Already, people are looking ahead to what could take place in 2027, especially those with a penchant for the NFL Draft. Do the Vikings get frisky in April of 2027? A rumor has already begun.

Jordan Reid, ESPN, is among the foremost draft nerds out there. His opinion is one that I value, taking it not as gospel but as a thoughtful, well-informed perspective. He recently offered a piece about the growing enthusiasm for the talent out there in the 2027 NFL Draft. At the very end, Mr. Reid shoehorned the Vikings into the mix.

The Vikings Could Get Frisky in ’27 Draft

Consider the final paragraph in full to get a sense of what Reid considers a possibility.

“One more team to watch is the Minnesota Vikings,” Reid writes. “New general manager Nolan Teasley is looking to replenish a roster that lacks high-end talent and depth, but their biggest issue is the uncertainty at QB. But the Vikings have an extra third-round pick thanks to the Jonathan Greenard trade. If neither J.J. McCarthy nor Kyler Murray present as the Vikings’ long-term quarterback, Minnesota could take advantage of the extra draft capital to secure one of the many top-flight QBs who should be available on Days 1 and 2.”

Keep in mind, folks, that the insight gets shared in the section titled “Which NFL teams are best set up to capitalize?”

Obviously, there’s a lot that would need to go wrong before the Vikings seek to orchestrate a rim-rattling trade. Reid’s thinking, though, isn’t totally without basis or merit.

J.J. McCarthy has mostly struggled since being chosen at No. 10 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. Talent isn’t lacking. What has been a major issue, though, has been his health. Proving unable to stay on the field within the NFL is the primary concern. If he can stay healthy, can McCarthy turn into at least a good passer?

And then there’s Kyler Murray.

He, too, has worked through injury concerns. He, too, got chosen high — No. 1 by the Cardinals in the 2019 NFL Draft — before encountering some turbulence. He appears to be a clunky fit with the Vikings but has a pile of talent. Putting in the work to prove doubters wrong could lead to Minnesota having a new QB1 for the next five-to-ten seasons.

What’s not entirely clear is whether Kevin O’Connell can survive a season of QB turmoil.

So far, Coach O’Connell has been given a free pass since his pair of bad seasons coincided with brutal injury luck. The former Rams OC had to work with all of Kirk Cousins, Nick Mullens, Jaren Hall, and Josh Dobbs in 2023. There was then McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer in 2025. Not easy, that’s for sure.

But then there’s another clear reality: O’Connell’s two good seasons led to getting dismantled early in the playoffs. Boasting an 0-2 record in the final tournament is nothing to boast about.

Quite possibly, the Vikings do make a move for a young arm in the 2027 NFL Draft. Ample talent exists and there’s a path forward where the current passers struggle.

Do note, though, that there’s so much that needs to take place before these possibilities get close to becoming a reality. Reid’s status as among the top draft analysts out there is what gives the rumor credence.

McCarthy, Murray, and the rest of the Minnesota Vikings begin training camp this week.

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

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Teofimo Lopez is looking to regain his world champion status when he challenges WBA (Super) welterweight champion Rolando Romero in August, but ‘The Takeover’ already knows the fight that he wants to come after that outing.

Lopez dethroned lineal champions in Vasyl Lomachenko and Josh Taylor when he claimed world honours at lightweight and super-lightweight respectively, but he was outclassed by Shakur Stevenson back in January – losing his WBO 140lb title by a wide unanimous decision.

The Brooklyn-based 28-year-old has wasted no time in thrusting himself back into the mix though, accepting a shot at Romero’s WBA world title upon his 147lb debut, seeking to become a three-division world champion.

In an interview with Ring Magazine, Lopez looked ahead to the fight and admitted that Romero’s awkwardness is what makes him a difficult obstacle, and highlighted it as the reason why he was able to trump Ryan Garcia last year.

“A true champion can adapt to anything and I think, with Rolly, he has definitely improved and he is awkward at times. He throws his punches in weird ways and I think that is what makes for an exciting fight and an exciting return for me.

“I think, just with the Ryan Garcia fight, him having that as his last win and his last fight, I think that he has great momentum.”

Lopez then went on to reveal plans for the victor of his fight with Romero to accept a unification showdown with the winner of Ryan Garcia’s September dust-up with Conor Benn, where Garcia hopes he can make a first defence of his WBC welterweight world title.

“On my end, as well, I think that this possibly leads to the winner taking on the winner out of Conor Benn and Ryan Garcia, that is what we are looking forward to.

“But, as of right now, at 147lbs, I am looking to take over and become the undisputed and three-time lineal world champion.”

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Romero vs. Lopez takes place on Saturday, August 22, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The dedicated team at Grahame Begg’s racing stable has kept the momentum going while the trainer enjoyed a late-season break, preparing for the upcoming spring racing season.

Victories have continued to be a feature, with Queen Peta impressing at Sandown on July 8 and the debutant Riverina Lulu securing a win at Flemington last Saturday.

With Begg due to return from his holiday on Friday, the stable is keen to see how their two mares perform in the Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield this Saturday.

Track conditions could be a significant factor, as both Miraval Rose and Samangu prefer dry going, but Begg’s racing manager, Rohan Hughes, stated that the pair are heading to Caulfield in strong condition.

Miraval Rose made a pleasing return when finishing fourth behind Winnasedge in the Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on July 11. Samangu is coming off a last-start seventh behind Ndola in the Listed Santa Ana Sprint Series Final (1200m) at Flemington on July 4.

Hughes commented that Miraval Rose has improved since her first-up run and expects another positive performance.

“She doesn’t like wet ground, but she had a little procedure early in the prep where we had to back off her and that meant we had her kicking off in the winter,” Hughes said. “She’s a big, heavy mare, so if we tipped her out, we would never get her back, so we kept her going and we chose these two races. Ideally, she would like three weeks rather two weeks going second-up, but she is a big, gross doing mare. She’ll cop it, it’s just a matter of whether she backs up, and is as sharp. It’s a similar lot, so if she holds her form, with a little bit of improvement, she should be right in the mix.”

Hughes also mentioned that the Group 3 Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on the following Saturday was considered for Samangu, but the team was concerned the mare might not get a start in that race.

“We feel like she’s going very well and she’s a bit similar to the other mare in that she needs drier ground, ideally,” Hughes stated. “She got into a sit and sprint race in the Santa Ana Lane, whereas we feel if she can get into a race where they go a nice gallop, she will be better off. It’s her first try at weight-for-age, but we’ve always had a good opinion of her and right now we feel she’s going really well and we’re happy to give her a chance.”

Jordan Childs will partner Miraval Rose, who is drawn barrier two, while Samangu will jump from gate four with Michael Dee in the saddle.

Betting markets for the Bletchingly Stakes are now open at your favourite Australian betting sites.

PurplePTSD works in partnership with Vikings Territory, similarly doing their utmost to offer top-notch coverage of the Minnesota Vikings. As a result, we’re promoting five of their top articles of the past month in “The P/PTSD Perspective.” Take a peek at some of their best stuff.

The P/PTSD Perspective: July 25th, 2026

1) Blake Cashman is Injured Again, Apparently: In Blake Cashman, the Vikings boast a formidable LB1 who does essentially everything well. His main flaw is that he’s not often available for an entire season. Only once has he hit sixteen games in a season. He has never hit seventeen games in a season. Can that change as he goes into a contract season?

2) The Vikings Have a Clear Path Off of Bad Contract After 2026: Last year, Will Fries wasn’t good enough. Do note, though, that he was coming off injury and from within an offensive line that had a pile of shuffling around him. Plus, Chris Kuper got shown the door, suggesting that the 0-line coach wasn’t doing a good enough job. Can Mr. Fries reach his potential in 2026?

3) Justin Jefferson Opens Up on the Vikings’ QB Competition: Quite possibly, nobody will have a better take on the QB1 battle than Justin Jefferson. After all, he’s the main man catching passes. Anybody who wants to be a long-term starter in Minnesota has to build a strong rapport with the all-time great receiver.

4) Vikings Predicted to ‘Give Up’ on 2025 Draft Choice: Embracing a new GM means welcoming change. Sounds obvious, perhaps, but worth noting since some difficult decisions could be coming. Does that mean a 2025 draftee gets sent packing?

5) The Caleb Banks Selection Might Have Been a Mistake by the Vikings: Connecting the dots on how things go poorly here isn’t super difficult. The powerful DT has a pile of talent but was considered a reach at No. 18. The criticism/concern rests in his lack of health and lack of refinement. But there’s huge upside here, as well. Give the kid a chance. He’s his own man and doesn’t deserve to get judged based on the poor drafting of recent years.

Enjoy the extra reading, Vikings fans.

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

For Anthony Joshua, his fight tonight in Saudi Arabia against Kristian Prenga is regarded as no more than a stopover to his mega fight against Tyson Fury.

Ever the diplomat, Joshua will deny this, saying he is training hard and focusing completely on the Albanian.

It is to be expected. What else can Joshua say? That Prenga is a big lug that he will walk through without a fuss?

If anything, Joshua will sing the praises of Prenga, just as he would any other opponent who does not raise his ire.

Every man who steps in the ring represents a threat, Joshua will remind us. But does Prenga really?

According to Prenga and his team, he does. While we can’t expect them to say anything differently, there is a quiet confidence which makes the Prenga camp secure enough to slip under the radar, unnoticed. While everyone will be focusing on Joshua, Prenga will quietly be preparing for an event that seemed unfathomable earlier in the year.

As a world title will not be on the line, no one should begrudge the 35-year-old underdog this opportunity. You can even make a compelling case that he has earned it by toiling in small clubs since he turned professional 10 years ago, in compiling a 20-1 (21) record. That one defeat came in Prenga’s fifth fight, way back in 2017, so can probably be disregarded, but what is worth a mention is that it is the only professional fight Prenga has not won by knockout.

Based strictly on that, Prenga has to be given at least a puncher’s chance against Joshua, who has been stopped on a couple of occasions.

Prenga turned pro in Germany, where he boxed a few times, and then had some matches in Canada. In 2022, he became entrenched on the East Coast of the United States and boxed mostly in New Jersey. This is where he now resides and where he is training for Joshua under the guidance of Muhammad Salaam.

Until now, Prenga has largely been fighting just to pay his bills, waiting and waiting for a breakthrough that looked like it would never come. That is until he joined forces with his current manager, Keith Sullivan.

Sullivan, a New York-based attorney, manages several fighters, most notably welterweight Paddy Donovan, who he co-manages with Andy Lee. Between that and running a law firm, Sullivan’s plate was full when Prenga approached him.

“Kristian and I had been speaking for about the last year. We finalised an agreement for me to take over management of his career last February,” says Sullivan.

Although Prenga was largely unknown, his situation was less than desperate.

“Kristian’s fan base in the New York and New Jersey area is incredibly loyal and passionate, which gave him local financial leverage” says Sullivan.

“I pitched Kristian to various top promoters as a legitimate heavyweight with an exciting style. After knocking on the door a few times, Matchroom eventually reached out and we quickly worked on a deal quietly [for the Joshua fight].

Prenga is grateful to Sullivan for securing Joshua so soon after their association became official. However, the bottom line is that when all is said and done, all anyone will remember is what took place in the ring. Prenga is more than happy with that being the case.

“Opportunities like this don’t come often,” he says. “I have spent my entire career preparing for moments exactly like this. I see it as the night I will shock the world.

“I know the work I will put in; I know how strong I am. Heavyweight boxing only takes one moment, and I truly believe I have the tools, power and mentality to create the moment.”

Although Eddie Hearn has already said that Prenga’s power is a concern, the reality is that he was selected to face Joshua because he is not seen as a serious threat – or even a threat at all. With 16 consecutive knockouts to his record, Prenga at least looks statistically strong, even if the naked eye test indicates the big Brit is on another level.

“I think so, yes,” says Prenga when asked if Joshua is overlooking him. “But I’m not coming to survive or collect a paycheque, I am coming to win.”

Sullivan is giving his man every tool at his disposal to do so.

“Kristian will have an experienced team around him covering every aspect of preparation: boxing trainers, strength and conditioning, nutrition, recovery, sparring, and overall strategy. We are bringing in the right people to simulate Joshua’s size, athleticism and style.”

This will be far and away the biggest fight of Prenga’s career, but he won’t be overawed by either Joshua or the size of the event.

“Pressure is a privilege. Big crowds don’t intimidate me,” he says. “Are Joshua’s fans loyal enough to travel to Saudi Arabia? The Albanian fans will be there with me. I’ve dreamed about fighting on stages like this my whole life.

“I’m not going to disrespect him [Joshua], because he’s achieved a lot, but like every fighter, he’s human. I believe when he’s forced into uncomfortable situations and has to fight at a pace he doesn’t like, vulnerabilities appear.”

Prenga would rather focus on what he does well, than on what Joshua does not.

“My greatest strength is my mentality,” he says. “I’ve had to fight for everything in life and in boxing.”

Whatever Prenga’s mindset is, the fact is that at 6ft 5in and around 260lb, he does match Joshua from a physical standpoint. Whether that translates into success inside the ring is another matter.

“Physically, I have real heavyweight power and toughness, but mentally, I never break,” he insists.

”Albania has proud fighting people, and they’ve supported me from day one. To beat a global name like Joshua would be a massive moment for Albanian boxing and for every Albanian around the world.”

If Prenga were to pull off the shock of all shocks, there is a reasonable chance, he would have to prove it was more than an illusion. Joshua has a rematch clause in the event Prenga won. For now, though, Prenga is only focused on this fight and has no desire to talk about what comes after.

If there is a mystique to this fight, it is in Prenga being the mystery man. His knockouts can be viewed on YouTube, but are they the result of him being a puncher or his opponents not being able to stand up to one?

The only notable on his ledger is Joey Dawejko, who Prenga stopped in five rounds in 2024.

Prenga is elusive when asked what his strategy will be for Joshua. “Are you working for AJ?” Prenga laughs. “You want my game plans? Can you give me Joshua’s in return?

“Know this: I am not going in there just to stand around and admire him. I’m going there to compete, impose myself, and take over when the opportunity comes.

“If you don’t know who I am now, you will after I beat Joshua.”

In a lot of ways, LeBron James picking the Philadelphia 76ers is a storybook ending.

On Saturday morning, fans of the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers are feeling scorned by their former hero. James brought two championships to Miami and broke Cleveland’s 52-year professional sports title drought. Both teams were in contention for James, who joined his fourth franchise in the Sixers for what he says is his final decision.

Fans in Miami thought LeBron would return to close that chapter the right way. Others in Cleveland believed that LeBron’s hometown deserved the farewell tour, and the chance for another ring.

But the documentary will end with LeBron in Philadelphia. Seriously. A film crew has been following LeBron for nearly a decade. It’ll have footage of LeBron playing with Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey in Philadelphia uniforms.

Certainly it’ll take some getting used to. But by the end of the season? LeBron could be facing his former teams, the Cavaliers and the Heat, in the NBA postseason. In pursuit of a fifth championship, LeBron decided that bringing a title to a fourth organization would be more powerful to his legacy than winning another one in Cleveland or Miami.

And that’s what makes this decision so polarizing. The Cavs and the Heat are both contenders in the Eastern Conference.

Cleveland was on the doorstep of making it back to the NBA Finals without LeBron for the first time in the history of the Cavs. The New York Knicks swept them out of the conference finals, but the Cavs showed signs of improvement in Kenny Atkinson’s second year coaching the team.

The Heat have remained consistent playoff contenders even after LeBron left South Beach. LeBron’s Los Angeles Lakers beat the Heat in the bubble to win the 2020 NBA Championship. So there’s a complicated history. But a return to Miami to team up with Giannis Antetokounmpo would’ve improved the Heats’ title odds in this improved Eastern Conference.

Yet LeBron chose Philly, a team that traded for Brown just a few weeks ago. They’ll hope Maxey and V.J. Edgecombe continues to develop. They’ll really hope Joel Embiid can stay healthy.

But it’s a storybook ending for LeBron because he picked the most stacked roster. It’s something he’s done in every decision since he left the Cavs the first time back in 2010.

The Heat assembled a super team with LeBron, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. He returned to Cleveland as Kyrie Irving emerged as one of the best young guards in the sport, and the Cavs lucked into the No. 1 overall draft pick, something that could be traded for Kevin Love, who was an MVP candidate the year before.

Many fans were quick to assume that LeBron’s move to Los Angeles was about establishing his business ventures off the court. In Cleveland, some reporters discussed the likelihood of LeBron leaving for Hollywood during the 2016 championship parade. It felt like an inevitability.

But it was also a spot for LeBron to have plenty of control over a young roster of moveable assets. Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart were packaged with three first-round draft picks (including No. 4 overall in 2019) so LeBron could team up with Anthony Davis.

The Sixers have floated the idea of trading Embiid, who has struggled to stay healthy, for the last few years. Also, if their objective is to win a title with Brown and LeBron in these next two seasons, a young star like Edgecombe could become available if the pressure cooker gets really hot to land another proven commodity.

LeBron’s deal with the Sixers is a two-year minimum deal with a player option. There’s no promise when the end of his career will be. There’s no certainty the Sixers will win a ring, or do enough in Year 1 to prove to LeBron to return to Philadelphia for another year.

In September, Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn collide in one of the biggest fights of the year, and former WBC cruiserweight world champion Tony Bellew has offered his thoughts on the fight.

Benn has not boxed at welterweight since his failed drugs test in October 2022 and he is also yet to register a stoppage win in the five fights above 147lbs that have followed. As a result, he has been keen to return to his natural division, hoping he can rediscover his knockout power.

After much speculation, it has finally been announced that Garcia and Benn will meet, as ‘King Ry’ seeks a first defence of the WBC welterweight title, since getting his hands on the belt with a win over Mario Barrios back in February.

Speaking on the ‘Fight Your Corner’ Podcast, Bellew looked ahead to the fight and admitted that the outcome could depend on how focused Garcia is and which version of the champion turns up.

“With Garcia, it’s the left-hook that is the real power shot with him. My only issue with this fight is that you don’t know which Ryan Garcia is going to turn up. 

“If the Ryan that got in with Rolly Romero turns up, that is going to lose, that is not going to be enough. I rate Rolly, as well, Rolly is a good fighter but is Ryan interested? Is he bothered? 

“Mentally, I think that Ryan is all over the place and mentally, I think that Conor Benn is so strong. To get through what he went through for all them years, mentally, he is so, so strong.”

Despite those comments, Bellew maintained that, in his eyes, Garcia remains ‘an overwhelming favourite’ due to his speed and trademark left-hook.

“Garcia is the favourite and he is the overwhelming favourite because of the qualities and the fundamentals that he has; lightning speed and a vicious left-hook.”

Garcia-Benn takes place on Saturday, September 12, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.