The Minnesota Vikings bolstered their offensive line by signing offensive tackle Ryan Van Demark, a move that adds valuable depth after injuries sidelined both of their starting tackles in a 2025 season that saw the Vikings’ OL decimated by injuries throughout.

Minnesota Needed More Help at Offensive Tackle

Only Will Fries managed to suit up for every game on the Vikings OL last year, with Christian Darrisaw missing seven games and Brian O’Neill missing three games. Adding good depth to try to reduce the drop-off in case of injuries again in 2026 was a much-needed move.

After going undrafted in 2022, Van Demark was first picked up by the Indianapolis Colts before quickly finding his way to the Buffalo Bills, where he spent the first three seasons of his career. Van Demark entered the offseason as a restricted free agent, and the Bills placed the lowest-level tender on him, which meant they had the right of first refusal on the Vikings’ one-year, fully guaranteed $4.2 million offer. On March 20, the Bills informed Minnesota it would not match the offer.

The Bills have cheaper options for the swing tackle job in Tylan Grable and Chase Lundt, and ultimately chose to let Van Demark go — Bills insiders have suggested it was a close call. \The Vikings signed Van Demark — who made six starts for the Bills over the last two seasons — to replace Justin Skule as the OT3 who can step in when required, with the veteran seemingly one-and-done as far as his time in Minnesota goes. Skule played in nine games last season across right and left tackle.

What Can Van Denmark Bring to Minnesota?

Like the Skule signing at this time last year, Van Demark profiles as a player who should be able to step in and do a decent job. He’s unlikely to be as good as Darrisaw or O’Neill, who are two of the best at their respective positions. Van Denmark steadily improved during his time in Buffalo and enjoyed his best season to date last year, with a career-high 312 snaps on offense and a career-high 74.4 overall grade from Pro Football Focus.

Van Demark allowed 9 total pressures in pass protection, including 2 sacks allowed to opposing pass rushers. His strength lay in his run blocking, while the versatile tackle was also flagged for 3 penalties over the course of the season.

He was active for 31 consecutive games in Buffalo, showcasing reliable availability, which is as important as any skill a player might have. Van Demark should prove to be a low-key but solid offseason acquisition for the Vikings, adding some quality depth to the roster.

Proud UK Viking. Family Man. Enjoy writing about my team. Away from football an advocate for autism acceptance.

Michael Carrick has been big on implementing his own rules at Manchester United since taking over from Ruben Amorim in January

Michael Carrick has scrapped Ruben Amorim’s rule banning non-internationals from enjoying time away from club football.

During Amorim’s first few weeks in charge of Manchester United, he was left with a threadbare squad for training due to an international break. Marcus Rashford and Casemiro weren’t involved with their national teams, so they travelled to the United States for a few days’ rest.

However, this irritated the Portuguese boss who set a ban on treating international breaks as additional holidays for players not selected. He didn’t place blame on the United duo but confirmed that trips abroad won’t be permitted in future.

Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our United WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. You can also join our United Facebook page by clicking HERE and don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.

He said: “Would I set a different structure? Yes, for sure. But we cannot put this on the players. They [United] told them they have five days off so they can fly anywhere because nobody in the club says you cannot fly. So we cannot, this time, put that on Rash or Case.”

FOLLOW OUR MAN UNITED FB PAGE! Latest news and analysis via the MEN’s Manchester United Facebook page

Amorim was sacked after 14 months in charge and Carrick stepped into the hotseat. With the March international break underway, many stars are away with their countries to either qualify for the World Cup in the summer or enjoy some friendly matches.

As a result, Carrick has been left with those not selected for international duty and have been putting them through their paces at Carrington. However, this holiday ban set by Amorim has been scrapped as the Daily Mail reported that United players will be given extra time off due to the fixture set-up.

Typically, international stars would return to training by the end of next week. But with the FA Cup quarter-finals in place for next weekend – and United not taking part – Carrick has allowed for the squad to enjoy some downtime.

With their last match taking place on Friday, March 20 and the next up not until April 13, United will have had four blank weekends on their calendar. Those not selected for international duty were obligated to train until Thursday, March 26 and were allowed the weekend off.

This time off could prove to be a major boost for injured stars currently recovering for the run-in. Matthijs De Ligt has been building to return with Patrick Dorgu planning to make a comeback before the end of the season too.

England’s 2026 World Cup kits

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

Various Prices

England Official Store

Advertisement

Buy Now on England Official Store

England and Nike have launched the new home, away and goalkeeper kits to be worn at this summer’s FIFA World Cup. You can get free delivery on all orders with the code: ENGFREEDEL

Steve Clarke revealed his surprise and disappointment after hearing some boos from the Tartan Army following Scotland’s 1-0 defeat by Japan at Hampden in Glasgow.

The Scots were cheered off the pitch in November after a dramatic 4-2 win over Denmark qualified them for the World Cup finals for the first time since 1998.

However, their return to the national stadium for the first of their warm-up games for North America was more sedate.

Both sides hit the woodwork in the first half but Hajime Moriyasu’s visitors got the breakthrough in the 84th minute through substitute Junya Ito and the home fans revealed their frustration at the end.

Asked if he was surprised by the reaction of the fans, Clarke said: “Yes and it disappointed me to be honest. It’s just the modern way, it seems to be now if you lose a game you get booed. You have just got to deal with it. It disappoints me.”

The visitors, on their way to their eighth successive World Cup finals, survived an early fright.

In the eighth minute Scott McTominay had a terrific chance to open the scoring when fellow midfielder John McGinn teed him up with a cross from the right but his unconvincing shot from 10 yards was pushed on to the post by Japan keeper Zion Suzuki and away to safety.

Moments later at the other end, Joel Fujita was given time and space to send in a powerful drive from 30 yards which tested Gunn, who saved a long-distance effort from Kodai Sano just before the half-hour mark.

The home side defended a series of corners as Japan tightened their grip and in the 38th minute Sano clipped the top of the bar with a side-footed drive from inside the box. The match went back and forth.

Gunn thwarted Yuito Suzuki as Japan broke with purpose before a McTominay header was saved by Suzuki just before the break with the Napoli playmaker seeing his free-kick from 25 yards tipped over the bar by the Parma keeper early in the second half.

Suzuki then parried a drive from Robertson past the post as Scotland stepped up the pace.

Ryan Christie and George Hirst replaced McGinn and Lyndon Dykes just after the hour mark before one of Japan’s many substitutes, Kaoru Mitoma came close with a shot from the edge of the box following a cleared corner, with Gunn denying Ito moments later.

The visitors’ threat intensified and Scotland midfielder Kenny McLean cleared a dinked shot from Ito off the line in the 69th minute before Hirst hit the side netting with a drive.

Findlay Curtis replaced Conway to make his debut in the 80th minute but four minutes later Genk midfielder Ito burst into the Scotland box to beat Gunn from 12 yards and end the stalemate.

Scotland will face Ivory Coast at Everton’s Hill Dickinson on Tuesday night as further preparation for the World Cup group games against Haiti, Morocco and Brazil in the summer.

Clarke, who expects to make six or seven changes to the side on Merseyside, believes that playing top nations in warm-up games is crucial in order to show his players the level required in North America.

He said: “It not a game that you want to lose. But I think there’s enough in that game against the opposition we played against to still feel positive about what we’re trying to do.

“We have another really tough game on Tuesday night in Liverpool against Ivory Coast. Sometimes, I think my players look at me and say ‘come on gaffer what are you doing?’ I always try to pick difficult friendlies.

“So another difficult one on Tuesday night and we’ll try and get a positive result to carry it forward, but if the performance is as good and you can take things from the performance, you can also carry that forward as well.

“That’s why we take the games. This is where you have to be at. This is this is the level you have to reach and if you want to get the points that are going to get you out of the group stage, you have to play to that standard.”

PA

Marcus Rashford has given Thomas Tuchel food for thought ahead of the World Cup

Marcus Rashford has gone up in Thomas Tuchel’s estimation after impressing him during England training.

Having previously dished out some tough love, Tuchel’s attitude appeared to notably soften following Rashford’s display against Uruguay, potentially boosting his chances of securing a place in the World Cup starting line-up. Last October, Tuchel delivered a stern message to the Manchester United forward, casting doubt on whether he would realise his potential as a world-class performer.

He said: “Potential is a dangerous word with high-level sports, because you have to reach your personal best on a regular basis – that is demanded on this kind of level and that is the challenge for him. It is not a question of talent.”

Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our United WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. You can also join our United Facebook page by clicking HERE and don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.

Those comments came before England’s victory in Latvia, where Rashford was notably relegated to the bench while Anthony Gordon started and scored in a 5-0 triumph. But Tuchel decided to start with Rashford against Uruguay after being impressed with his attitude and work rate on the training ground.

The German said: “He tries. He tries hard. He hasn’t started a game for a long, long time. So we gave him this because I spoke to him.

“I was very impressed with the training yesterday. It was a defensive training and he was very strong with Djed Spence on the side.

“Understanding how to initiate the press for us. He worked hard and I think he worked very hard. He just can’t get the goal that he maybe needs to be in full confidence. I’m happy with the way he tried and it was a constant threat.”

Rashford’s most recent England goal came against Serbia last September, while Tuchel may be somewhat harsh in his assessment of his playing time at Barcelona, given he last started on March 7.

However, Rashford has now returned to Tuchel’s favour, with Dom Solanke also earning plaudits alongside James Garner, whose adaptability – capable of operating at right-back and in midfield – could make him a late contender for selection.

Everton manager David Moyes has been a vocal advocate for Garner, and Tuchel has shown a notable interest in the player. The England squad approached the Uruguay fixture viewing it as an audition, with a sense that individual performances carried greater weight than the collective result.

Tuchel has indicated he got precisely what he was looking for from the Uruguay match and the preceding training sessions. Players were required to stake their claim before the established stars returned for the Japan fixture.

Tuchel added: “I was looking forward to that match, I tell you. I was looking forward because we had some good training sessions and the group was a lively group. We said to the group today do we expect everything to be perfect? Yeah, maybe yes, because we always do.

“But we are smart enough to understand. you play for the first time, you may be nervous. And you have a lot of information to take in over the last days. So it will maybe take a while and the opponents, they know what they are doing. They are playing in their best formation.

“So just keep going, stay positive. And they did. I liked the group a lot. I was excited to coach them. I was very happy when I did it. It seemed like we got a win for it.

“But it was good. It was nice. And now, of course, all the guys are now in the dressing room. It was a good atmosphere. It was nice to see everyone back and we need to make sure that they are ready now against Japan.”

Get £250 to switch to Virgin Media’s sport packages

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

from £52.99

Virgin Media

Get the deal here

Virgin Media is paying new customers up to £250 as a bill credit when they switch to one of its TV and broadband packages, several which are packed with hundreds of channels including Sky Sports, Netflix and fibre broadband.

Advertisement

For the first time in more than two decades, the Illinois men’s basketball team will still be dancing when the Final Four tips off.

Iowa’s underdog run in the NCAA Tournament ended Saturday with a 71-59 loss to a dominant Illinois team. Before Illinois could cut down the nets at Houston’s Toyota Center, a buzzer malfunction caused a loud, roughly 10-minute delay.

The buzzer initially sounded signaling the end of a media timeout with just under eight minutes remaining in the first half. The horn continued blaring for about another seven minutes.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

A referee talks with the scorer’s table during an official’s timeout due to a broken shot clock horn during the first half of an Elite Eight game between Iowa and Illinois in the NCAA Tournament Saturday, March 28, 2026, in Houston, Texas. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Players stood on the court ready to play for a couple of minutes before both teams started to warm up as the buzzer continued to sound.

It was finally silenced, to cheers from the crowd, but then the main scoreboard and video screen that hangs over the middle of the court went dark.

The game ultimately resumed with the big scoreboard still off. Two smaller scoreboards at each end of the arena were working.

Freshman guard Keaton Wagler scored 25 points to help secure Illinois’ first Final Four berth since 2005.

Keaton Wagler (23) of the Illinois Fighting Illini dribbles against Isaia Howard (23) of the Iowa Hawkeyes during the first half in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Tournament at Toyota Center March 28, 2026, in Houston, Texas.  (Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

This will be the sixth overall trip to the Final Four for Illinois, which has never won a national title. The Fighting Illini will face either Duke or UConn next week in Indianapolis.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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

Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal (ANI Photo)

NEW DELHI: Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru began IPL 2026 in commanding fashion, brushing aside Sunrisers Hyderabad by six wickets in the season opener at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday. The result set the tone for the tournament, with RCB making a bold statement while attention now turns to Wankhede Stadium for Sunday’s clash between five-time champions Mumbai Indians and three-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders.Kohli, Padikkal headline dominant chaseChasing 202, Virat Kohli anchored the innings with a fluent unbeaten 69 off 38 balls, striking five fours and five sixes. Returning to T20 cricket after a long break, Kohli looked in complete control as he registered his 64th IPL half-century and finished the game in style.