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Ejiofor leads Senior Night comeback as No. 18 St. John’s tops Georgetown 72-69 at MSG

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NEW YORK — Zuby Ejiofor scored 23 points, Joson Sanon added 15 off the bench — all after halftime — and No. 18 St. John’s rallied from 12 down in the second half to beat skidding Georgetown 72-69 on Tuesday night.

With a gritty comeback on Senior Night at Madison Square Garden, the Red Storm (24-6, 17-2 Big East) tied No. 4 UConn atop the conference standings with one regular-season game remaining. A victory Friday night at Hudson River rival Seton Hall would give the Johnnies at least a share of their second consecutive Big East regular-season championship following a 32-year drought.

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The only time they’ve won back-to-back league crowns was 1985 and ’86.

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Dylan Darling had 12 points for St. John’s, which has won 15 of 16 overall and 11 straight meetings with Georgetown — the longest streak for either school in a series that dates to 1909.

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Vikings Quietly Setting Up Major Free Agency Moves

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Brian O’Neill on Vikings sideline before game against Bills at Highmark Stadium.
Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle Brian O’Neill (75) stood on the sideline Nov 13, 2022, in Orchard Park, New York, before Minnesota’s matchup with the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. O’Neill prepared with teammates during warmups as the Vikings faced a challenging road environment against one of the AFC’s top contenders in an anticipated interconference showdown. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports.

The start of free agency is fast approaching, and the Minnesota Vikings have work to do to become salary cap compliant — even more work to do to create space for any new signings. To do so, there are certain moves to look out for over the coming weeks.

Cap Maneuvers Signal Minnesota’s Next Wave of Roster Decisions

The work has already begun with the announcement that two veterans will be released at the start of the new league year (March 11) if no teams make a trade offer before then. The release of Aaron Jones and Javon Hargrave will save the Vikings $18.65 million — a good start to trimming the salary cap. It will leave Minnesota with just under $27 million in additional savings to reach parity.

Clearly, more moves are required, and there are several ways the Vikings can do this. More releases, contract extensions and restructures, or trades will be on the table as acting general manager and salary cap wizard, Rob Brzezinski looks to get Minnesota ready for the start of free agency. Here are some of the possible moves that could be on the table in the coming weeks.

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T.J. Hockenson Paycut

Vikings Free Agency Moves
Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson (87) misses an open pass during the first half of the NFL game at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025. © Kimberly P. Mitchell / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.

Hockenson is scheduled to be the highest-paid tight end in 2026 on the back of a couple of less productive years due to a bad knee injury. He had been circled as a potential cut candidate to save the Vikings money, but reports have surfaced that Hockenson has told the team he is willing to take a pay cut in order to stay. If Minnesota can make similar savings and keep Hockenson, then it’s a no-brainer; he is still a good TE.

More Cuts

Hargrave and Jones are the first names in line for release, but I don’t think they will be the last. Three separate concussions decimated Ryan Kelly’s first year in Minnesota. With a history of concussions before arriving in Minnesota and turning 33 years of age in May, the Vikings may decide it’s best to move on.

Jonathan Allen was another disappointing free-agent signing in 2025, and while his release would have to be designated as post-June 1, doing so would save the Vikings $11 million. A couple of players who would save the team around $4 million each with their release are Isaiah Rodgers and Blake Brandel.

Releasing Rodgers after one inconsistent season would seem premature, and Brandel is a good utility lineman. Ideally, both stay, but it depends on how desperate the Vikings get to find savings.

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Brian O’Neill Extension

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Sep 11, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle Brian O’Neill (75) and Green Bay Packers linebacker Rashan Gary (52) in action at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

Brian O’Neill is in the last year of his contract and remains a consistent presence at right tackle for the Vikings. There have been some injuries, but O’Neill has never played fewer than 14 games in a season. He will turn 31 in September, but should still have enough years left in him to warrant a new contract, with the usual backloading of money, which should provide considerable cap savings on the $23.1 million due this year.

Contract Restructures

There are several players the Vikings could restructure contracts with for immediate salary cap relief. All the players on long, expensive contracts are candidates, like Justin Jefferson, Christian Darrisaw, Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, Byron Murphy, and Will Fries.

Restructuring all of those contracts would put the Vikings in a healthy cap spot for 2026, but, of course, it would move a lot of money down the road that will need to be addressed later.

Kicking the can down the road, so to speak, splits opinion. Some people don’t like it, and some think the salary cap is a myth. The truth is, restructures and cap management are essential to running an NFL team, but they have to be done wisely. All of those players won’t get a restructure, but a couple probably will. Darrisaw would be my prime candidate.

A Jordan Addison Trade

Jordan Addison during Vikings warmups at U.S. Bank Stadium
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison stands on the field during pregame routines, surveying the scene as teammates complete warmups around him. The image was taken on December 25, 2025 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, capturing a quiet Christmas Day moment before kickoff against Detroit. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn–Imagn Images

Fantasy trade proposals for Justin Jefferson by media folk and fans outside of Minnesota have become an offseason tradition. No such trade will be happening, but Jefferson’s WR partner, Jordan Addison, could be a trade candidate. The Vikings must decide on Addison’s fifth-year option this year. He has too much talent to be discarded so easily, but his ongoing off-field discrepancies have proven to be a headache. 

A strong trade offer may be enough for the Vikings to decide to move on, and while that will only save $2.6 million against the cap this year, it will save money next year and will add to the years draft arsenal. The value of any trade proposal will determine if it’s a worthwhile move.

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Proud UK Viking. Family Man. Enjoy writing about my team. Away from football an advocate for autism acceptance.

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Flyweight MMA king Yuya Wakamatsu defends his gold against Avazbek Kholmirzaev in Tokyo on April 29

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ONE flyweight MMA world champion Yuya Wakamatsu will put his gold on the line against Uzbekistani slugger Avazbek Kholmirzaev at ONE Samurai 1 on Wednesday, April 29.

The showdown will unfold inside Tokyo’s Ariake Arena on the promotion’s new monthly event series from ‘The Land of the Rising Sun’. The world’s largest martial arts organization confirmed their scheduled five-round war on its official website on March 2.

Yuya Wakamatsu, ONE’s 2025 MMA fighter of the year, will arrive inside the Japanese capital on top of the world—rightfully so.

‘Little Piranha’ has been unstoppable since claiming the then-vacant flyweight MMA crown against former longtime king Adriano Moraes at ONE 172 in Saitama last March.

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He stunned the Brazilian veteran inside the opening round to lay his hands on MMA’s most prestigious strap and returned home with a US$50,000 performance bonus from ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong.

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His first title defense came against another tough opponent, ONE strawweight MMA world champion Joshua Pacio, at ONE 173 in Tokyo, Japan, on Nov. 16, 2025.

Once more, the Tribe Tokyo MMA martial artist showed his chops, authoring another highlight-reel victory to ruin the Filipino’s dreams of two-division supremacy.


Yuya Wakamatsu can expect to have his hands full against Avazbek Kholmirzaev

Yuya Wakamatsu’s vicious finishes last year upped his winning streak to five, and now he’ll look to make it six back-to-back triumphs when he shares the Circle against the high-flying Kholmirzaev at ONE Samurai 1.

The Uzbek talent, 25 years of age, has built one of the most impressive winning runs on the global stage since debuting at ONE Friday Fights 50 in February 2024.

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‘Ninzya’ kicked off his tenure with three finishes on ONE Friday Fights. Though he suffered a defeat to Bektur Zhenishbek Uulu in his fourth fight, the Raqobat affiliate returned to the winner’s column with a brilliant second-round rear-naked choke triumph against Valmir Galiev in December 2024.

Since then, he’s emerged victorious all of his five fights, with four wins inside the distance. Put simply, Kholmirzaev does not the judges decide the outcome of his fights.

His finishing instincts and well-rounded arsenal should match up well alongside Yuya Wakamatsu’s world-class fight IQ, technicality, and dexterity when these two throw down for the ONE flyweight MMA world title at ONE Samurai 1 on April 29.

Tickets are on sale now via ePlus and Zaiko.

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