The 2025 season was a bit of a roller coaster for the Minnesota Vikings.

While the defense pretty much performed up to expectations throughout the year, there were some major inconsistencies on offense, particularly at the quarterback position.

It didn’t help that J.J. McCarthy was only able to appear in 10 games because of various injuries suffered throughout the year, but it also wasn’t convenient that the Vikings never quite seemed to know what they were going to get from the 22-year-old when he stepped onto the field.

Now, heading into the 2026 offseason, two former Vikings stars are speaking out on Minnesota’s plan with McCarthy in 2025 and what should happen moving forward.

Former Vikings Stars Speak on J.J. McCarthy

On Wednesday, former Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr put out a clip of he and another beloved former Vikings linebacker, Eric Kendricks discussing the McCarthy plan.

Both former Vikings seemed to agree that Minnesota should have kept a veteran starting quarterback around for McCarthy to continue learning from in 2025, particularly Sam Darnold.

“Most people in that building knew that J.J. just wasn’t quite ready yet. I think he needed an older mentor to kind of shadow for another two years,” Barr said.

“Mentorship is crucial,” Kendricks added. “There’s some positions where it pays to have a veteran in front of you, and a little bit of experience goes a long way. I mean, we see the resurgence of Sam Donald’s career.”

Granted, the Vikings did bring in Carson Wentz as their backup quarterback in 2025, but that was only after they lost Darnold to the Seahawks and were shocked to find Daniel Jones was also leaving the franchise to compete for a starting job with the Indianapolis Colts, which he ultimately won.

Wentz would fill in for five games in 2025 while McCarthy was out, but ultimately, his own shoulder injury became so bad that he couldn’t continue to give it a go. He was eventually placed on IR and had season-ending surgery.

Of course, Jones would also end up having his own catastrophic Achilles tear with the Colts, but before that, the QB had Indianapolis looking like one of the best teams in the NFL. In 13 starts, Jones threw for 3101 yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions while managing to complete a career-high 68% of his passes.

Had the Vikings found a way to keep Jones in the building and given him an opportunity to compete for the starting QB job, things may have gone differently for Minnesota in 2025. Keeping Darnold around almost certainly would have resulted in a few more wins and a second consecutive playoff berth.

So, does that mean the two former Pro Bowlers are giving up on McCarthy? It doesn’t sound like it.

“I think [McCarthy] still has potential. I think he can still be great. He’s a quarterback. He’s a year two, right? Year two, playing full-time,” Barr said.

“We’re not counting him out,” Kendricks said in agreement.

Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference helped with this article.

Josh Frey is a senior writer at both PurplePTSD.com and VikingsTerritory.com, with a fascination for the NFL Draft. To … More about Josh Frey

Starting left tackle Christian Darrisaw is an exceptional player when he’s healthy. The great issue for Darrisaw is that he has often been at less than full health.

Back in 2024, the Vikings’ LT1 suffered a major knee injury in Week 8, knocking him out for the remainder of the year. The recovery took a while, keeping Darrisaw out of the lineup to begin 2025 before contributing toward him ending the season on the IR. Whether Darrisaw can play from Week 1 onward for the 2026 NFL season is a sneaky story to monitor in Minnesota, an issue that had the attention of Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.

LT1 Christian Darrisaw & The Vikings’ Plan at OT

Lately, the attention around the Minnesota Vikings has been on the unsettled quarterback situation. A case could be made for Kyler Murray, Derek Carr, Geno Smith, Tua Tagovailoa, and several others.

In front of whoever is passing the ball will be a front five that should have a chip on its collective shoulder. Part of the issue last season was that essentially all of the starters took turns getting hurt, with newcomer Will Fries being the lone exception. After the season ended, OL Coach Chris Kuper was allowed to get away, resulting in new employment with the Eagles.

Consider what Kwesi Adofo-Mensah had to say when asked about the team’s confidence level in Mr. Darrisaw.

“He’s a year removed from that injury,” the former GM explained, “so time is on our side in terms of kind of getting away from that injury point. Another year of rehab, strengthening, and different things like that.” Shortly thereafter, Adofo-Mensah noted Darrisaw being very “important” while then saying that Minnesota has “gotta be more mindful of” fortifying the tackle depth.

A few ideas get tossed into Adofo-Mensah’s answer.

For starters, Christian Darrisaw has some more runway to get back to being himself. More time off to rebuild strength and confidence isn’t a bad thing. So, be optimistic since the starting left tackle should end up in a nice spot to compete in 2026.

But then there’s an acknowledgement of needing to beef up the OT depth. Last offseason, Minnesota did so by moving on from David Quessenberry in exchange for Justin Skule. The new OT3 would partner with Blake Brandel and Walter Rouse to give the OT spot the needed depth. Or, at least, that was the plan.

The reality of Darrisaw struggling to stay on the field for 2025 appears to have caught Minnesota off guard. Missing a couple of games in September? No problem, the Vikings could handle that. Ongoing absences and limited snaps throughout the year is tougher to manage, especially with confidence in Rouse seeming to disappear.

The Vikings, like all NFL teams, need the trenches to be formidable. If not, the game gets difficult very quickly. How does that reality play out after Adofo-Mensah has been fired? Note that Kuper has been fired, too.

Leading things within the front office for the Vikings is Rob Brzezinski. He’ll be supported by Kevin O’Connell and the remainder of the front office personnel since nobody else was fired alongside the former GM. Is there still a feeling that a heartier investment is needed to shore up the OT spot?

Starting off with Darrisaw, Brandel, Rouse, and Brian O’Neill is a reasonably strong position. In a pinch, Donovan Jackson could get shuffled over to tackle, but best to let the young fella get acclimated to left guard, his natural home.

Dipping into free agency, the draft, or both could be the way forward even if the shuffling within the front office has made things harder to predict. Adofo-Mensah basically said that was the plan back in January.

The legal tampering portion of NFL free agency begins on Monday, March 9th.

Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.

Super Eagles star Bright Osayi-Samuel has shared his experience of working under Portuguese coach José Mourinho. The Nigerian defender described Mourinho as an interesting and demanding manager who sets very high standards.

Osayi-Samuel recalled his first day under the former Chelsea and Real Madrid boss and how Mourinho made his expectations clear straight away.

“I remember my first day — I came late to training because I had a national team game. The first thing he said to me was, ‘You are a good player, but you need to run more.’ I was like, what? You know? That just shows what type of guy he is. He can be ruthless when things go wrong. There were times we had to stay on the training ground for 34 days because we didn’t play well. But if we played well, he’d give us four or five days off,” he said.

The Fenerbahçe star added that Mourinho demands consistency from his players and expects them to adapt quickly to his style. He also spoke about the personal side of the coach, saying Mourinho often shared stories from his long career in football.

“He had stories for days. We would stay in his room the day before a game and just speak for hours. He would tell us stories of players, and we’d all mention players we knew, because he had a story for every single player. He has a rich history of the game,” Osayi-Samuel added.

Despite describing Mourinho as tough, the Nigerian international said the coach also rewards good performances.

“He’s a great guy, and I’m honoured to work with him,” Osayi-Samuel concluded.

Mourinho was later dismissed as Fenerbahçe manager and moved on to Benfica, where his team is currently competing in the Portuguese league.

The top NBA rookies and sophomores will be on display in the 2026 Rising Stars on Friday as a part of All-Star Weekend. G-Leaguers will also compete in the four-team tournament in which the semifinals consist of teams playing to reach 40 points, with those winners then playing in the Rising Stars Championship Game to 25 points. The three teams of NBA players are coached by Hall of Famers Carmelo Anthony, Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter, with Team G League led by Austin Rivers.

The Rising Stars 2026 will begin at 9 p.m. ET from the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. Team T-Mac is the +180 favorite in the latest 2026 Rising Stars odds from DraftKings Sportsbook, followed by Team Vince and Team Melo at +230. Team Austin is the biggest longshot in the field at +850. Team Melo is the 4.5-point favorite in the first game against Team Austin, while Team T-Mac is -2.5 in the latest Rising Stars odds against Team Vince. 

Before making any 2026 Rising Stars picks, be sure to check out the 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend predictions from SportsLine expert Mike Barner.

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Barner is one of the most respected voices in the industry, and his work has appeared in Sports Illustrated and on Yahoo, RotoWire and KFFL. He’s also been featured on ESPN Radio. He digs deep into the data, examining team trends and projecting game outcomes. If there’s anybody who can spot an edge in a matchup or identify a player in position to break out, it’s him.

Barner’s expertise has been on full display lately as he enters the All-Star break on a 40-17 run on NBA picks (+2014). He is coming off a dominant 2024-25 NBA season, finishing 239-178-2 and returning $3,209 to $100 bettors. Anyone following at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.

Now, he has analyzed the 2026 Rising Stars lineups from all angles and just locked in his coveted pick and predictions. He is only sharing his NBA picks and analysis at SportsLine.

2026 Rising Stars tournament format

This is the fifth consecutive year in which the Rising Stars event will center on a three-game tournament among four teams with seven players on each squad. The three teams of NBA players consist of a mix of rookies and sophomores, with the G-League squad having only players in the NBA’s developmental league. All three of the tournament games will be played to a Final Target Score, rather than over a specific period of time. 

The first two games will be played to 40, with the final played to 25 to determine the Rising Stars Challenge champion. The first matchup at 9 p.m. ET is Team Carmelo Anthony (-4.5, O/U 73.5) vs. Team Austin Rivers, followed by Team Tracy McGrady (-2.5, O/U 74.5) vs. Team Vince Carter. See which team to back at SportsLine.

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Top 2026 NBA Rising Stars predictions

Barner is fading Team Vince (+230), as it has the least accomplished roster of players amongst the three squads featuring NBA players. Team T-Mac has the experience edge over Vince Carter’s squad in that the former has the most sophomores, with five second-year players compared to Team Vince having just three. Meanwhile, Melo’s team has the reigning Rookie of the Year in Stephon Castle, plus the size edge in 7-foor-2 center Donovan Clingan.

Team Vince lacks the caliber of those two squads and has just two players who were top-10 draft picks in V.J. Edgecombe and Egor Demin. Melo’s team has four top-5 draft picks, while T-Mac has four top-6 draftees. There’s a sheer talent gap between Vince Carter’s squad with those two others, and even in an exhibition game like the Rising Stars Challenge, that gulf should be apparent on the scoreboard. See more predictions at SportsLine. 

How to make 2026 NBA Rising Stars picks

Barner has studied the NBA Rising Stars game from every angle and found a critical X-factor that makes one of these teams a must-back on Friday night. See who it is over at SportsLine.

Who wins the NBA Rising Stars Challenge 2026, and which critical X-factor do you need to know about? Visit SportsLine now to get Mike Barner’s pick for the NBA Rising Stars Challenge 2026, all from the expert who has crushed his NBA picks, and find out.

2026 NBA Rising Star odds, rosters

See picks at SportsLine.

Team T-Mac (+180)

Kon Knueppel (Charlotte Hornets)
Kel’el Ware (Miami Heat)
Tre Johnson (Washington Wizards)
Jaylon Tyson (Cleveland Cavaliers)
Zaccharie Risacher (Atlanta Hawks)
Cam Spencer (Memphis Grizzlies)
Bub Carrington (Washington Wizards)

Team Melo (+230)

Stephon Castle (San Antonio Spurs)
Donovan Clingan (Portland Trail Blazers)
Reed Sheppard (Houston Rockets)
Ace Bailey (Utah Jazz)
Dylan Harper (San Antonio Spurs)
Jeremiah Fears (New Orleans Pelicans)
Collin Murray-Boyles (Toronto Raptors)

Team Vince (+230)

VJ Edgecombe (Philadelphia 76ers)
Derik Queen (New Orleans Pelicans)
Matas Buzelis (Chicago Bulls)
Kyshawn George (Washington Wizards)
Cedric Coward (Memphis Grizzlies)
Egor Demin (Brooklyn Nets)
Jaylen Wells (Memphis Grizzlies)

Team Austin (+850)

Jahmir Young (Sioux Falls Skyforce)
Yang Hansen (Rip City Remix)
Sean East II (Salt Lake City Stars)
Ron Harper Jr. (Maine Celtics)
Yanic Konan Niederhauser (San Diego Clippers)
Alijah Martin (Raptors 905)
Tristen Newton (Rio Grande Valley Vipers)

IBF champion Jai Opetaia has been considered as a cruiserweight bogeyman ever since he first got his hands on the world title, but Eddie Hearn believes that he has an upcoming 200lber that could defeat the Aussie, despite just five professional fights to his name.

Opetaia has twice beaten Mairis Briedis to become a two-time champion but whilst the Sydney-born southpaw has been chasing unifications, his fellow titleholders in the division have been unwilling to face him.

Instead, the 30-year-old has been made to fight lesser names during his reigns, winning by knockout in all five of his combined defences over the last three and a half years.

Although, Opetaia hopes that the upcoming clash between unified WBA and WBO champion Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez and fan-favourite David Benavidez could see his fortunes change, opening the door to a three belt unification bout later in the year.

Yet, whilst Opetaia eyes up the winner of that matchup, Eddie Hearn told First Round TV’s Darren Barker that he wants to stage a scrap between Opetaia and 2024 Olympian Pat Brown ‘as soon as possible’, with Brown targeting a major rise up the rankings during 2026.

“Pat’s next fight will also be announced this week, that will headlining on the first week of April.

“Listen, you know how highly I think of Pat, and I know you do too, I know everybody does. I just think this guy is an absolute monster, I want to get him in with Jai Opetaia ASAP.

“I know he needs another two, three, four fights but we can do that quickly. Do you honestly see those [elite] guys standing up to him? I know that Jai is another level but he has got a granite chin, he has got a great IQ and he hits so hard.

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“I want to get Pat into a mandatory position for a world title by the end of the year.”

Brown is set to compete on a card at Planet Ice in Altrincham on Friday, April 3, whilst Opetaia has agreed to take on Brandon Glanton on Sunday, March 8, in Las Vegas.