big on Víctor Muñoz and Jérémy Jacquet as their rebuild under Andoni Iraola begins, while Spurs have also hit the ground running with a slew of spending. The picture is more complicated at Chelsea, with the Blues once again experiencing a fraught summer with big money deals expected but several departures necessary as they try to balance the books for new boss Xabi Alonso.

It all adds up to a chaotic summer as Premier League clubs scramble for the best talent. City still have work to do, and the window is open for another 50 days so there will be no great panic elsewhere, but the early signs show just how calm, considered and calculated City are in the window, particularly considering the change in management this summer.

It doesn’t guarantee success, and there will be more twists and turns to come, but the Blues are well placed to transition from one era to the next.