Each May, we reveal the Mount Rushmore of the Minnesota Vikings’ offseason, which is basically code for the four best moves or decisions from January through April. This is the 2026 edition.

Minnesota’s recent months left the franchise, with risk, urgency, and a new Super Bowl window attached.

The Vikings finished 9-8 last season, one win away from facing the Green Bay Packers in Week 18 for a winner-take-all contest to decide the NFC North. So close; no cigar.

Four Decisions Define the Vikings’ 2026 Offseason Reset

What is your top offseason moment so far?

George Washington
Firing Kwesi Adofo-Mensah

Even with a generous assessment, the Vikings have yielded only five or six significant contributors from the four draft classes on Adofo-Mensah’s watch: Jordan Addison, Jalen Nailor, Dallas Turner, Levi Drake Rodriguez, Will Reichard, and potentially Donovan Jackson.

That leaves a long list of players still trying to make an impact in Minnesota and around the NFL:

• Akayleb Evans
• Andrew Booth
• Brian Asamoah
• DeWayne McBride
• Ed Ingram
• Esezi Otomewo
• Gavin Bartholomew
• J.J. McCarthy
• Jaquelin Roy
• Jaren Hall
• Kobe King
• Lewis Cine
• Mekhi Blackmon
• Nick Muse
• Tai Felton
• Ty Chandler
• Vederian Lowe

The success rate? Around 15%-20%, even with a generous interpretation of borderline players.

Such low numbers cannot build a contender; they hinder progress. Persistent roster holes prevent the development of solid depth and quickly erode organizational flexibility.

Meanwhile, free agency also failed to consistently remedy the situation. Aggressive free agent signings, such as those of Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen, only inflated costs and aged the roster without addressing core problems.

The handling of the quarterback position further complicated matters. Sam Darnold’s departure, followed by his Lombardi Trophy win in Seattle, cast a long shadow over the Vikings — indefinitely.

All told, a clear pattern emerged: the team consistently missed on draft picks, high-profile free agent acquisitions underperformed, and the roster consequently stagnated. The Vikings desperately needed a complete reset, requiring leadership capable of identifying and developing young talent. The draft remains the most critical pipeline for talent in professional sports; teams either excel at it or struggle for years.

So, the Vikings fired Adofo-Mensah, and now drafts are guaranteed to be futile.

Thomas Jefferson
Retaining Brian Flores

Had Flores vamoosed, the Vikings would have faced the daunting task of rebuilding their defense at the worst possible time.

Both the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers chatted with Flores about their head-coaching vacancies, and if either team had secured him, Minnesota would have launched the Kyler Murray era with a new quarterback, a new defensive leader, and significantly less stability than any true contender desires.

Instead, retaining Flores provided the Vikings with one of their strongest chances at a Super Bowl run in 2026.

His defense proved to be the backbone of Minnesota’s 2025 season, especially after a challenging 4-8 start. The unit always brought pressure, disguised coverages, disrupted opposing quarterbacks, and frequently set up the offense with advantageous field position.

The numbers undeniably support this elite production. Over the last two seasons, Minnesota led the NFL in EPA/Play allowed. In 2025, Flores’ defense ranked third in EPA/Play, trailing only the Seattle Seahawks and Houston Texans.

Further cementing their dominance, the defense also ranked:

• 1st in Pass Rush Win Rate
• 2nd in Yards Allowed
• 3rd in Defense DVOA
• 3rd in EPA/Play
• 4th in Defensive 3rd-Down Conversion Percentage
• 7th in Points Allowed

Recognizing this elite performance, the Vikings secured Flores with a $6 million-per-year extension, ensuring the defensive mastermind remained with the franchise for at least one year — probably more.

The momentum surrounding Murray’s arrival critically hinged on Flores’ continued presence. Without him, all the Vikings’ 2026 hype would have been overshadowed by a significant defensive stain.

Teddy Roosevelt
Rolling the Dice on Caleb Banks

Did everyone love this Round 1 draft pick? Absolutely not. Will everyone love this draft pick two years from now? Probably.

Last year in the draft, the Vikings “played it safe” by picking a sturdy guard, Donovan Jackson from Ohio State. If you do your homework right, you can’t go wrong with an interior offensive lineman, so long as injuries don’t ruin everything.

This time, Minnesota got frisky. It bet on Banks. He has the potential to be Chris Jones in 2-5 years; he could also see his career derailed by foot injuries. Any time a large man has a foot injury, people hold their breath. Still, it was exciting to see the Vikings get bold, unafraid of Banks’s bust potential. They could’ve played it cleaner by drafting Dillon Thieneman, but Minnesota is evidently eyeing Super Bowl dreams, not 9-8 glory.

Abraham Lincoln
Signing Kyler Murray for $1.3 Million

Minnesota acquired Kyler Murray for an astonishingly low cost — less than what some teams allocate for a long snapper.

Over a 17-game season, Murray delivers impressive statistics on average:

• 4,000 Passing Yards
• 600 RushingRards
• 30 Total Touchdowns
• Top 5 All-Time Completion Percentage

This is franchise-level production, now poised to thrive in Kevin O’Connell’s offense.

The fit sure appears seamless. Murray, a lifelong Vikings fan, brings an immediate emotional connection, and his two Pro Bowl selections underscore his proven talent. Minnesota has J.J. McCarthy ready, willing, and waiting if Murray gets hurt.

Once widely considered the premier rookie quarterback talent in the NFL, that same player — now fully developed and still in his prime — has arrived in Minnesota.

Minnesota secured a proven quarterback at minimal cost, injecting a significant boost into the roster that few teams could match. The entire scenario highlights a front office that identified a massive opportunity and executed swiftly.

There’s a chance for Murray to be the Vikings’ franchise quarterback for the next decade. That isn’t outlandish.

When Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves were both ruled out ahead of Round 1’s Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets playoff matchup, many had written off the purple and gold.

But LeBron James pulled off another unthinkable playoff victory, defeating the Rockets in six games.

Of course, the Rockets only had superstar Kevin Durant for one game this series. But James only had Reaves for one game, and new reports indicate that Doncic isn’t anywhere near a return for the Lakers.

“I’m kicking (Father Time’s) ass,” James told the Prime Video studio crew following Game 6.

He’s not wrong.

James averaged 23 points, eight assists and seven rebounds against the Rockets in the first round. Without Doncic and Reaves, James proved that he’s still capable of winning in the NBA Playoffs almost singlehandedly. The 41-year-old averaged 38.7 minutes per game in this series.

We’ve never seen longevity like this in the history of the NBA.

Until the end of time, basketball fans will debate if James was better than Michael Jordan, who won six championships and was undefeated in the NBA Finals. But one thing that’s not up for debate is that Jordan was not doing this. At 41, Jordan was retired. He took on a management position with the Washington Wizards and only served a few seasons as President of Basketball Operations.

At 41, James isn’t playing a Udonis Haslam role for the Lakers. This isn’t an old man at the end of his career holding onto the glory days. Sure, it might be an old man at the end of his career. But even though James isn’t the same player that dragged teams to eight consecutive NBA Finals, he’s playing some damn good basketball and looks to have a lot more in the tank.

His actual son is playing meaningful minutes in this series, as Bronny James has gotten some run due to Doncic’s absence. Around the NBA, “great” teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics are struggling against lower-seeded opponents. At 41, James is dragging an undermanned Lakers team through the first round somewhat easily.

After a reverse dunk earlier in the series, James said he “needed to sit down somewhere.” After handling business against the Rockets in six games, James thanked the Toronto Raptors for forcing a Game 7 against the Cleveland Cavaliers, buying the Lakers an extra day of rest.

There’s no denying that James is probably physically dealing with the taxes of playing elite basketball into his 40s. But hopefully he understands how much this greatness is being appreciated from basketball fans everywhere.

What’s next for LeBron?

The Oklahoma City Thunder, the No. 1 seed in the NBA, await James and the Lakers.

It’s a good thing Reaves is back, because the Thunder will pose more of a challenge than the Durant-less Rockets did.

Even if the Thunder take down the Lakers, LeBron’s future in the NBA will be under a microscope. Recent reports have indicated that he doesn’t want to deal with the pressure of a farewell tour. However, he just displayed that he’s capable of playing at a very high level. He has nothing left to prove, but walking away from the game now would somehow feel premature, even at age 41.

Prediction markets like Kalshi are giving the Thunder a 91% chance of winning this series. A contract on Los Angeles to upset this series would payout 10.4x the initial stake.

But if James has one more miracle in him, this could be a series for the ages. Literally.

The Vikings’ draft effort in 2026 wasn’t without some detractors. Consider the anonymous NFL executives among those who aren’t totally sold.

Mike Sando of The Athletic leveraged his league connections to assemble a piece covering the NFC’s draft hauls alongside the AFC’s draft hauls. Maybe predictably, the Minnesota Vikings didn’t earn pristine grades. Check out what some NFL employees had to say about the draft haul under Rob Brzezinski.

NFL Executives Aren’t Sold on Vikings’ Draft Picks

On a basic level, the Vikings did much to beef up the roster. Minnesota went defense early, showing a particular preference for the front seven (consider a complete tracker if there’s a desire for more precise details).

Sando’s article offers a few words on opting for Randy Moss a while ago, a similarly controversial pick that happened to turn out alright. Can the same be said of the Caleb Banks decision? Someday, perhaps, but not everyone thinks it will turn out well.

To begin, there’s a reflection on the influence of Minnesota’s defensive coordinator. Some Sando and some NFL executive thoughts:

“The takeaway from the Minnesota draft is that (defensive coordinator) Brian Flores has a lot of say in the building,” an exec said.

In 2019, when Flores was the Dolphins’ new head coach, many believed he wanted to draft defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, who was not invited to the combine after video footage (from 2016, when Simmons was in high school) showed him punching a woman while she was on the ground. The Dolphins, then led by fourth-year GM Chris Grier, instead drafted Christian Wilkins, a solid player with less perceived risk.

Flores got his guy this time. There is no denying the immense talent Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks brings to the field — if he makes it there after breaking his left foot before the 2025 season and again at the combine.

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Consider another opinion: “‘Caleb Banks is really talented but does not play with great desire and is hurt all the time,’ a different exec said. ‘Scares me to death.’”

Likewise, there’s skepticism about the merit of moving on from Jonathan Greenard. “‘Greenard is too good of a player at a premium position to let go,’ a fourth exec said. ‘You gotta figure out a way to make that one work.’”

Note that there’s some optimism about the Jake Golday addition sprinkled into the mix, with a different NFL executive insisting that he’s “‘a perfect scheme fit for what Flores wants to do on the edge there.’”

Add it together and there’s an overwhelming takeaway: the Vikings made some risky decisions that defied expectations. People outside of the NFL and inside of the NFL don’t see things working out particularly well. Or, at the very least, there’s a widespread leaning toward a more negative assessment.

Minnesota’s path toward a strong draft haul begins with DT Caleb Banks. Seeing him turn into an elite defensive lineman who generates All Pro attention will mean that Vikings did tremendously well. Falling short of that lofty ideal means criticism will be upcoming, especially if the problem ends up being due to his health.

What should be remembered, though, is that the Vikings aren’t betting everything on the powerful defensive lineman. Minnesota’s legendary 2015 draft is considered so remarkable not because of the 1st-Round selection (CB Trae Waynes) but due to the 2nd-Round selection (LB Eric Kendricks), 3rd-Round selection (EDGE Danielle Hunter), and 5th-Round selection (WR Stefon Diggs).

So, keep an eye on what the other young lads do. They’ll be leaned on to help the Minnesota Vikings, too. Getting a stud in the Golday selection, the Domonique Orange add, and/or the various others (I’ve got my eye on CB Chuck Demmings) will mean that the chorus of critics start singing a different song. Even the UDFA haul has a role to play.

Next week, the Vikings are going to get into rookie minicamp. There will then be OTAs alongside mandatory minicamp coming up (read more). The other most notable story to watch is how these young fellas develop alongside whether the Vikings get a Jauan Jennings deal done.

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

The 2026 Kentucky Derby is just hours away and the field of 19 horses is set following the surprising news that the Puma scratched on Saturday morning. The 152nd “Run for the Roses” is set for Saturday with cool and dry conditions in the forecast. Post time from Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., is slated for 6:57 p.m. ET. Bet the Kentucky Derby with the exclusive TwinSpires offer code CBSSPORTS to receive up to $400 in bonus bets here, double what’s available to the general public:

Renegade enters as the 4-1 favorite. Other contenders include Commandment and Further Ado, both at 6-1, Chief Wallabee at 8-1 and Emerging Market and So Happy, both at 15-1. Before making any 2026 Kentucky Derby picks, be sure to see the 2026 Kentucky Derby predictions and best bets from SportsLine’s elite horse racing expert Gene Menez.

A former reporter and editor at Sports Illustrated, Menez covered an array of sports, including horse racing, for the magazine and its website for almost 14 years. Between 2010 and 2012, he served as SI’s handicapper for the Triple Crown races and correctly predicted Super Saver to win the Kentucky Derby in 2010.

In 2015, while writing for Sports on Earth, Menez accurately gave out the Kentucky Derby superfecta (American Pharoah, Firing Line, Dortmund and Frosted), which paid $1,268.20 for $2. Then in 2017, he tweeted out his Kentucky Derby picks, including Always Dreaming to win, and hit the Pick 4, which paid almost $6,900 on a $1 bet. In 2024, Menez gave out 18-1 Mystik Dan as a live longshot in the Kentucky Derby. In last year’s Kentucky Derby, he hammered the exacta and trifecta for a $1,045 payout. Anyone who has followed his horse racing betting advice could be way up.

Now, Menez has handicapped the 2026 Kentucky Derby field and revealed his picks. Go here to see them. Sign up for FanDuel Racing, where new users get $25 in bonuses with a $5 bet:

Top 2026 Kentucky Derby predictions

One of Menez’s surprising 2026 Kentucky Derby picks: He is fading the favorite, Renegade. Renegade won the 2026 Arkansas Derby on March 28 at Oaklawn Park, covering 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.7, and before that won the 2026 Sam F. Davis at Tampa Bay Downs. If we take a closer look at the 2026 Kentucky Derby odds and his full resumé, the red flags start to pile up. Before those two wins, Renegade had finished second twice, including a runner-up effort in the 2025 Remsen at Aqueduct in December. He is a late-running closer, something tough to do in the chaotic, 20-horse Kentucky Derby 2026 field.

Veteran Todd A. Pletcher trains Renegade for the Kentucky Derby 2026, but the 58-year-old Hall of Fame conditioner has not had a Derby winner since 2017. Adding to the concern is the No. 1 post, a spot that has not produced a Derby winner since Ferdinand in 1986. “As a late-running closer, he will be at the mercy of a fair pace and a clean trip and is in danger of losing massive ground if he tries to pass horses on the outside on the far turn,” Menez said of the 2026 Kentucky Derby favorite. See who to back at SportsLine.

Another stunner: Menez is high on Chief Wallabee at 8-1. Not since Bob Baffert in 1997 and 1998 and D. Wayne Lukas in 1995 and 1996 have trainers been able to win back-to-back Kentucky Derby races. Bill Mott, however, may join them if Chief Wallabee is victorious on Saturday. Last year, the Mott-trained Sovereignty edged out the favored Journalsim by 1 ½ lengths on a sloppy track.

Chief Wallabee is fresh off a third-place finish at the 2026 Florida Derby on March 28. He was second at the February 2026 Fountain of Youth. He opened his racing career in January with a win at the MSW at Gulfstream Park. He is no stranger to facing Kentucky Derby favorites, having already squared off with Commandment. See which other horses to back at SportsLine, and you can make 2026 Kentucky Derby picks at TwinSpires here with the offer code CBSSPORTS:

How to make 2026 Kentucky Derby picks, bets

Menez’s top pick is a horse who was “the big winner of the post draw.” He also is high on a double-digit longshot who he deems the best win value in the field. Menez is sharing which horse it is, along with his entire projected 2026 Kentucky Derby leaderboard, over at SportsLine.

Which horse wins the Kentucky Derby 2026, and which longshot is a must-back? Check out the latest 2026 Kentucky Derby odds below, then visit SportsLine to see Menez’s picks for the Kentucky Derby, all from the expert who had a $1,045 payout at last year’s race.

2026 Kentucky Derby odds

Paul Murray, the Kembla Grange horseman, has perpetuated his family’s notable ties to the Wagga Cup carnival through victory in the $200,000 Town Plate with Harry’s Bar.

His late father Bede, a storied South Coast trainer, initiated trips to the major country gathering in the 1970s, almost invariably returning victorious, with highlights like the Wagga Gold Cup (2000m) aboard Vanquished and the Town Plate (1200m) on Scorpio.

On Thursday, Paul Murray swelled the family coffers as Harry’s Bar ($9) overhauled leader Love Shuck ($61) for a three-quarter length margin, Bandi’s Boy ($11) producing a solid finish for third, another two lengths behind.

Murray oversees a select group of horses at Kembla Grange, and this success follows his recent feature conquest six months ago when Where’s The Circus took the Inglis Nursery (1000m) at Randwick during December.

Yet, the Wagga two-day carnival’s place in Murray family lore lent this Harry’s Bar triumph special importance.

“It’s unbelievable. I was only a boy when we used to come down with Dad,” Murray told Sky Racing.

“We had a runner after (Scorpio), Sure And Fast, and I think he ran second or third in it, but this is my first runner.”

The result was Harry’s Bar’s third from 16 starts, merited by her dependability including second in the Gosford heat of the Provincial-Midway Country Championships and a gritty fifth place to Lord Of Biscay in the Final.

“She is just a very good mare,” Murray said.

“She gives you two hundred per cent. Every time you go to the races you know you’re going to get a run for your money.

She loves a fight, and I’ve never seen a mare as tough as her.”

Murray has yet to finalise Harry’s Bar’s next move but floated the Dark Jewel Classic (1400m) at Scone two weeks hence as a possibility.

Jean Van Overmeire, Harry’s Bar’s steady rider, notched a double after piloting Luke Pepper’s Brutal Belle to an earlier win on the program.

The event rolls on Friday with the Wagga Gold Cup on deck, Chris Waller’s Travolta the $3.20 top pick. View betting markets for the race ahead of the Wagga Gold Cup.

Betfred Super League

Wigan (26) 38

Tries: Eckersley, Field 2, Hodkinson 3, O’Neill Goals: Keighran 4, Farrimond

Bradford (6) 14

Tries: Fulton, Ryan 2 Goal: Atkin

Noah Hodkinson scored a hat-trick as Wigan Warriors ended a four-match losing streak with a comfortable Super League win over struggling Bradford Bulls.

The 20-year-old winger added to two tries from Jai Field and others from Zach Eckersley and Brad O’Neill as Wigan dominated to remain in the play-off places.

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Bradford have been badly hit by multiple injury problems, and had shipped 100 points in their previous two games, against Hull KR and Wakefield Trinity.

George Marsden, making his debut in the halves at the age of 17, was behind much of Wigan’s best work, while Zac Fulton and Ethan Ryan (2) replied for Bulls.

Wigan had responded to their latest injury issues by including Hodkinson for Liam Marshall, out for three months with a hamstring problem, while Marsden formed a half-back pairing with 20-year-old Jack Farrimond which was their youngest since Shaun Edwards and Mike Ford first teamed up 41 years ago.

Marsden made an instant impact, lifting a high ball which created chaos in the Bulls’ ranks and led to Eckersley’s try, courtesy of a looping pass over the top from O’Neill.

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Field supported Adam Keighran’s break to add another and when Bulls winger Greg Eden missed with an interception attempt, Jake Wardle was free to range down the left flank and feed Hodkinson for his first.

Hodkinson then teed up Field for another, before the beleaguered Bulls finally posed a threat and Fulton went over to get them on the scoreboard.

Patrick Mago drew in four defenders and released O’Neill to restore the 20-point gap at half-time, and Hodkinson was first to Farrimond’s neat kick to claim the first try of the second half.

With the game won, Wigan eased off but Bulls continued to fight hard and Ryan grabbed two tries either side of Hodkinson’s hat-trick finish.

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‘Certainly beats losing’ – Peet reaction

Wigan coach Matt Peet told BBC Radio Manchester:

“It certainly beats losing! It was nice to get two points and keep tabs on the Super League table. It’s not the be-all and end-all but you don’t want to be drifting too far away.

“The performance was decent in large parts. The second half lacked a bit of intensity but credit to Bradford, they do continue to throw a bit at you.

[On debutants] “I was trying to get people back in their natural positions a bit. It meant hanging our hat on a very, very young, part-time half-back so we decided to go in that direction and young George [Marsden] delivered.

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“We’ve lacked a bit of flow and cohesion for a while and I take responsibility for that, so maybe I’ve learnt a little bit there.”

Wigan: Field; Eckersley, Keighran, Wardle, Hodkinson; Farrimond, Marsden; Havard, O’Neill, Thompson, Nsemba, Farrell, Partington.

Interchanges: Ellis, Mago, Eseh, Cartwright.

Bradford: Aekins; Eden, Chamberlain, Armitage, Ryan; Atkin, McNamara; Douglas, Souter, Lewis, Russell, Fulton, Gardiner.

Interchanges: Ackers, Hallas, Gill, Peposhi.

Referee: Aaron Moore.

Borussia Monchengladbach will entertain Borussia Dortmund at Borussia-Park in the Bundesliga on Sunday. Dortmund are second in the standings and have a five-point lead over third-placed RB Leipzig. The hosts are 12th with 32 points and have slim odds of securing a top-10 finish.

Die Fohlen have endured a poor run of form and are winless in their last five league games. They have drawn their last two games and were held to a scoreless stalemate by Wolfsburg last week.

Die Schwarzgelben returned to winning ways after two consecutive defeats last week, recording a 4-0 home triumph over Freiburg. Maximilian Beier, Serhou Guirassy, and Ramy Bensebaini were on the scoresheet in the first half, while Fábio Silva added a goal after the break.

Borussia Monchengladbach vs Borussia Dortmund Head-to-Head and Key Numbers

• The two teams have met 135 times in all competitions. Dortmund have been the better side in these meetings, recording 62 wins. Monchengladbach have 37 wins, and 36 games have ended in draws.
• Die Schwarzgelben registered a 2-0 home win in the reverse fixture in December, extending their unbeaten run against the hosts to six games.
• Borussia Dortmund have scored two goals each in four of their last six away games in all competitions.
• Borussia Monchengladbach have failed to score in two of their last three league games.
• Six of the last eight meetings between them have produced over 2.5 goals.
• Die Fohlen are unbeaten in their last five home games, playing three draws.
• The hosts have drawn the most games (11) in the Bundesliga this season.
• Dortmund have suffered just two defeats on their travels in the league this season.

Borussia Monchengladbach vs Borussia Dortmund Prediction

Die Fohlen have drawn four of their last five league games, scoring six goals in that period. They have failed to score in just one home game in 2026 and will look to find the back of the net here.

Kevin Diks is back in training and will undergo a late fitness test here. Tiago Pereira Cardoso has also resumed training and should be on the bench. Jens Castrop has been given a three-match suspension and won’t play again this season.

Die Schwarzgelben have seen decisive outcomes in their last nine games across all competitions, recording five wins. They have scored in each of their 15 Bundesliga away games this season and will look to build on that form.

Emre Can, Niklas Süle, Karim Adeyemi, Felix Nmecha, and Ramy Bensebaini are sidelined for Niko Kovač. Yan Couto and Jobe Bellingham should be available despite being ill earlier this week.

Dortmund have an impressive record against the hosts and should be able to secure a win.

Prediction: Borussia Monchengladbach 1-2 Borussia Dortmund

Borussia Monchengladbach vs Borussia Dortmund Betting Tips

Tip 1: Result – Borussia Dortmund to win

Tip 2: Goals – Over/Under 2.5 Goals – Over 2.5 goals

Tip 3: Both teams to score – Yes

Tip 4: At least one goal to be scored in the second half – Yes