In 2025, former Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah entered the draft with a comically low number of picks. Due to various trades, he had only four picks remaining. His draft haul included first-rounder Donovan Jackson, and four other rookies, as well as short-term QB2 Sam Howell.

Unsurprisingly, the contributions of the rookie class were fairly limited in 2025. The size of the draft class was even further enhanced when the Vikings surprisingly waived linebacker Kobe King during his rookie campaign. About 13 months after the club selected the Penn State defender in the sixth round, the Vikings could re-hire him, as the New York Jets showed him the door.

Brian Costello, Jets beat writer, posted on social media, “The Jets are waiving kicker Lenny Krieg and waiving/injured LB Kobe King, per source.”

King, now 23, arrived in the Twin Cities with pick 201, a sixth-rounder. A classic downhill linebacker, King was viewed as another Ivan Pace, a productive college linebacker who could provide help on special teams and, down the road, as a playmaker near the line of scrimmage. Despite the lack of depth at the position, King was axed in October and the Jets claimed him off waivers.

With the Vikings, he appeared in five contests, seeing the field on 77 snaps on special teams and another three on defense. After his departure, the Jets relied on him 142 times on special teams, but head coach Aaron Glenn didn’t give him a shot on defense. He made a total of ten tackles in his first season at the pro level.

Adofo-Mensah vouched for the defender right after the draft. His initial praise created some buzz for obvious reasons.

“Kobe King, linebacker from Penn State: Really excited to add him. A lot of times in football, we make it harder than it is, but it’s a meat-and-potatoes game in some positions, and linebacker is one of them. You need somebody to tackle the person trying to advance the ball up the field against your team, whether that be special teams with the ball in his hands or defending the pass and he’s somebody that plays with range, tackles, is a really physical knockback-impact tackler.”

A year later, the defender is looking for a new job and the executive is back in San Francisco. The difference is the Adofo-Mensah decision is final, while King could, in theory, get another chance with the Vikings.

The Vikings made room for him on the initial 53-man roster last year and even gave him some playing time in the first five weeks of the season. During a long NFL year, a team can run out of roster spots and release end-of-roster players to sneak them onto the practice squad. In this case, the Jets’ waiver claim ruined that process, if it was, indeed, the intention.

Last year’s linebacker trio of Blake Cashman, Eric Wilson, and Ivan Pace is still around for 2026. In the draft, the Vikings also added Jake Golday. The Cincinnati linebacker offers some more versatility and might get some run on the edge, but he’ll take his first steps at inside linebacker. That already makes it a crowded room with four players pretty much confirmed to be on the 53-man roster.

Yet, special teams have been a focus for the Vikings last offseason and this year and that’s where King could come in and earn a spot. The franchise also employs linebackers Jacob Roberts and Josh Ross, as well as undrafted rookies Keli Lawson and Bangally Kamara, who likely have a similar plan.

The Vikings saw something in King, which is why he was drafted in 2025 and why he made the 53-man roster. If they want him back, they now have the chance to grab him.

Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.

Janik Eckardt is a German sports nerd, who likes numbers and stats. He chose the Vikings to be his … More about Janik Eckardt

Royal Challengers Bengaluru claimed a historic second consecutive IPL title on Sunday at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The defending champions defeated Gujarat Titans in their home ground by five wickets with their icon Virat Kohli at the heart of it. Former Indian selector Saba Karim highlighted captain Rajat Patidar’s influence and drew comparison with MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma, the two greatest captains the league has seen over the years.

Patidar became only the third captain after Dhoni and Rohit to win back-to-back titles and etched his name in IPL record books. Speaking on Star Sports’ Amul Cricket Live, Karim pointed to Patidar’s remarkable rise as the leader of RCB’s back-to-back championship win. “One of the biggest reasons behind RCB winning a second consecutive title has been the clarity around individual roles within the team, and Rajat Patidar deserves a lot of credit for that,” he said.

Drawing comparison with Dhoni and Rohit, the former Indian wicketkeeper said, “When we talk about captains who have led teams to consecutive titles, names like MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma come up, and I can see similarities in the way Rajat Patidar leads this team.” Patidar took over the captaincy from Du Plessis in the 2025 season and the rest is history. He has a 70% winning record as a captain of RCB where he won 19 out of 27 matches and delivered the two titles during this period.

What makes the achievement all the more striking is the path Patidar walked to reach this point. He arrived as a replacement player in the 2024 season, and eventually inherited the captaincy of a dressing room that included Virat Kohli among its many world-class names. Earning authority in that environment without international experience is remarkable and pointing this out, Karim noted, “ For someone without international experience, earning respect in a dressing room filled with world-class players, including Virat Kohli, is not easy. Rajat earned that respect through consistent performances.”

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Another influential figure and the leader of RCB’s bowling, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, reflected on the team’s development during the interaction in the post-match show. Kumar praised the younger bowlers for their hunger to grow. “Their willingness to learn, their dedication, and the effort they put into improving are what ultimately make the difference,” he said, “They’ve not only learned from experienced players in the group but also from someone like Josh Hazlewood and the coaching staff.”

The Vikings’ ill-fated WR swap involved welcoming Adam Thielen back to Minnesota. Before the 2025 season ended, Mr. Thielen had been cut.

So, not a great outcome.

Part of what’s fascinating, though, is that the results of the Carolina trade are now being revealed. Minnesota brought Thielen back alongside a 7th in 2026 and a 5th in 2027. The Panthers got a 5th in 2026 alongside a 4th in 2027. The 7th was used by the Vikings, being sunk into young fella Gavin Gerhardt to compete at center.

The Vikings’ Ill-Fated WR Swap
Bringing in Adam Thielen Connected to Gavin Gerhardt

At this stage, much remains undetermined within that Adam Thielen trade.

Carolina had the 5th in 2026 but moved it out in a separate trade. Minnesota kept the Panthers pick, using it on Gerhardt (as mentioned). But then there’s Minnesota’s upcoming 5th for 2027 alongside Carolina’s 4th in 2027. Each represents the best draft pick that each side acquired; each remains a mystery since the 2027 NFL Draft hasn’t yet arrived.

What is known is the center addition.

Mr. Gerhardt received praise leading into the 2026 NFL Draft but wasn’t considered a top option at center. Consider what Lance Zierlein had to say: “Gerhardt is a 49-game starter with outstanding leadership qualities to go with adequate size and length. He’s going to be more of a positional blocker than a people-mover, with the ability to find landmarks and fight for positioning. He’s aware of protection and makes the most of his length to keep rushers out of his frame. He’s a center-only prospect, which hurts his roster chances, but the tape is good enough to give him a chance.”

Being a hard worker with plenty of starting experience is a good tidbit. Playing center means needing to boast leadership abilities. Before the snap, the center needs to adjust protection to account for the threat being presented by the defense. As a result, the snapper needs to have some formidable mental bandwidth, especially within a complex Kevin O’Connell scheme.

Getting snagged in the 7th means he now has the chance that Zierlein mentions, meaning the onus has shifted to the young lad to prove Minnesota smart for picking him.

Per PFF, Gerhardt was just solid last year. He earned a 67.2 grade, getting a better assessment for his pass blocking (74.3) than his run blocking (64.9). Previous years involved Gerhardt demanding a better grade overall while demonstrating a better balance between his pass and run blocking.

Best guess as of early June is that Blake Brandel is the Week 1 starter at center. Rounding out the competition are Michael Jurgens, Delby Lemieux, and Gavin Gerhardt. In all likelihood, there will be a maximum of one true backup center alongside a third option who contains the flexibility to be a guard.

On a basic level, Gerhardt looks like Ryan Kelly since both stand at 6’4″ while weighing roughly 310 pounds. Kelly, of course, was a high-level athlete who shined throughout his career, so that’s an unfair comparison in a lot of ways. The expectations for Gerhardt involve being solid depth, not a Pro Bowl starter.

The new lineman is 24.

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

First 17 seasons, no title. The next two resulted in triumphs. That’s the story of Royal Challengers Bengaluru. The side commands one of the strongest fan followings in the IPL, yet every year they would return empty-handed. Not anymore. RCB are now the only team after Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians to win two back-to-back IPL titles. Needless to say, the mood in the camp was upbeat after the IPL 2026 final win against Gujarat Titans on Sunday.

RCB were awarded Rs 20 crore prize money for the champions’ tag. Bhuvneshwar was hilariously asked by Mr Nags about how the money would be divided. Here’s the reply: “That’s something, we will be very interested to know.” 

Mr Nags is suffering from success

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Post match presentation party gatecrashed! Mr. Nags was our toughest challenge of the season, even on the night of the final. Find out what happened, when he spoke to some special guests. pic.twitter.com/ebnwXvWt0G

— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) June 1, 2026

Meanwhile, Bhuvneshwar Kumar said that “the season went well for me” after finishing second in the Purple Cap race of the IPL 2026 tournament. Speaking during the post-match interview after RCB defeated the Gujarat Titans (GT) in the IPL 2026 final, Bhuvneshwar said, “Yes, of course. I mean, the trophy is the most important thing for us. I would trade that any day. But yes, individually, the season went well for me. There were plans, there were a lot of things before the season, and it went well.”

The veteran seamer also credited teamwork for RCB’s success in the final against the Titans. “I think if you get wickets, your confidence is always up. Coming into a big game like that, if you have performed well in the past, it always helps. But credit goes to each and every one. If he (Hazlewood) didn’t do well, I was there. If I didn’t do well, Rasikh was there. So I think we all had each other’s backs, and that’s what you need in a big game like that,” he added.

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Brock Lesnar tied the score with Oba Femi at Clash in Italy.

The Ruler had defeated The Beast at WrestleMania 42, which pushed Lesnar to retire on the spot. However, he could not stay on the sidelines for long and returned to WWE ahead of Clash in Italy to set up a second match against Femi.

Brock Lesnar was determined to win the match. However, he is a top-tier entertainer and made sure the focus was on him when Oba Femi was entering the arena. He broke character and started doing The Ruler’s strut in the ring, which captured the fans’ attention.

A video shows Lesnar doing the strut, which is completely out-of-character for him.

Gunther spoke highly of Oba Femi after his loss against Brock Lesnar

The Ring General was in Clash in Italy against Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship. However, The American Nightmare dominated and retained the title.

Gunther spoke to the Huge Pop podcast about Oba Femi’s current WWE run.

He claimed that The Ruler is an exciting talent, and he is interested in seeing what Femi does next. He believes Oba Femi has the potential to become a huge name in the company and one of the pillars of the global juggernaut down the line.

“He came in guns blazing. Really good for him. Hasn’t been in the ring with me 20 minutes yet, so let’s see. I feel like down the line, that’s gonna be something that’s very interesting. I think he’s a super exciting talent, and very much looking forward to seeing what he’s gonna do in the next year. I think he’s got the potential to be a big superstar in this company. Be one of the pillars down the line,” said Gunther.

It is likely WWE will set up a rubber match between Brock Lesnar and Gunther at SummerSlam 2026.