Current QB1 J.J. McCarthy has been a flop so far. Not a bust — not yet, at least — but someone who has struggled.

Accordingly, Minnesota is soon to enhance the passer competition. Anything less than a minimum of one competent passer would be football malpractice. Good chance, though, that the Vikings opt for two quarterbacks. Kevin O’Connell is hoping that direct, head-to-head competition gets the best out of the kid who was drafted at No. 10 in the 2024 NFL Draft. Minnesota’s top coach acknowledged as much while articulating where Mr. McCarthy needs to go in a recent interview with Paul Allen and Pete Bercich.

J.J. McCarthy Gets Next Steps from KOC

Over on the team website, Craig Peters discusses the matter while relaying the words from O’Connell and Rob Brzezinski (the full interview is on YouTube).

First, note Coach O’Connell’s acknowledgement that McCarthy is “hungry” and that he’s working through a “big offseason.” Basically, bland football lingo that seldom means much; except, of course, that they happen to be true for McCarthy.

There’s then some clarity about what J.J. McCarthy is doing.

The word: “He’s out in California right now working with John Beck and some of the guys that he worked with pre-draft, very detailed in what he wanted to decompress after the season and go through layer by layer: ‘What do I need to individually work on to make sure I come back ready to roll in April?’ He’s working on those things.”

Some more insight: “His continued growth in our offense and schemes will be a natural thing. He’s a really smart player. I think he’s going to be able to use a lot of that experience of those 10 games in the journey so far to get himself in position to have the best 2026 he can. We’ve talked about it, we want him to be in a competitive situation because of some of that time lost.”

Another thought before extracting some ideas: “We’ve really got to push the gas pedal down and not replace development and coaching and teaching with anything but really enhance it with a really competitive situation that I think our whole team will benefit from. [We’re] pretty early in that process, but I’m excited about it.”

Digest what’s being said.

J.J. McCarthy hasn’t been good enough but he now has ten games of NFL experience. As a result, there’s a foundation to build on as it relates to his development. See what worked and continue doing those things; see what didn’t and find a solution. Mastering the scheme will result from more time chipping away.

On a literal level of where he is, McCarthy is in California working with a private quarterback coach. Think back to the in-season chatter about sanding off the rough edges of McCarthy’s mechanics. Consider, as well, the chatter about the kid developing his pitching arsenal beyond just a nice four-seam fastball. Gotta assume those same items are being addressed.

Likewise, there’s great merit in the idea that Coach O’Connell expresses: competition in the quarterback room not about replacing J.J. McCarthy. Rather, inserting high-end competition is being seen as a key component of developing the passer. The possibility — threat? — of replacement should push the quarterback to be better.

So, here is what is being told to J.J. McCarthy, more or less:

The beginning of your career hasn’t gone as anyone hoped. A major part of the issue has been injury, which is unfortunate. Take these comings months to build your body as you work away with a respected quarterback coach. Get better. Learn how to layer throws. Fix your mechanics. Be accurate.

When you come back, you’ll be sharing the room with someone who is coming for your starting job. Understand that we see the intensity of the competition as the next step in your development as we guard against what happened last year. We still believe in you and want you to be our long-term passer. Accept the challenge for what it is as you elevate.

Prove us right.

J.J. McCarthy, 23, is a great athlete who can zip the ball. Even better, he’s a leader who works hard and who has some charisma. There’s fire in him that will help him in the upcoming competition.

McCarthy, in short, has much to work with as he marches toward being under center in Week 1 of the 2026 season.

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

For U.S. women’s national team head coach Emma Hayes, the task ahead of her in Saturday’s SheBelieves Cup finale against Colombia was an obvious one.

“Listen, we have to play our game. I’m interested in what we do and how we impose ourselves,” she said in a press conference on Friday. “I’ve said it before: this is a tournament. We have something to win, but for us, it’s just making sure we get all the details right in the game. If we win the game, we win the tournament, and we are absolutely approaching it with the seriousness we do everything.”

Hayes, though, is far from the only one interested in how the USWNT will impose themselves on Saturday. The team’s SheBelieves Cup journey has been marked by a unique selection of details; their wins over Argentina and Canada marked by a sense of professionalism that has ushered in a new phase of Hayes’ reinvention of the national team. Almost a year-and-a-half after she began a project to expand the player pool, Hayes said her youthful version of the USWNT is growing up by finding solutions in challenging games this month. That was especially true in the 1-0 win over Canada on Wednesday, when the U.S. handled the challenge of navigating a match in imperfect conditions.

How to watch USWNT vs. Colombia

• Date: Saturday, March 7 | Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
• Location: Sports Illustrated Stadium — Harrison, N.J.
• TV: TBS | Live stream: HBO Max

“If I take the last game, you’ve got half the group in preseason, half the group in season,” Hayes said. “Do I think we were top fit and top fresh? Some are top fit because they’re in season. Some are less fit but maybe top fresh, and some are less fit and less fresh, right? You get the combination of those things. What I think is important in that when you’re not 100% at your top level is that you exert control and do it over the whole game, not parts of the game and I thought we did that brilliantly.

“I thought we started slowly. I stated that because I think that group hadn’t played together since last November but I thought we grew and grew and grew and I thought that was a game where we weren’t at our best level but we controlled the game in all facets and that’s what I really enjoyed about it is that we didn’t let the game get into a slunk fest or we didn’t let it get into a transition game. We kept the game up their end of the pitch, and when I talk about growing up, that’s coaching these things into this group of players, and they’re just getting so much better at it.”

There’s a sturdiness to the USWNT during this edition of the SheBelieves Cup, players new and old demonstrating a sense of reliability regardless of the task in front of them. That will be the expectation against Colombia, too, with Hayes once again mentioning emotional control as a feature of the layered performance she hopes to see on Saturday. Who exactly will take to the pitch remains a question – the head coach has essentially split her squad into two, Wednesday’s lineup against Canada appearing more like a first-choice team than the relatively inexperienced group that started against Argentina.

“I’ve made it clear this year there will be, particularly in three-game windows, two teams per se that will play, maybe not all of the time, so we can get a chance to develop the connections for a group of players over two games and one group over one of the games,” Hayes said. That, for me, is the bigger priority, putting together situations where, in the case of the last game, Phallon [Tullis-Joyce], [Emily] Sonnett, and [Naomi] Girma develop that connection between those three. Same with Emily Fox and Trinity Rodman on the right-hand side.”

Hayes’ experimentation period has allowed her to learn as much as she can about the talent pool as possible, in some cases, discovering and developing versatility in different players. That is especially true for Ally Sentnor, one of the main beneficiaries of the head coach’s open-door policy and the lone goalscorer against Canada. The 22-year-old has played across the front line for the USWNT but has recently demonstrated her strengths in and around the box as a No. 9.

“I think I always say coming into this team, I’m willing to do whatever role is required, and I love playing any position for this team,” Sentnor said. “I think I talked a lot with Emma and my staff at home on how I can really bring my skill set into each position that I play and that I’m not going to be your typical hold-up, crosses, finishing with my head, in the air type of [No.] 9 but I can bring a lot to that position with speed and agility and turning defenders but I did grow up playing the [No.[ 9 so it feels a little bit like I’m back at home on my club team and that I’m just kind of getting those feelings back, but also adding to my game having played a lot more since then.”

Hayes also emphasized that she has a handful of options available to her. While Claire Hutton, Sam Coffey and Rose Lavelle started in midfield on Wednesday as a deep-lying double pivot, the head coach said her roster is full of players with different profiles, arguably an ideal way to construct a squad while the USWNT use the SheBelieves Cup to simulate tournament settings.

 “How many times have them two played together? Not that many times, so they’re still developing that,” she said about Hutton and Coffey, who were solid defensively but were imperfect in springing play forward. “I think sometimes we want all of it to be together all at once but I think there’s a good foundation there, two very tactically intelligent players. Two from-footed players. I think you can secure the middle of the pitch. I think we’ve still got to work the balance right between how we rotate up in those areas to give support to the front players, but listen, they’re so coachable, these two, it’d be easy to do that, but that was the decision for that.

“As always, I approach the game on what the game demands. I think with both Lily [Yohannes] and Lindsey [Heaps], we have different offerings in that area. Listen, I remember times when we talked about, well, maybe we don’t have enough midfield options. I think we’ve got plenty of midfield options. We haven’t even talked about Riley Jackson yet coming through, but I think we’ve got some really good, strong foundations to build on. Now I have to keep putting together the different combinations, so they develop relationships.”

Even during a week that seems to have answered longstanding questions about who the U.S.’ new core players are, Hayes continues to play her cards close to her chest. That may be in large part because of the one thing that is completely out of her control – the sport’s ebbing and flowing calendar, which almost always leaves her with players in varying fitness positions and will likely play a heavy hand in her team selection on Saturday, whether or not the core group is set.

“I don’t know, the questions I get asked are like, ‘Are you getting closer to your established 11?” Hayes said. “But actually, we’re preparing players in the middle of their preseason to start their seasons with their clubs, so we have to prioritize different things in different moments.”

Former Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore was spotted holding hands with his wife, Kelli, inside an Ann Arbor district court on Friday morning.

Moore is the subject of a criminal case after he was arrested shortly after being fired due to an inappropriate relationship with a staffer. Soon after the firing, he was jailed after allegedly breaking into the staffer’s house and allegedly threatening to kill himself.

Prosecutors accused Moore of contacting the staffer via phone calls and texts after the breakup, prompting the woman to contact the University of Michigan and cooperate in its investigation. Moore was subsequently fired from his position as head football coach, which prosecutors said prompted him to show up at her home.

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Kelli Moore, left, walks with her husband, former University of Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore, and his attorney Ellen Michaels at the 14A-1 District Court in Ann Arbor on Friday, March 6, 2026. (Mandi Wright / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Moore then allegedly “barged” his way into the residence, grabbed a butter knife and a pair of kitchen scissors, and began threatening his own life. According to prosecutors, Moore allegedly told the staffer, “My blood is on your hands” and “You ruined my life.”

Moore’s wife also appeared in court in January.

Kelli called 911 over concerns the former Michigan coach was “going to hurt himself” after getting “fired from his job.”

Former Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore appears in the courtroom, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez)

Moore and the alleged victim had an “intimate relationship for a number of years,” a prosecutor said during an initial hearing shortly after his arrest, but had broken up earlier this week.

The alleged mistress did not have her contract with the university renewed, the school confirmed to Fox News Digital earlier this week.

Moore, if convicted, faces more than half a decade behind bars, which would certainly further damage any hopes he may have of getting back on the sidelines.

Moore went 16-8 as Michigan’s head coach, going 8-5 in year one and then 7-3 this past season. He missed a pair of games due to a suspension from the sign-stealing investigation into the school.

Sherrone Moore’s booking photo was obtained by Fox News Digital on Dec. 18, 2025. (Washtenaw County Jail)

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Moore replaced Jim Harbaugh after the team completed a 15-0 season en route to a national championship — Moore was the offensive coordinator of that squad.

Fox News’ Paulina Dedaj and Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter

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England’s Jos Buttler (PTI Photo/Kunal Patil)

Former England fast bowler Steve Harmison has questioned whether Jos Buttler still has the motivation to continue in international cricket after a disappointing campaign in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.England’s run in the tournament came to an end on Thursday when the England cricket team lost a tense semi-final to the India national cricket team by seven runs at the iconic Wankhede Stadium. Led by Harry Brook, England fought hard in the chase but ultimately fell short.

Buttler endured a particularly difficult tournament. Across eight matches, the right-handed opener managed just 87 runs and struggled to find rhythm at the crease. In the semi-final, he attempted to attack his way out of the slump but was eventually dismissed by Varun Chakaravarthy. The England star finished the competition without a single half-century and failed to provide strong starts at the top of the order.Following England’s elimination, Harmison said Buttler now needs to reflect on his future with the national side.“He needs to look at himself in the mirror and say, ‘Do I really want to carry on playing international cricket? If he says, ‘I do’, then he keeps on playing for me. It’s just whether the ups and downs have taken that effect. I think Jos deserves the right to think, ‘Have I got one more cycle in me to get through to another tournament?,” Harmison said on TalkSport.“Only Jos can answer that, and he should be allowed to do that. But I just look at Jos, and I’m not sure he’s enjoying playing cricket for England at the moment,” he added.Harmison also suggested that if the passion for the game is fading, Buttler may need to consider stepping aside and allowing the next generation to take over.“If the candle is just flickering, and it’s not quite there, which doesn’t seem to have been an enjoyment factor for the last year or so, then maybe it is time for Jos to say, ‘I’ve given my time, given everything for England, I’ve been England’s best white-ball player, and it’s now time for someone else to take over,” said Harmison.Despite the recent struggles, Buttler remains one of England’s most decorated white-ball players. He played a crucial role in England’s triumphs at the 2019 Cricket World Cup and the 2022 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.The wicketkeeper-batter is also England’s most capped player across formats with 411 international appearances and is the nation’s highest run-scorer in T20 internationals with 4,037 runs. It remains to be seen whether he chooses to continue his career with an eye on the 2027 Cricket World Cup, scheduled to be hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

Mason Greenwood has been a key player for Marseille since his arrival from Manchester United in the summer of 2024

Manchester United could benefit from the situation at Marseille, which may involve a shock sale of academy graduate Mason Greenwood. The forward has impressed with his performances since leaving United in the summer of 2024.

The 24-year-old has scored 24 goals in 36 appearances in all competitions for Marseille this season. That has led to some speculation over his future, with several European clubs including Napoli and Atletico Madrid being linked with an interest.

Chaos at Marseille over the last few weeks could lead to a sale becoming more likely. Manager Roberto De Zerbi left his position following the 5-0 loss against Paris Saint-Germain last month.

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There was then the exit and U-turn of sporting director Medhi Benatia. There are reports of a poor relationship between the director and Greenwood, making a potential exit more likely.

L’Equipe, via Get French Football News, reports that Marseille are looking to offload several key players in the summer, with Greenwood their highest valued asset.

It’s added that a move to Saudi Arabia is a ‘real possibility’, which would be a huge surprise, given the European interest in the player.

Any sale, whoever that is to, would be good news for United and provide a financial boost for the club going into the summer transfer window. When Greenwood was sold to the French club 18 months ago, they received a fee of £26.6 million.

But United also added significant sell-on clause as part of the deal. Given that Marseille are likely to make a tidy profit on the forward should they sell, then United should also get a windfall in the millions.

According to Transfermarkt, Greenwood’s market value continues to grow, with it currently sitting at €50 million (£43.3m).

That value is the same he was rated at before his situation at United changed, following his arrest and charge for attempted rape, controlling and coercive behaviour and assault. The charges were later dropped.

That would come as a welcome surprise to whoever is appointed as the permanent manager. Michael Carrick is currently in the role on an interim basis, and has been one of the names linked with taking the role in the summer.

World Cup co-hosts Mexico have announced plans to deploy nearly 100,000 security personnel to protect fans at this summer’s tournament, amid the ongoing drug cartel violence in the country.

Mexico, hosts alongside the United States and Canada, will stage World Cup fixtures across three cities – including Guadalajara, the capital city of Jalisco where the violence began last month and more than 12,000 people are reported missing.

Mexico will also host matches in Mexico City and Monterrey, both spared by the violence, when the World Cup is held between 11 June and 19 July.

The Jalisco New Generation (CJNG) drug cartel, one of the country’s most feared criminal organisations, has engaged in gun shootouts with the Mexican military, blocked roads and burned vehicles in response to the killing of its leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes – known as ‘El Mencho’ – in an army operation.

El Mencho was Mexico’s most wanted man and was also sought by the United States, which had placed a $15m bounty on him.

He was buried on Monday in a cemetery near the military base in Zapopan. On Friday, Mexico president Claudia Sheinbaum presented her plan to ensure the safe staging of the World Cup.

Fifa and Sheinbaum have insisted that the violence will have no impact on the World Cup, when millions of visitors are expected.

Mexico’s ‘Plan Kukulkan’, named after the serpent deity of the Mayan civilisation, covers the host cities and their nearby tourist destinations and will oversee a security deployment of “just over 99,000 personnel”, according to the head of Mexico’s World Cup coordination centre, Roman Villalvazo Barrios.

That figure includes 20,000 military personnel and 55,000 police officers, as well as members of private security companies, and involves around 2,500 military and civilian vehicles, 24 aircraft, anti-drone systems, and dogs trained to detect explosives and other substances.

Fifa president Gianni Infantino has said he feels “very reassured” that Mexico can still successfully stage World Cup games.

Former Nigeria captain Sunday Oliseh says the Super Eagles could reach a higher level if more Nigerian players perform consistently in Europe’s top competitions.

Speaking on the Global Football Insights Podcast, Oliseh highlighted Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman as prime examples. Both players are currently competing at the highest level in the UEFA Champions League and are expected to play key roles for their clubs during the knockout stages this season.

“We have two top Nigerian players now doing well in the Champions League. We have Osimhen performing brilliantly, and Lookman is exceptional too,” Oliseh said. “All we need now is for these two to lead the team and for the others to follow, and you will have it.”

He added that the success of Nigerian players in elite club football has a wider impact beyond the national team. “For the Super Eagles to improve, our players must be shining in the Champions League. That is the top level,” he explained. “It brings publicity, more money, more transfers, and people start paying attention to your country. That is the holy grail of club football.”

Osimhen recently won the MVP award in a Champions League playoff match against Juventus, while midfielder Raphael Onyedika impressed with Club Brugge, despite his side being eliminated by Lookman’s Atlético Madrid in the knockout stage.

Oliseh believes that as more Nigerian players reach the Champions League and other elite competitions, the Super Eagles will become stronger and more competitive on the international stage in the coming years.

This focus on European performance, he insists, is key to lifting Nigeria’s national team to new heights.

The defensive tackle position is quickly becoming one of the more valuable positions in all of football.

In former days, elite edge rushers were all the rage in terms of star defenders, and while that is still the case to an extent, the truly elite defenses have at least one disruptor in the middle of their defensive line. Teams will be looking to find that player in the 2026 NFL Draft, and it is exactly what many think Caleb Banks can be if he lands in the right place.

Background

Statistics

• 2021: 1 QB pressure (1 games)
• 2022: 2 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 3 QB pressures, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble (6 games)
• 2023: 19 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 24 QB pressures, 1 sack, (12 games)
• 2024: 21 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 29 QB pressures, 4.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles (12 games)
• 2025: 6 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 3 QB pressures, 1 fumble recovery (3 games)

Measurables

• Height: 6’6″
• Weight: 327 pounds
• Hand Size: 10 7/8″
• Arm Length: 35″
• 40-Yard Dash: 5.04
• 10-Yard Split: 1.76
• 20-Yard Shuttle: N/A
• Vertical: 32″
• Broad Jump: 9′ 6″
• 3 Cone: N/A
• Bench: —

Caleb Banks is a massive human being who, when at his best, wreaked havoc against opposing offensive lines during his collegiate career. Banks spent the first two seasons of his NFL career at Louisville, but he did not get a ton of playing time.

He then transferred to Florida in 2023 where he blossomed into a starter and star on the defensive line of the Gators. However, Banks was only able to play three games in 2025 due to a foot injury. At first, he missed the first two games of the season before suiting up against LSU. During that game, he re-injured the foot, and it was later revealed it was broken. He missed the next nine games before gritting out the final two games of the season.

Strengths

Banks is an absolute physical specimen at 6’6″ and 327 pounds, and he overwhelms opposing offensive lines with that imposing length and size. His impressive wingspan allows him to create leverage even against bigger offensive linemen.

On top of that size, Banks has an explosive first step, and combined with his ability to win with leverage, his bull rush is devastating.

Finally. Banks is versatile and can move all over the defensive line, meaning he can be a chess piece implemented by just about any NFL defense whether they need a nose tackle or a three tech.

Weaknesses

Banks has a decent amount of experience in college, but his technique still needs some work to be successful at the NFL level. To his credit, when you can consistently win with athletic ability, you might as well do what works.

However, Banks does have moments where he doesn’t utilize his size and leverage as well as he should. His pad level is too upright too regularly at this point, and he doesn’t have a great “plan B” when he doesn’t win off the line of scrimmage at this point.

Additionally, Banks’ broken foot suffered in 2025 could cause some scouts to raise a few red flags even if he did show up and perform at the NFL Combine.

2026 NFL Draft Projection

• NFL Draft Projection: Mid-Late First Round
• Team Fits: Baltimore Ravens, Minnesota Vikings, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins

Banks’ weaknesses are things that can be ironed out at the NFL level. You don’t always come across this combination of size and athletic ability at the defensive tackle position, so an NFL team is going to jump at the chance to select him somewhere in the teens.

Editor’s Note: Statistics from Pro Football Focus 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

The wide receiver position group seems to get deeper and deeper every year as we head into a new draft.

This year’s 2026 NFL Draft class is no different with a number of stars at the top of the list, and a handful of players who could develop into WR1/WR2 type players over the course of their careers. One name who is firmly in the mix to be selected early on in the draft is Washington WR Denzel Boston.

Background

Statistics

• 2022: 4 targets, 2 receptions, 15 yards (4 games)
• 2023: 7 targets, 4 receptions, 51 yards (14 games)
• 2024: 98 targets, 63 receptions, 834 yards, 9 TDs (13 games)
• 2025: 95 targets, 62 receptions, 881 yards, 11 TDs (12 games)

Measurables

• Height: 6’4″
• Weight: 212
• Hand Size: 9 3/4″
• Arm Length: 32″
• 40-Yard Dash: N/A
• 10-Yard Split: N/A
• 20-Yard Shuttle: 4.28
• Vertical: 35″
• Broad Jump: N/A
• 3 Cone: N/A
• Bench: 26 reps

Denzel Boston spent much of his first two collegiate seasons at Washington as a staple on the special teams units, shining in kick and punt coverage. He then moved into the starting lineup during the 2024 campaign, and he never let that role go, totaling 30 receptions for 412 yards and seven touchdowns over the first five games of that 2024 season.

Strengths

Boston has ideal size and length for an NFL receiver, allowing him to consistently win one-on-one battles downfield. He had just two drops on passes deeper than 10 yards over the past two seasons (106 targets), and his sturdy frame along with nearly 10-inch hands are big reasons for that.

He uses those big mitts to create leverage on the line of scrimmage against opposing cornerbacks. He thrives against press coverage. More often than not, Boston finds a way to give himself inside leverage when running routes over the middle of the field, allowing his QB to have a clear passing lane.

That build has also turned Boston into a relatively consistent presence as a run blocker. It’s a skill that got noticeably better in 2025 compared to 2024.

Finally, Boston is a twitchy athlete as well who can shake defenders while moving downfield with a full head of steam.

Weaknesses

While Boston has a strong first step off the line of scrimmage and can haul in contested catches, he doesn’t have the jaw-dropping long speed that many deep threats at the NFL level possess. He relies on that big build a little too much for my liking, which is something he won’t always be able to do in the pros.

At this point in time, Boston’s route tree won’t blow anyone away, either, limiting what he can do as an X receiver. His targets were filled with go routes, comebacks, and slants over the middle of the field. When he did attempt more intricate routes, he noticeably got slowed down when he tried to plant his foot and change direction.

NFL Draft Projection

• Draft Projection: Late Day 1- Day 2 (Late First Round – Mid Second Round)
• Team Fits: Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers, New York Giants

While Denzel Boston probably won’t be a WR1 candidate immediately at the NFL level, he certainly has a role in the league, particularly if he can land with a team that does have a true No. 1 receiver already on the team drawing some attention away from him. If Boston can prove he can win downfield at the NFL level while shoring up some of his routes, he can be a very dangerous player.

Editor’s Note: Statistics from Pro Football Focus 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

Formula 1 has undergone a radical overhaul ahead of the 2026 season opener in Australia.

The cars are shorter, narrower and lighter, but perhaps most decisively now 50% of the power comes from the battery rather than from the combustion engine. The aerodynamics are also different, and instead of the usual DRS, drivers have a “boost” button that allows them to unlock more power during the race.

Some experts have called the changes “the biggest ever,” and not everyone is happy about it.

What has changed in the car?

Other than the aforementioned changes to the car, the tires have also become slimmer. In addition, the underbody is no longer curved but flat. The front and rear wings can be adjusted by the driver during the race from “corner mode” where there is more downforce in the corners, to “straight mode” where there is less drag on the straights. All these adjustments have significantly changed the aerodynamics of the car.

However, the biggest change has been to the drive system. The cars still have a 1.6-liter V6 turbo engine. Last season it generated 80% of its power, but now the split between engine and battery is 50:50. This increases the importance of the battery, which is constantly charged and discharged while driving. Drivers can release the stored energy at the touch of a button and use it to accelerate or overtake.

What does this mean for driving?

It means drivers must work together with their race engineers to continuously manage energy. Drivers collect energy when braking, when they lift their foot off the gas (lift and coast), or when they shift down to a lower gear in corners (engine braking). A single charge is not sufficient  for an entire race. In fact, you can’t even go full throttle for an entire lap with it.

Many of the drivers are not at all enthusiastic about the new reliance on battery power. Four-time drivers’ champion Max Verstappen was particularly vocal during preseason testing in Bahrain.

“It actually has nothing to do with Formula 1,” grumbled the Dutchman. “It feels more like Formula E on steroids.”

Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton called the energy management requirements “ridiculously complex” and feared that it would often be difficult for spectators to understand why the driver was not going full throttle.

“None of the fans will understand it,” predicted the Briton, who is aiming to win a record-setting eighth drivers’ title.

The Aston Martin team is in utter despair. The new power unit is causing such severe vibrations that there are fears prolonged driving could lead to nerve damage in the drivers’ hands. It seems the team doesn’t intend to complete the first few races.

“We will have to severely limit the number of laps we complete in the race until we have gotten to the bottom of the vibrations and made improvements,” team principal Adrian Newey said.

Which teams and drivers are new to the series?

Four years after announcing their return, Audi will finally join the grid this season. Their gradual takeover of racing team Sauber is now complete and by competing with their own team, they will become the fourth German car manufacturer (after Mercedes, Porsche, and BMW) to venture into the premier class.

Apart from Formula E, Audi has not been particularly active in the Formula series to date. Most of its successes have come in rally and touring car racing.

Nevertheless, Audi are ambitious and they want to win the world championship by 2030. First though, it’s all about gaining experience and improving.

“You also have to be humble in the face of the challenge ahead,” said team boss Jonathan Wheatley. “You don’t just beat teams like Ferrari, Red Bull, Mercedes, or McLaren because you’re Audi. It doesn’t work like that.”

While Audi was welcomed with open arms, Cadillac, the other newcomer, had to fight long and hard for permission to join as the 11th team. The US luxury brand has previously been more active in endurance racing. With Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez, the team is relying on two very experienced drivers, and they will drive in a car with a Cadillac chassis and a Ferrari engine.

The only real newcomer to the premier class of motorsport is Arvid Lindblad. The 18-year-old Briton will be racing for Racing Bulls, where he takes over from Isack Hadjar, who has been promoted to Red Bull and given Yuki Tsunoda’s seat.

Who are the favorites for the title?

With completely new cars and a different set of rules, predictions are harder to make this time around. Only once the season starts, will it be clear who is capable of consistently finishing at the front.

The early signs from testing are that Ferrari might be the team to look out for. On the final day, Charles Leclerc set the fastest time overall in Bahrain. Behind him were the defending drivers’ champion Lando Norris (McLaren), Verstappen, and Mercedes driver George Russell.

Have there been any changes to the tracks?

Just like in 2025, there will be 24 races. The season begins on March 8 in Melbourne and ends on December 6 in Abu Dhabi.

New to the racing calendar is the Madrid street circuit, replacing the race at Imola. The Spanish Grand Prix will be held there on September 13. The Barcelona race in June remains on the calendar, but is now called the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix.

However, as the contract with the circuit is expiring, 2026 may be the last time we see an F1 race in Barcelona for a while. The Dutch track in the dunes of Zandvoort is also on the way out, albeit in 2027. With the organizers withdrawing from Formula 1 for financial reasons, Max Verstappen will enjoy a home race for the last time for the forseeable future this year.

This article was adapted from German.