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Are We Heading to a Vikings Draft Night Trade Back?
The 2026 NFL draft is fast approaching, and the mock drafts and draft opinions are in full swing. The popular man to be sent to the Minnesota Vikings right now is Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman. Is he the right pick for the Vikings at 18? Is anybody? Or could we be looking at a Vikings draft-day trade back?
Vikings Trade Back Scenario Is Gaining Steam
The Vikings draft suddenly seems to hinge on Thieneman, who moved from a potentially second-round prospect to a first-rounder after a phenomenal performance at the combine. Should a performance in some drills on one day drastically change the view of a player? The fact is, it can. On the flip side, other options that looked good for the Vikings, like interior defensive linemen Caleb Banks and Peter Woods, have seen their draft stock tank.
If you look at the positions that the Vikings still need to address this offseason – defensive tackle, safety, center, running back, linebacker, WR3 – and assuming Calen Downs and Jeremiyah Love are off the board at 18.
The players Minnesota might be looking at, like Thieneman, Woods, Banks, Kayden McDonald, Emannuel McNeill-Warren, and CJ Allen, might still be available after the trade back. You might even be able to get two of those players, and when they aren’t at the top end of draft prospects, it gives better value.
Thieneman’s draft stock may have even risen to the point that someone takes him before 18, in which case the trade back should look even more agreeable to the Vikings’ brain trust.
Don’t Let the Scars of the Past Affect Judgement
Trading back in the first round might bring horrible memories of the 2022 draft for some, but Kwesi Adofo-Mensah got his marching orders back in January. Rob Brzezinski and Kevin O’Connell will be putting this draft together, and if a quality player falls into your lap – as Kyle Hamilton did in 2022 – then you pull the trigger. However, if that doesn’t happen, then there is no need for the Vikings to reach for a player.
Of course, then it becomes a case of getting good value from the trade. What good value looks like is somewhat subjective; there are many draft trade chats out there that have their own ideas.
The slight concern is that the Vikings only have an acting general manager in place, a very strange position to be in. Navigating a successful draft, including successful trades, could put Brzezinski in the frame for the full-time GM role, but we don’t know what the Vikings are thinking long term, with everyone keeping their cards close to their chest in Minnesota.
The first round of the 2026 NFL draft kicks off on April 23 in Pittsburgh.
Proud UK Viking. Family Man. Enjoy writing about my team. Away from football an advocate for autism acceptance.
WASHINGTON − Just like in so many games this season, Michigan State basketball basketball opened a game ice-cold.
And just like in so many of those games, the Spartans climbed out of their hole to make it a game. But this time, in the East region semifinal at Capital One Arena, the hole was just a little too deep, the second-half comeback stopped a basket or two short, as 3-seed MSU fell to 2-seed Connecticut, 67-63, on Friday, March 27.
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In what wound up as their final game of the 2025-26 season, in coach Tom Izzo’s 17th Sweet 16, the Spartans head home, while the Huskies advance to the Elite Eight. UConn will face 1-seed Duke on Sunday (5:05 p.m., CBS) for a spot in next weekend’s Final Four.
Michigan State forward Cameron Ward (3) and Michigan State center Carson Cooper (15) go up for the defense rebound over Connecticut forward Jayden Ross (23) during the first half of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball East Regional game against UConn at Capital One Arena in Washington DC on Friday, March 27, 2026.
JEFF SEIDEL: This player helps Michigan State ‘win a lot more than people know’
Coen Carr paced the Spartans with 13 points, while Jeremy Fears Jr. added 11 points, Jaxon Kohler had 12 points and Carson Cooper finished with 14 points.
Tarris Reed Jr. dominated in the paint for UConn, with 20 points and a key rebound of a missed Cooper free throw in the closing seconds, while Solo Ball added 12, Alex Karaban had 17 and Braylon Mullins posted eight.
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Déjà vu
The start looked eerily similar to MSU’s 76-69 exhibition loss to UConn on Oct. 28 in Hartford, Connecticut. Almost identical, actually.
The Spartans started off that fall game going just 2-for-13, and they were an even more abysmal 2-for-16 to open the Sweet 16 matchup. MSU went 8 minutes, 46 seconds between buckets after a Fears jumper at 18:44 and a Carr layup at 9:58.
Meantime, the Huskies banged in six of their first seven 3-point attempts and ripped off a 22-2 run between Spartan field goals. The Huskies also had six of their nine 3s in the exhibition win by halftime.
And just like in October, MSU found itself trailing by 19 points – only this time, it was less than 10 minutes into the game instead of midway through the second half.
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HOW IT ALL STARTED: 1st Sweet 16 for Tom Izzo sent Michigan State basketball to a new high
But as they did in the game that didn’t count, the Spartans slogged their way back slowly and methodically. Back-to-back layups by Carr and Kohler for a 4-0 run. A Fears steal and breakaway up-and-under around Reed, then a dish from the All-American point guard to Cooper for an alley-oop. The rough seas began to calm, and the tide started to shift.
After Reed drew Cooper’s second foul with a nifty post-up spin move with 3:09 left before intermission, the former Michigan big man missed the free throw. At the other end, Fears accepted a pick from Kohler, then fed his forward on the pop for MSU’s first 3-pointer after six early misses. Then Jordan Scott drove and hit a cutting Carr for another layup. UConn started to flub up, and Kohler hit a pair of free throws with 1:26 left.
Ball attacked and scored with just over a minute to go, but Fears countered at the other end with his own driving layup. The Spartans got another late defensive stop and somehow clawed their way back to within 35-27 at halftime – better than their 11-point hole in October.
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Despite going just 10-for-29, with Kohler’s triple the only one in eight attempts. Despite turning the ball over five times that led to eight points for the Huskies, who shot 56% but didn’t make another 3-pointer in the final 10:37 after their sizzling start. And despite getting outscored 5-2 in transition against UConn’s long-limbed defense.
Kohler had nine points and Carr seven at the break. Fears was just 3-for-8 for six points, while freshmen Scott and Cam Ward combined for nine rebounds in a 20-13 halftime edge on the glass.
Reed and Ball each scored eight at the break, but it was a combined effort as the Huskies had five others add three or more points.
Michigan State guard Jeremy Fears Jr. (1) looks for an open man during the first half as UConn defends during the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball East Regional game against UConn at Capital One Arena in Washington DC on Friday, March 27, 2026.
What’s next for MSU
The Spartans end their season one round short of last year’s Elite Eight trip and two wins shy of another Final Four trip to Indianapolis for Izzo, who is now 61-27 all-time in the NCAA Tournament and 11-6 in his 17 Sweet 16 appearances. It also ends the season for senior starters Kohler and Cooper, who went 57-15 over their final two seasons. MSU also loses Trey Fort, Denham Wojcik and Nick Sanders to graduation, and whatever might transpire with potential portal defections, as Izzo experienced last season. Arriving to potentially join Fears, Carr and the others is one of the nation’s best recruiting classes – the group of center Ethan Taylor, shooting guard Jasiah Jervis, point guard Carlos Medlock Jr., and forward Julius Avent – is ranked No. 2 according to 247 Sports’ composite rankings. MSU also is expected to get back swingman Kaleb Glenn from a summer 2025 knee injury that cost him the season and guard Divine Ugochukwu from a foot injury that ended his season in early February.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan State basketball rally runs short in Sweet 16 loss to UConn
U.S. President Donald Trump said Tiger Woods has ‘some difficulty’ after the golfer was involved in a rollover car crash in Florida on Friday afternoon.
Woods, 50, crashed his Land Rover on Jupiter Island, in the same town where he lives, just after 2pm local time after clipping a machinery truck at speed and was subsequently arrested for driving under the influence.
The 15-time major champion, along with the other driver, emerged from the incident uninjured with Martin County sheriff John Budensiek admitting “this could have been a lot worse”.
This is the third major crash Woods has been involved in and the second time it has led to a DUI arrest, with authorities suspecting that he was “impaired” by medication after he passed a breathalyser test but refused to take a urine sample.
The American was previously taken into custody for driving under the influence in Florida in 2017, after which he checked himself into a clinic for prescription medication.
Trump commented on Woods’ crash and said he “feels so badly” for his close friend.
“He’s got some difficulty,” Trump said, speaking before the Martin County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Woods’ arrest. “There was an accident and that’s all I know. He’s a very close friend of mine, he’s an amazing person, an amazing man. Some difficulty, I don’t want to talk about it.”
Woods will remain in county jail for at least eight hours under state law until he can be released on bond.
Woods was also in a high-profile rollover crash in California in 2021, which left him with serious injuries. Authorities said he was driving at least twice the 45mph speed limit when he SUV struck a tree, causing the vehicle to fly through the air and land on its side.
At the 2021 Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, Woods said: “I’m lucky to be alive and also have a limb,” revealing it was 50-50 as to whether part of his right leg would require amputation.
Woods had been working his way back to golf from a seventh back surgery last September and his status for next month’s Masters remains unclear.
He admitted he got his “a*** kicked” after returning to golf in the virtual league with his team Jupiter Links, who lost in the TGL Finals.
His last official tournament was The Open in 2024, rupturing his Achilles tendon in March 2025 which that kept him off the course all season prior to back surgery.
And while Woods has lifetime eligibility to play at The Masters, as a previous five-time winner of the green jacket, Trump had previously suggested a decision had already been made.
“I love Tiger, but he won’t be there,” Trump said while appearing on “The Five” on FOX News. “He’ll be there, but he won’t be playing in it.”
Seven goals, 14 substitutions, no cards — there were a lot of storylines in Germany’s draw in Basel. With two and a half months left to the World Cup though, most of the focus is on who will make the squad.
One man who doesn’t need to worry is Florian Wirtz. The 22-year-old is one of the first names on the teamsheet let alone in the squad, and against Switzerland he delivered just the latest masterclass in his young career.
Wirtz emerges as leader by example
Jonathan Tah’s first-ever Germany goal came from a Wirtz cross. It was Wirtz who saw Serge Gnabry make the darting run through the middle for Germany’s second. The Liverpool man’s curling, dipping finish put Germany ahead the first time and a delicately placed finish on the edge of the box put Julian Nagelsmann’s team ahead for the last time. Germany had won 4-3 and without Wirtz, they would have had nothing on the scoreboard.
“Flo’s [Wirtz] goals were exceptional,” Nagelsmann told RTL afterwards. “We know he is super creative.”
“You saw his class today,” Leon Goretzka said. “You can see it from his first touch for his second goal, and to place the ball in the top corner like he did was superb.”
The 22-year-old thrilled with Jamal Musiala at Euro 2024, prompting the combined nickname “Wusiala.”
In Cologne when Germany needed a breakthrough in a tough World Cup qualifier against Northern Ireland, it was Wirtz who found it. When Germany needed a big result against Slovakia, it was Wirtz who helped get Germany going. While the start to his Liverpool career was bumpy, he has since found his form in a side that remains somewhat inconsistent. But wearing Germany’s new dark blue away kit inspired by the country’s 1990s training tops, the man bought in the following decade proved why he is becoming a leader by example.
“It probably was,” Wirtz said when asked if this was his best Germany game.
Perhaps the part that Nagelsmann will be most impressed with will be the impact Wirtz’s performance had on his team. When he took control, his teammates appeared to respond. His performance lifted that of those around him. It got Germany back on their feet every time they were knocked down.
“I’m not worried because we are really a good team with a really good defense,” Wirtz said. “You can see that we haven’t played together for a while but we have to work on that. I think all three goals were a bit preventable but it’s about winning and if we win by one more goal than the opposition then that’s also fine.”
Wirtz can’t stop defensive issues
Despite an impressive amount of tracking back, not even Wirtz could stop a remarkably efficient Swiss side. Murat Yakin’s team finished the game with three goals from three shots on target. It was the kind of efficiency Germany could only dream of, but even if there was a touch of misfortune from Germany’s perspective, it was also a familiar sight to see Nagelsmann’s side struggle defensively.
Germany’s build-up play left a lot to be desired, with Nico Schlotterbeck twice making mistakes that led to goals for the Swiss. Just days after 33-year-old Antonio Rüdiger appeared to have been handed the new role of being a back-up defender, Schlotterbeck’s outing might have made Nagelsmann think again. After all, for a side whose defense has been heavily criticized and deemed to be short of world-class quality in too many positions, errors in build-up play are a disaster. The 18th best side in the world proved as much, and left a reminder of what any of those inside the top 10 would do.
Afterwards though, it didn’t feel like a night for musing over familiar defensive woes. Wirtz wrestled back the narrative and made it about the hope behind Germany’s attack. Two quick corners are the sign of a well-versed side. Kai Havertz, returning for the first time since November 2024, showed signs of a player finding form and fitness. Serge Gnabry, who scored a fine goal with the final kick of the first half, can be counted as a squad regular again. Some of the passing moves were slick and exciting to watch. And then there was Wirtz, the man who is making Germany fans dream big.
Edited by: Wesley Dockery
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IPL 2026: Defending champions RCB begin title defence against SRH at Chinnaswamy | Cricket News
BENGALURU: Until June 3, 2025, Royal Challengers Bengaluru carried the tag of underachievers — a team that spent 17 previous seasons chasing an elusive trophy. On a muggy night in Ahmedabad, that narrative finally shifted. Built less on individual stardom and more on collective performances, RCB shed their long-standing baggage and got the monkey off their backs.When they return to the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday evening, they do so with a title to defend, a reputation to protect and expectations recalibrated. Against fellow southerners Sunrisers Hyderabad, RCB begin their campaign as defending champions — a feat only Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians have managed to follow up with a successful title defence.
While it is a long season ahead, a strong start will be crucial. Chinnaswamy hasn’t always been a fortress for RCB, and against an SRH side packed with explosive batters, the challenge is immediate.On paper, the two teams share striking similarities. Both boast formidable batting units, both are without their premier Australian quicks, and they will rely on a blend of experienced Indian names and promising youngsters. The conditions only add to the intrigue. The last completed IPL game at the venue last season — RCB’s clash against CSK — saw a staggering 424 runs scored, with the hosts defending 215 by just two runs. If the surface stays true to its batting-friendly reputation, bowlers from both sides could be in for a long evening.RCB have largely retained the core that delivered their maiden title, using the mini-auction to plug specific gaps. The additions of Venkatesh Iyer and England’s Jordan Cox bring flexibility, while young Indian recruits like Mangesh Yadav and Vihaan Malhotra add depth and future promise.
Their batting remains their biggest strength. With Virat Kohli and Phil Salt expected to set the tone at the top, Jacob Bethell’s recent form adds another dynamic layer. The middle order is stacked with experience and firepower in Rajat Patidar, Devdutt Padikkal, Jitesh Sharma, Tim David and Venkatesh Iyer. The team management, in fact, faces the enviable headache of narrowing down a balanced playing XI.However, the absence of Josh Hazlewood — their most impactful bowler last season — could be a significant setback. The Australian pacer, still working his way back from injury concerns, only rejoined the squad on Thursday and will sit out of the match. His absence puts the onus on Bhuvneshwar Kumar to lead the attack, especially in conditions that traditionally offer little margin for error. RCB are also without Sri Lankan quick Nuwan Thushara, who is yet to clear the fitness test in his home country. In Hazlewood’s absence, New Zealand pacer Jacob Duffy could be handed an IPL debut. He is expected to slot into an otherwise Indian-heavy bowling unit, with youngsters Mangesh Yadav and Rasikh Dar pushing for inclusion. The spin department, featuring Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma, will also have a key role in controlling the middle overs.SRH, meanwhile, look equally formidable with the bat. Led by Ishan Kishan, they have a destructive line-up comprising Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Heinrich Klaasen and Nitish Reddy. However, their bowling appears relatively undercooked in the absence of regular skipper Pat Cummins, even though they can call upon the experience of Harshal Patel, Brydon Carse and Jaydev Unadkat.Away from the on-field contest, it will be a sombre homecoming for RCB. The players will wear black armbands in memory of the 11 lives lost in the stampede during last year’s title celebrations — a tragedy that continues to cast a shadow over the team and the venue.
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2026 NCAA Tournament schedule: March Madness bracket, game dates, locations, tip times and TV channels
Check out the master schedule for the NCAA Tournament so you can watch all the March Madness 2026 action
The 2026 Texas Children’s Houston Open continues on Saturday, March 28, with the third round at Memorial Park in Houston, Texas. You can find full Texas Children’s Houston Open tee times for Saturday’s third round at the bottom of this post.
Featured tee time for Round 3
It’s been nearly seven years since Gary Woodland claimed his last title, and it was a major: the 2019 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. Since then, Woodland has endured brain surgery to remove a tumor and has experienced lasting PTSD from the procedure, the difficulty of which he shared recently with Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard.
Revealing his struggles publicly appears to have resulted in some improvement on the course. The 41-year-old finished T14 at last week’s Valspar Championship — his best finish since finishing T11 at last year’s Charles Schwab Challenge — and is posting some of his best rounds of the year in Texas.
After 36 holes at the Houston Open, Woodland holds the solo lead at at 13 under par — three shots clear of his closest competitors, Nicolai Hojgaard and Jackson Suber, who are 10 under. If he can hang on until Sunday, Woodland will claim his fifth career PGA Tour title.
Woodland, Hojgaard and Suber will play in Saturday afternoon’s final grouping at 12:55 p.m. ET.
You can watch Saturday’s third round of the 2026 Texas Children’s Houston Open from 1-3 p.m. ET on Golf Channel, followed by the NBC broadcast from 3-6 p.m. ET. PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ will provide exclusive early streaming coverage starting at 8:15 a.m. ET on Saturday in addition to featured group coverage.
Check out the complete Round 3 tee times and groupings for the Texas Children’s Houston Open below.
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2026 Texas Children’s Houston Open tee times for Saturday: Round 3 (ET)
Tee No. 1
8:20 a.m. – Lee Hodges, Jordan Smith, Adrien Saddier
8:30 a.m. – Ben Griffin, Garrick Higgo, Tom Hoge
8:40 a.m. – Erik van Rooyen, Matthieu Pavon, Danny Willett
8:50 a.m. – Luke Clanton, John Parry, Danny Walker
9:00 a.m. – Eric Cole, Kevin Roy, Matt Kuchar
9:11 a.m. – Mac Meissner, Jesper Svensson, Peter Malnati
9:22 a.m. – Sam Burns, William Mouw, Kurt Kitayama
9:38 a.m. – Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Andrew Putnam, Chris Gotterup
9:49 a.m. – Steven Fisk, Davis Riley, Harris English
10:00 a.m. – Brice Garnett, Emiliano Grillo, Sungjae Im
10:11 a.m. – Michael Brennan, Takumi Kanaya, Jimmy Stanger
10:22 a.m. – Shane Lowry, Chris Kirk, Harry Hall
10:33 a.m. – Austin Eckroat, Matti Schmid, Bronson Burgoon
10:44 a.m. – Thorbjørn Olesen, Tony Finau, Ricky Castillo
11:00 a.m. – Johnny Keefer, Pontus Nyholm, Denny McCarthy
11:11 a.m. – Tom Kim, Rasmus Højgaard, Beau Hossler
11:22 a.m. – Stephan Jaeger, Sudarshan Yellamaraju, Aldrich Potgieter
11:33 a.m. – Max McGreevy, Adrien Dumont de Chassart, Vince Whaley
11:44 a.m. – Paul Waring, Rico Hoey, Alex Smalley
11:55 a.m. – Jhonattan Vegas, Sahith Theegala, Jeffrey Kang
12:11 p.m. – Matt Wallace, Keith Mitchell, Chad Ramey
12:22 p.m. – Zecheng Dou, Sam Ryder, Jake Knapp
12:33 p.m. – Sam Stevens, Adam Scott, Karl Vilips
12:44 p.m. – Min Woo Lee, Jason Day, Michael Thorbjornsen
12:55 p.m. – Gary Woodland, Nicolai Højgaard, Jackson Suber
The Fertitta family has agreed to a deal to purchase the Connecticut Sun for a record-breaking $300 million and move the WNBA franchise to Houston, according to reports from Paper City Magazine and ESPN. A sale would be subject to approval by the WNBA’s Board of Governors, and it was not official as of Friday evening.
If the deal is approved, the Sun would reportedly play the 2026 season in Connecticut before moving to Houston in 2027. The team is expected to play at the Toyota Center, home of the NBA’s Houston Rockets, and be renamed the Houston Comets, taking on the name of the original WNBA franchise in the city, which existed from 1997 until 2008. The original Comets, led by Cynthia Cooper, Sheryl Swoopes and Tina Thompson won the league’s first four championships and were the first WNBA dynasty.
In June of 2025, after the WNBA announced further expansion to Cleveland (2028), Detroit (2029) and Philadelphia (2030), commissioner Cathy Engelbert said that the league had its “eye on” Houston as a city that could eventually get a team.
“There are a variety of cities that obviously bid, and one of those I wanted to shout out — because they have such a strong history in this league and their great ownership group — is Houston,” Engelbert said at the time. “The Houston Comets were just an amazing one, the first four inaugural championships in the WNBA. So I would say that’s the one, obviously, we have our eye on. [Owner] Tilman [Feritta’s] been a great supporter of the WNBA, and we’ll stay tuned on that.”
The Sun have played in Uncasville, Connecticut at Mohegan Sun Arena since 2003, when the franchise was purchased by the Mohegan Tribe and relocated from Orlando. The Sun were the first franchise run by a non-NBA owner and were the first to turn a profit.
“The people at Mohegan Sun, I think they stepped up when they were needed and brought a team to Connecticut, as Connecticut deserves to have a team because we’re a proven [area] where people will support women’s basketball,” UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma said Friday. “Moving, I think it leaves a void.”
The Sun made the playoffs in 16 of 22 seasons in Connecticut and reached the Finals four times, but lost each time. While the Sun have been successful on the floor, the organization has fallen behind its counterparts off the floor. Notably, the Sun have often practiced at a local community center, and the franchise is the only one that has not announced any recent plans for a new practice facility.
Connecticut’s lack of facilities and amenities became a major issue last winter when its entire starting lineup from the 2024 season, including stars Alyssa Thomas, Brionna Jones and DeWanna Bonner, left in free agency. The Sun went 11-33 last season, finished in 11th place and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
In August of 2025, the Mohegan Tribe agreed to sell the franchise to then-Boston Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca for $325 million. As part of the deal, the franchise would have been relocated to Boston. After league pushback, however, the sale did not go through.
“Relocation decisions are made by the WNBA Board of Governors and not by individual teams,” the WNBA said in a statement at the time. “As part of our most recent expansion process, in which three new franchises were awarded to Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia on June 30, 2025, nine additional cities also applied for WNBA teams and remain under active consideration. No groups from Boston applied for a team at that time, and those other cities remain under consideration based on the extensive work they did as part of the expansion process and currently have priority over Boston. Celtics’ prospective owner Bill Chisholm has also reached out to the league office and asked that Boston receive strong consideration for a WNBA franchise at the appropriate time.”
The last time a WNBA team was sold was in 2021, when Larry Gottesdiener led a group that bought the Atlanta Dream for under $10 million.
The 2026 WNBA season will go ahead as scheduled after the league and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association came to terms on a historic new collective bargaining agreement. Opening night is set for May 8, and the regular season will run through Sept. 24.
There was only one question people really wanted answered this offseason when it came to the Minnesota Vikings: the Big Vikings QB Decision. We finally got our answer when Kyler Murray was signed. And now that decision is being hailed as one of the best value moves of the offseason.
The Murray Move Is Drawing Value Praise
Injuries and poor play at QB derailed the Vikings’ 2025 season, and entering the 2026 season with just JJ McCarthy and Max Brosmer wasn’t going to cut it. The Vikings raised their ceiling by signing Murray, and doing so to a one-year, $1.3 million contract brings very little downside. He might not have lived up to his first-overall draft pick status, but he is a highly capable quarterback with seven seasons in the league as a starter.
Nfl New Arizona Cardinals Head Coach Jonathan Gannon. © Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK.
Adding a player like that to your QB room at a basement price while another franchise is forced to pick up the tab after the Arizona Cardinals released him is excellent work from the Vikings. The great value is undeniable, which is why Murray’s move to Minnesota made the list for Pro Football Focus’ best value signings of the 2026 free agency.
PFF Gives the Vikings QB Move a Strong Endorsement
PFF put forward their best value signings of free agency. Murray was on there alongside Tariq Woolen, signing for the Philadelphia Eagles, Devin Bush, signing for the Chicago Bears, Rasheed Walker, signing for the Carolina Panthers, and Jaylinn Hawkins, signing for the Baltimore Ravens. Here is what PFF had to say about Murray and the Vikings.
Releasing Kyler Murray with a post-June 1 designation meant the Cardinals were able to spread his dead cap hit across the next two seasons. But that only marginally softens the blow for Arizona, which is still saddled with a $47.5 million dead cap charge in 2026 (15.4% of the cap).
Additionally, due to offsets stemming from Murray’s release, the Vikings were able to pick up the former first-overall pick at the veteran minimum, leaving the Cardinals to pay the remainder of his guarantees next season (over $35 million).
There is virtually no downside to adding a highly capable option to your quarterback room at a basement price while another franchise is forced to pick up the tab. While Murray hasn’t lived up to his lofty billing,
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell has a strong track record for quarterback development (see: Sam Darnold). If O’Connell can bring the best out of Murray, this signing could morph into a long-term affair. The Vikings need viable options at quarterback after ranking 31st in PFF passing grade (47.6) this past season. Put plainly, running it back with J.J. McCarthy (60.1 PFF passing grade, 35th out of 43 qualifying quarterbacks) and Carson Wentz(50.0, 40th) isn’t going to cut it. Don’t be surprised if Murray wins the job in camp.
It’s difficult to argue that the Vikings aren’t getting good value here, even if you aren’t a big fan of Murray. You won’t get a better QB for such a little outlay. Understandably, the praise for this move from the Vikings has been coming in from all angles.
The Long-Term Vision
Murray got a no-franchise-tag clause in his contract, meaning this season is almost a dress rehearsal for both parties ahead of a big decision in a year. If Murray can have Darnold-like success playing for Kevin O’Connell, then the Vikings can’t make the same mistake twice. Murray will be on track for a big deal in 2027. If it doesn’t work out, then it costs Minnesota basically nothing to find out.
The Vikings will then reassess McCarthy’s status and decide whether to take another look at a QB in the draft or pursue a different veteran passer.
Murray should be good enough to succeed on this team, and as long as he stays healthy, I expect we will be talking about a contract extension in due course.
Proud UK Viking. Family Man. Enjoy writing about my team. Away from football an advocate for autism acceptance.
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Italy seal 2-0 win over Northern Ireland in WC qualification playoff semis | FIFA World Cup 2022
Italy finally won a match in the World Cup playoffs. Now the four-time champion needs to win one more to avoid failing to qualify for a third straight time. The Azzurri beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in the European semifinals on Thursday.
Sandro Tonali broke the deadlock with a half-volley early in the second half for Italy at home in Bergamo and then set up another goal for Moise Kean.
“After taking the lead, we cleared our minds,” Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso said. “We put in a good performance. This should be a confidence boost for Tuesday. We have to win. We have no other choice.”
Also advancing to the playoff finals scheduled for Tuesday were Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sweden, Poland, Turkey, Kosovo, Denmark and the Czech Republic.
Italy next visits Bosnia and Herzegovina needing another victory to reach the upcoming tournament in North America and avoid going at least 16 years without even playing a match at soccer’s biggest event.
Bosnia beat Wales, and the Czech Republic beat Ireland in penalty shootouts.
The other finals matchups are: Sweden vs. Poland; Turkey vs. Kosovo; and Denmark vs. the Czech Republic.
Italy was eliminated by Sweden over two winless legs in the playoffs for the 2018 World Cup then was stunned by North Macedonia in the semifinal round in 2022.
Italy’s World Cup struggles go back all the way to 2010 and 2014, having failed to advance from its group on both occasions.
The Azzurri’s last World Cup knockout match was when they won the title in 2006 by beating France in a penalty shootout.
Italy produced seven shots on goal while Northern Ireland had none.
For the second goal, Tonali’s cross-field pass set up Kean, who made an expert control and finish.
“We didn’t have many moments of quality, but we did well to make the most of them when we did,” Tonali said. “We focused on not giving them their strengths and were concentrated on the set plays, so when we do that, it’s unlikely we’ll concede to this kind of team.
“We’ve been feeling positive since the coach arrived, we’ve got to continue like this, there’s no other option but to win,” Tonali said of Gattuso, who replaced the fired Luciano Spalletti in June.
Gyokeres scores three for Sweden
Viktor Gyokeres hit a hat trick to send Sweden past Ukraine 3-1 despite not having scored for his country since 2024. Until Thursday, Gyokeres was scoreless and Sweden winless in a miserable qualifying group campaign.
The game was played in Spain because Ukraine hasn’t hosted international games since the Russian invasion of 2022.
“Viktor Gyokeres made the difference tonight,” Ukraine coach Serhiy Rebrov said. “He showed his quality and proved he’s one of the best strikers in Europe.”
Sweden will face Poland after 37-year-old Robert Lewandowski scored a crucial header in a 2-1 win over Albania, keeping alive the Barcelona striker’s bid to reach a third World Cup.
Albania took the lead through Arber Hoxha just before halftime after a defensive blunder by Poland. Lewandowski’s header at a corner got his team back into the game before Piotr Zielinski’s goal put Poland in front.
Kosovo is a game away from its first-ever World Cup after twice recovering from a goal down to upset Slovakia 4-3. That sets up a playoff with Turkey for a World Cup spot.
Gustav Isaksen scored twice in two minutes in a Denmark’s 4-0 win over North Macedonia.
Bosnia and Czechs win penalty shootouts
Bosnia advanced after 40-year-old Edin Dzeko leveled the score and 18-year-old Kerim Alajbegovic converted the winning spot-kick in a 4-2 penalty shootout win over Wales following a 1-1 draw.
The Czech Republic awaits next for Denmark after beating Ireland 4-3 on penalties. Ireland gave up an early 2-0 lead in the game, and was also leading the shootout before failing to convert either of its last two attempts.
Lucescu’s Romania eliminated
In an early match, Turkey beat Romania 1-0 and will face either Slovakia or Kosovo for a spot at its first World Cup since a third-place run in 2002.
Turkey took the lead shortly after the break when Ferdi Kadioglu was set up in front of the goal with a long, accurate pass from Arda Guler, a 21-year-old winger for Real Madrid who could become one of the World Cup’s younger standouts.
Vincenzo Montella’s Turkey squad reached the quarterfinals of the 2024 European Championship.
Romania’s elimination means that 80-year-old Mircea Lucescu won’t get a chance to coach at the World Cup for the first time. Lucescu captained Romania at the 1970 World Cup. He previously coached Turkey.
Nicolae Stanciu hit the post for Romania in the second half in Istanbul.
“We knew it would be a tough match. Lucescu knows us well and prepared accordingly,” Turkey captain Hakan Calhanoglu said. “In the first half, we could have made better runs in behind. In the second half, Ferdi scored with a ball in behind. … From then, it was ours.
Sports
Thomas Tuchel’s England experiment yields few answers after disconnected performance at Wembley
By the time the World Cup really gets going, and Thomas Tuchel’s senior players maybe have that extra bit of energy from this week off, England might well feel the benefit of this game.
It’s hard to make a substantial list of who else did, though.
Even Ben White, who marked his return with a poached goal, gave away the penalty from which Uruguay‘s Federico Valverde equalised for a 1-1 draw.
There were very few England fans actually left by that point. Some of those that had stayed still greeted White’s goal with some boos, given the debate about his recall. Among that crowd, perhaps some of the children getting to enjoy a big occasion at Wembley benefited. Maybe Marcus Rashford, Djed Spence and Toni Livramento, who had some of the better performances in an otherwise disparate and disconnected team display.
The latter was inevitable given that it was the first time many of these players appeared together, and it made for one of those international friendlies that was occasionally difficult to keep concentrating on. The opposition didn’t even look like a Marcelo Bielsa team on the night, certainly nothing like the one remembered with such adulation by those Leeds United fans present.
There were already a lot of empty seats as early the 70th minute. It looked more than half empty by the time Valverde fired into the corner.
If Mikel Arteta was one of those trying to watch, he certainly won’t have enjoyed it, outside his right-back’s goal. Noni Madueke had to go off injured after 37 minutes – in what may well be the most consequential development of the night. Pep Guardiola would meanwhile have watched Phil Foden get scythed through by Ronald Aruajo, leaving the playmaker writhing in pain.
The only wrinkle there is that Foden is in one of those spells where he isn’t in the same form and consequently isn’t really in the Manchester City team. The fact he was in this team was almost warning enough, given the nature of it.
There would now be real questions over whether Foden will make Tuchel’s World Cup, except the manager has repeatedly made a point of saying he sees him as an alternative to Harry Kane.
As regards being a 10, though? That doesn’t look likely. Cole Palmer also came on to little effect.
Foden, along with some of the other players who have previously been England regulars, must have looked around and wondered what he was doing here.
Some of it had the appearance of a C team. There were quips about the side having two Tottenham Hotspur players, but that is a bit unfair on both Spence and Dominic Solanke.
The nature of the team is of course entirely deliberate, since Tuchel did come up with a creative solution to the problem of an exhausted squad and the need to experiment.
Hence we had this almost game-show style element, where these players were attempting to work together as a team, but were also competing with each other.
All of them were trying to show they should be staying around next week, when Tuchel replaces some of them with the senior players so they can get some fine-tuning in Tuesday’s friendly against Japan.
The problem was that the very nature of the team ensured it didn’t look like the right setting for that.
Tuchel will of course have a different perspective. There will be certain aspects he wants from individuals, and the actual test will be how well they executed specific demands.
Rashford pressed well. Maguire was assured, as Uruguay occasionally tried to play the ball in behind.
Perhaps the most pertinent question, however, is how many of these players you can actually see starting in the World Cup?
Livramento maybe. Maguire perhaps, depending how the defence develops. Tuchel did want to see him in a different style of back line, but this game just wasn’t enough of a test. When Uruguay did finally lift it at the end, though, Maguire was often there to clear.
There was otherwise so little football played.
England admittedly had a good spell at the start, with the odd flash. It maybe is quite indicative, however, that the game was marked by set-pieces.
This was the source of White’s goal, which also represented the third shot on target of the night.
None of this is to actually criticise Tuchel. He is right to rest his players.
There is something of an incongruity to how low the stakes were for this match, in the middle of an exhaustingly intense club season. That is surely why Arteta will be frustrated.
Tuchel was right to cater for that. He may want his best team to have some fine-tuning, but he also wants those players actually fit and fresh for the World Cup. A week off can genuinely make a huge difference.
As for this experiment of a match, it won’t exactly make much of an imprint on the memory.
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