In late August, the Minnesota Vikings, along with 31 other teams, will prune their rosters from 90 to 53 players, an activity head coach Kevin O’Connell has described as his least-happy day of the year. This go-around will assuredly some painful cuts; that’s just the nature of the beast.

And if popular players get the axe, a list might look like this. The following players are listed in alphabetical order.

Vikings’ Summer Roster Crunch Includes a Few Familiar Names

Max Brosmer | QB

Let’s be clear: Brosmer is forecasted to reach the practice squad.

But what if he doesn’t? The guy looked utterly horrendous as a rookie in 2025, and his whole reputation among Vikings fans was based on preseason hype. Preseason performance almost never translates to regular season success. Ask EDGE rusher Gabriel Murphy about it.

Like Jaren Hall in 2023-2024, Minnesota could cut ties with Brosmer, especially if it finds a different quarterback on the post-cutdown market, perhaps Will Levis or Anthony Richardson.

Tai Felton | WR

Felton heads into summer with a lot to prove. His exceptional speed was the reason Kwesi Adofo-Mensah drafted him in the 3rd Round last year, despite most draft analysts projecting him as a 4th or 5th-Round pick. The strategy was clear: acquire a speed demon to stretch defenses and provide a deep threat.

However, Felton saw minimal playing time during his rookie season. Unlike most 3rd-Round wide receivers who typically get an immediate opportunity, Felton did not. It makes his second summer critically important. While he still has a chance to climb to WR4 if he performs well in camp, he might be on the roster bubble.

New general manager Nolan Teasley, who was not involved in drafting Felton, has no inherent favoritism towards him. Felton will need to impress the new leadership from the ground up.

Theo Jackson | S

Jackson lost his job to Jay Ward late last year, and few noticed. Minnesota also drafted safety Jakobe Thomas from Miami in April, along with onboarding promising undrafted safety Jacob Thomas.

And that’s in addition to the prospect of Harrison Smith returning for Year No. 15. Last summer, folks were optimistic that Jackson could seamlessly replace Camryn Bynum. This summer, he feels like a roster bubble straddler.

Ivan Pace Jr. | LB

Pace Jr. started his career with a bang — typed like Mike Breen says it — an unabashed UDFA success story for Adofo-Mensah. He also played well in 2024, but not quite as stellar as his rookie campaign. Fast forward to 2025, and Pace Jr. suddenly could not tackle as well, and veteran Eric Wilson swiped his starting job.

The Vikings re-signed Pace Jr. this offseason — exercised his restricted free-agent tender — but that doesn’t mean his future is totally secure. If rookie Jake Golday, a 2nd-Rounder, is the real deal, that complicates the roster math of Pace Jr.

The Viking Age‘s Adam Patrick noted on Pace Jr. in May, ‘With Wilson back, Pace will likely spend a bunch of time on special teams again in 2026. He’ll also probably be called upon to start at some point next season if Wilson or Blake Cashman are unable to play due to injury.”

“Will Pace use his 2025 season as motivation to prove people wrong in 2026 when he gets back on the field, or will it be more of the same from a guy who hasn’t ever been able to duplicate the unexpected success he had as a rookie with the Vikings?”

Myles Price | WR

Do we think Price will be cut? No. Is it a possibility? Yes.

Last summer, the Vikings didn’t have many options for kick and punt returners. In 2026, they’ll have additional alternatives, like new running back Demond Claiborne of Wake Forest. Price is a wide receiver by trade, but Minnesota didn’t use him on offense as a rookie.

While Price is a promising young returner, there’s a small chance the Vikings drop him in favor a man who can play speical teams and offense.

Walter Rouse | OT

The Vikings added two uncuttable offensive tackles this offseason: 3rd-Round rookie Caleb Tiernan from Northwestern and veteran Ryan Van Demark from the Buffalo Bills. In a normal offseason, Minnesota usually finds one free-agent or rookie tackle for depth behind Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill.

Adding Tiernan and Van Demark raises the stakes for Rouse, a player entering his third year who has not played much since joining the NFL in 2024.

If it comes down to the coaching staff wanting to keep an extra wide receiver or EDGE defender, for example, Rouse could be on the chopping block because the club now has Tiernan and Van Demark.

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

Manchester United have been handed a transfer update on Nathaniel Brown with Bayern Munich in pole position to sign the Eintracht Frankfurt left-back

Bayern Munich have agreed personal terms with Manchester United transfer target Nathaniel Brown. However, the Bundesliga champions are currently unwilling to meet Eintracht Frankfurt’s asking price which gives United and fellow interested party Arsenal the chance to complete a transfer hijack.

Mostly from left-back, the 22-year-old contributed to 10 goals in 41 appearances across two competitions. Having impressed in the 2025/26 season, links to several top European clubs have emerged and it is perhaps no surprise that Frankfurt are demanding €60million (£51.8m), according to Sky Sports Germany.

Their report has added a contract is in place until 2031 and that Bayern are now in contact with Brown’s current club. However, the deal could still fall through as they do not want to pay that fee.

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As such, United are not out of the race just yet having tracked the German international this season. Left-back is just one area that United are hoping to strengthen this summer with Newcastle’s Lewis Hall and Myles Lewis-Skelly of Arsenal linked.

Brown could be considered the cheapest of those three but is still likely to cost a significant amount. That was evidenced by comments from sporting director Markus Kroesche when he was asked if Brown would cost as much as the £62million Chelsea paid Brighton for Marc Cucurella.

“Yes because he has three exceptional qualities you can’t teach: he’s smart and tactically intelligent, has great technique, and he’s very fast. For me, he is already one of the best full-backs in Europe.

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“He’s made outstanding progress, especially when it comes to defending at a high level. Just look at how he performs against top opponents in the Champions League.”

Midfield is the other department in need of additions with a deal in place for Ederson of Atalanta to arrive at Old Trafford this summer.

A second summer signing in the engine room is expected with West Ham United’s Mateus Fernandes, Adam Wharton of Crystal Palace and Brighton star Carlos Baleba linked.

Everton winger Iliman Ndiaye has recently emerged as an option for United in attack even with Matheus Cunha enjoying a strong start to life at United on the left and Patrick Dorgu now considered an option for that role.

JAIPUR: The wait had lasted over a decade, but for Rajasthan’s cricket fraternity, the dry spell finally ended on a historic Saturday morning in New Chandigarh. Not since Pankaj Singh stepped out in the pristine India whites has a cricketer from the state earned a coveted Test cap. After a 12-year hiatus, the desert state is back in the Test arena, thanks to a young left-arm spinner from Sriganganagar, Manav Suthar.With this monumental feat, 23-year-old Manav enters an elite club, becoming only the fifth cricketer from the state — after the legendary Salim Durani, Hanumant Singh, Parthasarthy Sharma and Pankaj Singh — to represent the state in Test cricket.Long before the national selectors took notice, the foundation for this historic moment was being laid in the domestic trenches. Vineet Saxena, the former Rajasthan player and senior men’s team coach in the 2022-23 season, vividly remembers the quiet morning during a Ranji Trophy match that year when he got his very first glimpse of Manav during a competitive game.“He was the guy who was getting players out in defense and in slips,” Saxena recalls.For an experienced mentor like him, wickets on a scorecard can sometimes be deceptive, but the technical purity of a dismissal reveals a bowler’s true ceiling. Saxena points out that what truly makes Manav an exceptional left-arm spinner is his ability to outsmart batsmen fundamentally, beating them when they are actively trying to protect their stumps.“So normally, when we look at a bowler, numbers don’t really suggest the way they pick the wickets. But if a bowler is getting a batsman out in his defense, that means that bowler has got really good quality,” the former state coach added.It was not just his tactical brilliance that caught the eye, but the incredible physical attributes of his bowling. Suthar possessed an innate ability to manipulate the ball in the air, giving it a heavy tweak that became a nightmare for domestic batters.“The second thing I observed was the revs on the ball that he gives, that is amazing,” Saxena says. “In our slang, we say that the ball is turning and drifting, and biting off the surface. So it is something to do with that revs that he is able to impart on the ball. This is something special that he has in him.”That special quality exploded into reality during Manav’s second Ranji Trophy season in 2022-23. The young spinner tore through opposition lineups, capturing 39 wickets in just six matches at an incredible economy of 2.90, punctuated by two five-wicket hauls and a match-winning ten-wicket haul.Yet, what makes Suthar the ideal modern cricketer, and why many are already looking at him as a potential successor to Ravindra Jadeja, is his immense all-around capability. Suthar was never content being a one-dimensional specialist.“In a game that season, he took five wickets against Pondicherry and just narrowly missed scoring a century. So that would have been a big, big feat,” Saxena notes. “He can develop into a good all-rounder. And in batting also, what I observed at that time was he was very keen to learn. So he had that mindset and attitude.”Naturally, any young left-arm orthodox spinner who can bat and rack up massive domestic numbers will draw immediate comparisons to Jadeja. As Manav officially embarks on his Test journey, the hype is palpable, but Saxena urges a balanced perspective while validating the youngster’s immense talent.“Jadeja is probably one of the greatest all-rounders India has produced. So I think as of now, it will be wrong to compare Manav with him. It’s a long way what Manav has to go to accomplish that,” Saxena says.Suthar’s adaptability became even more evident when he translated these red-ball performances into the high-stakes white-ball cricket. Saxena recalls how seamlessly the spinner held his own against some of the most feared, established pinch-hitters in the country, proving he is a genuine all-format asset.“Facing a star-studded Mumbai side in the practice games before Mushtaq Ali Trophy in Ahmedabad, he delivered a standout performance against Shivam Dube. Despite Dube’s notorious dominance over left-arm spinners, he choked the all-rounder’s scoring rate to under a run-a-ball and capped it off by dismissing him. That fearlessness wasn’t a one-off,”When the tournament officially got underway, Manav made his T20 debut as an Impact Player against Madhya Pradesh, tasked with containing an in-form Venkatesh Iyer.“Iyer is a good striker of the ball. In that game, he scored some 60 off 30 balls. Out of that, against Manav, it was just run-a-ball, and Manav bowled around 8 to 10 balls to him. So against pinch hitters also, he was able to contain them. He has that skill set for T20s as well. He is an all-format player, it’s not like he can only survive in the longer format,” he further added.

The major storylines for the Minnesota Vikings are apparent this summer: Will Kyler Murray easily win the quarterback battle? Will Christian Darrisaw be a full go? Is Caleb Banks trending for Week 1? When will Harrison Smith announce his return-or-retire decision, if at all?

But we are this weekend for the “under the radar” stuff, storylines you perhaps haven’t spent that much time pondering. They’re listed in ascending order of importance (No. = most important under-the-radar storyline).

The Stealthy Stuff to Ponder about the Vikings’ Summer

4. Will Tai Felton (WR) Turn into Something?

Felton’s fight for a roster spot begins under a new regime. General manager Nolan Teasley, who did not draft Felton, has no inherent loyalty to him. There’s no “we spent a 3rd-Rounder on him” pride or a need to justify a past investment. Felton must prove his worth anew.

His potential is obvious, though. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah drafted him in the 3rd Round, valuing his speed despite most draft experts projecting him as a 4th or 5th-Round pick. The strategy was clear: acquire a player who could stretch the field, threaten defenses with the deep ball, and provide the Vikings with another explosive option.

However, Felton saw minimal playing time in his rookie year.

The lack of initial opportunity is the primary hurdle Felton faces. Most mid-round wide receivers are given an immediate chance to demonstrate their abilities. Felton was not, which sets the stage for a critical summer. An exceptional training camp could elevate him to the WR4 position, while a lackluster performance could place him all the way off the team.

3. The Punters

It’s young versus old in Minnesota at punter this summer. The young? The Vikings found Georgia punter Brett Thorson via undrafted free agency in late April, and he won the award for best college punter in 2025. On paper, he should have no problem finding a job in the NFL.

But he’s never held field goals or extra points, and the Vikings need a punter and holder to replace Ryan Wright, who performed precisely those roles in Minnesota for four years.

The “old” option, Johnny Hekker, has holding experience and, a decade ago, was the single best punter in the league. Fans don’t often care about punters, but they control field position to the utmost. This battle matters.

Thorson basically has three months to learn how to hold kicks for Will Reichard.

2. Back-End CB Depth (no injuries last year)

Normally, a CB group of Byron Murphy Jr., Isaiah Rodgers, James Pierre, and rookie Charles Demmings would give some confidence to a Vikings roster that has entered the past season with slimmer depth than this.

However, in 2025, Murphy Jr. and Rodgers played all 17 games, remaining totally healthy. The bill is likely coming due. It is unlikely for Minnesota to have perfect health among its top two cornerbacks — two years in a row.

Therefore, studying the CB3, CB4, and CB5 spots this summer will be intriguing. Teasley might want to re-sign Fabian Moreau, who played quite well in 2025 despite no fanfare or kudos.

Zone Coverage‘s Nelson Thielen wrote in April, “Corners get drafted at a high rate in the first three rounds of the draft, and good ones get paid quickly. Many other franchises would look at Minnesota’s cornerback situation. They wouldn’t consider a player like James Pierre to be enough to get in the way of further investment in that position.”

“For a defense that’s predicated on bringing pressure like Flores’, it seems counterintuitive not to invest in corners that they can trust in single coverage. But if you’ve watched the Flores defense the past few seasons, you’ve seen how he’s worked around this deficiency.”

You’ve heard of “zero running back” strategies in fantasy football. The Vikings are the zero-corners team under Flores.

Thielen added, “His scheme hasn’t necessitated elite, high-end cover corners. Whether that’s by design or adapting to his personnel deficiencies is up to interpretation, but the results speak for themselves. Minnesota’s passing defense has been elite under Flores; they posted the fewest passing yards against last year.”

“Opposing QBs had the second-lowest QBR in the league against Minnesota (46.3), and the Vikings forced the second-lowest yards per completion at 9.72. That’s really, really good.”

1. Rookie RB Demond Claiborne’s Game-Readiness

A little secret: Aaron Jones will probably get hurt in 2026. That happens to him. When that occurs, the Vikings will need a replacement, at least for a couple of games, and by that time, fans should have a good indication whether Claiborne is ready.

Make no mistake: Jones and Jordan Mason will receive the bulk of rushing attempts in 2026, but the scene is ripe for a youngster like Claiborne to emerge because Jones and Mason are only under contract through the end of 2026. It’s Claiborne’s first impression — and formal RB1 audition.

The summer of 2026 should offer evidence on Claiborne’s moxie as the real deal. Remember DeWayne McBride. Minnesota does not want a redo of that wasted late-round pick.

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

Olympic legend Simone Biles revealed that she “almost died” in a cryptic Instagram post on Saturday.

On her Instagram story, Biles shared vague details about the experience, without recounting any specifics, with the background just being a photo of her hand.

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Simone Biles of the United States waits for her turn to perform during the women’s artistic gymnastics final at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo on July 27, 2021. (Gregory Bull/AP)

“I’m not one to normally share things like this because I value privacy in today’s age. But almost dying wasn’t on my bingo card this week,” Biles wrote.

“This was one of, if not the scariest experience of my life, especially since Jonathan was in Indy for practices. I’ve been in bed resting this week. I’ll explain sooner or later, but [shoutout] to my close circle who reached out, checked in, visited & or sent flowers.”

AMERICAN OLYMPIAN ANITA ALVAREZ RECALLS NEAR-DROWNING INCIDENT

American gymnast Simone Biles and her husband Jonathan Owens watch the men’s single skating event on day seven of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 13, 2026. (Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)

Biles’ husband, Jonathan Owens, is a safety for the Indianapolis Colts. The couple has been married since 2023, though Owens’ NFL career has occasionally forced them to spend time apart. Since entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2018, he has played for five different teams.

The two met while Owens was with the Houston Texans in 2019. Biles lives in Texas, where the couple has built a massive home together. Since his time in Houston, Owens has also played for the Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears and now the Colts.

Back in November, Biles revealed that she had recently undergone three plastic surgeries.

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American gymnast Simone Biles watches the NFC Divisional Playoffs game between the Chicago Bears and the Los Angeles Rams at Soldier Field in Chicago, Ill., on Jan. 18, 2026. (Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)

“I’ve had three plastic surgeries and two of them you would never be able to tell,” she said in a TikTok that month.

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David Sullivan has announced he will step down as chairman of West Ham with immediate effect to fight “false allegations” about his private life.

The 77-year-old is leaving his role of 16 years and two weeks after the East London club was relegated from the Premier League.

A BBC spokesperson has since confirmed in a statement that “BBC Panorama and The Times newspaper have been working together on a joint investigation into the behaviour of David Sullivan”, which is due to be broadcast and published on Monday.

In a statement released on Saturday, Mr Sullivan said: “After very careful consideration and with a heavy heart, I have decided to resign as joint-chair and director of West Ham United FC with immediate effect.

“This has been an incredibly painful decision to make, but it is one made out of love, respect, and responsibility toward a football club and a fan base that deserve absolute unity and focus moving forward.”

West Ham announced that interim chief executive officer Karim Virani, reporting into the current board of directors, will continue to be responsible for leading the club’s day-to-day operations.

A club statement said: “West Ham United can confirm that Joint-Chair David Sullivan has stepped down from his position with immediate effect.

“Mr Sullivan has also resigned as a director of both WH Holding Limited and West Ham United Football Club, having been made aware of the impending publication of serious historic allegations.

“It is understood none of the allegations relate to West Ham United or any of its operations.”

Sullivan and business partner David Gold completed their takeover of West Ham after selling Birmingham, and brought Karren Brady with them as vice-chairman.

Their tenure oversaw the unpopular move from Upton Park to the former Olympic Stadium in 2016, making the three of them the focus of numerous anti-board protests among club’s supporters.

Gold died in 2023 aged 86, while Baroness Brady left her role before the end of a challenging season which ended in relegation from the Premier League.

“None of these allegations relate to my more than 30 years in football,” added Sullivan.

“West Ham United has been one of the greatest passions and privileges of my life. I care deeply about the club, its supporters, its players, its staff, and its future.

“At what is already a challenging and important time for the club, I refuse to allow personal matters concerning me to become an unnecessary distraction or a source of instability.”

West Ham say they will give “an update on the future structure of the board of directors in due course, but will make no further comment at this time”.

Czech businessman Daniel Kretinsky bought a 27 per cent stake in the club in 2021 and is reportedly set to increase his stake.

The opponent for Katie Taylor’s swansong at Croke Park has left many scratching their heads, wondering who, exactly, is Flora Pili?

It has been confirmed that the 82,300-capacity stadium will play host when Taylor looks to reclaim her undisputed super-lightweight crown at Croke Park, Dublin, on September 5.

The Irish phenom currently holds the IBF, WBO and WBA world titles but, as the WBC’s ‘emeritus’ champion, she will also face Pili for the full green and gold belt.

This is because Sandy Ryan, now WBC champion in recess, will take time away from the sport while pregnant, presenting Taylor with the opportunity to become a three-time undisputed champion.

Standing in the 39-year-old’s way of a successful farewell fight, meanwhile, is Pili, who represents a somewhat unheralded opponent for one of the all-time greats.

Was Flora Pili a successful amateur?

Most notably, Pili became a French Youth champion and won a Senior National title in 2015 and 2019, respectively, while also competing in several international tournaments during her amateur career.

Interestingly, she fought in an international round robin tournament in Dublin, only to suffer defeats against vastly-accomplished amateurs Kellie Harrington and Irma Testa in 2017.

Pili also lost to Lucy Wildheart during her unpaid campaign, only this came in 2016 and could hardly be used as ammunition against her professional credibility.

What are Flora Pili’s professional accolades?

Pili boasts a professional record of 12-0 (2 KOs) but the majority of her performances have come against limited opposition, at least in comparison to the level at which Taylor has been competing.

She did, however, edge a split decision against Silvia Bortot to claim the European title in 2023, while her last outing resulted in a majority points win over Jelena Janicijevic for the IBO strap in December.

Where is Flora Pili ranked by the sanctioning bodies?

Pili is the leading contender with both the WBC and IBF, while the WBA have her placed at No.4 in their super-lightweight rankings.

The 28-year-old seemingly earned her lofty rankings by outpointing Janicijevic, who gave a strong account of herself in their 10-round contest.