Among the Minnesota Vikings’ fan base, hopes are high for 2026, mainly because the club acquired Kyler Murray in March and finished last season with a winning record despite mostly miserable quarterback play.

But ESPN does not share that optimism, nominating Minnesota’s roster as the 11th-worst in the NFL heading into training camp. If Minnesota makes something of the season, it will do so without the sign-off of ESPN.

ESPN’s Low View Adds Pressure ahead of 2026

ESPN: Vikings’ Roster Ranks No. 22 in Power Rankings

Mike Clay of ESPN dropped the No. 22 ranking for the Vikings, noting that the running backs — Aaron Jones, Jordan Mason, Demond Claiborne, and Zavier Scott — were the team’s foremost weakness.

On the other hand, he noted the chief strength: “Biggest strength: Pass catchers. Receivers Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and newcomer Jauan Jennings and tight end T.J. Hockenson form a terrific group of targets for whoever wins the QB job.”

“Even in a down season (no fault of his own), Jefferson delivered his sixth consecutive season with 1,000-plus receiving yards in 2025 and remains arguably the league’s best wide receiver. Addison produced 875-plus receiving yards and nine-plus TDs in his first two seasons before the QB woes of 2025.”

Pound for pound, Clay is probably correct about the pass-catchers as the team’s main calling card, though the defense is statistically fantastic too.

“Jennings broke out in 2024 with the 49ers and has a 132-1,618-15 receiving line over the past two seasons. Hockenson’s stats have been down the past two seasons, but the 29-year-old remains one of the league’s best two-way tight ends,” Clay concluded.

The Teams Ahead of MIN

Three teams questionably checked in ahead of Minnesota:

• Indianapolis Colts
• Washington Commanders
• Pittsburgh Steelers

The Colts are all-in to win a Super Bowl with Daniel Jones, who is recovering from a torn Achilles, an injury that goes either way in terms of recovery. The Commanders fired up a down year after an unexpected sprint to the NFC Championship in 2024. And the Steelers will roll with Aaron Rodgers again, this time led by his old pal, head coach Mike McCarthy.

Placing any of those squads ahead of Minnesota per roster talent is certainly debateable.

Very Little Faith in the QB

How did the Vikings fetch the 22nd roster ranking in football? It’s pretty evident: outside of Minneapolis, the masses don’t trust the quarterback(s). Murray’s reputation is at a career crater. That’s the cost of doing business when the Arizona Cardinals, of all organizations, run you out of town. Put plainly, the world believes that Murray is mid.

His quarterback running mate this summer, J.J. McCarthy, is mostly known for memes, and somehow, that matters in the court of public opinion. McCarthy produced an up-and-down season in his first as a starter, and that’s when he wasn’t missing seven games due to a flurry of injuries.

Most NFL analysis starts with the quarterback, and for a team like the Vikings to rank 22nd, it means that ESPN doesn’t really trust Murray or McCarthy to be dependable.

The Super Bowl Odds

How about Vegas? Do sportsbooks agree with the 22nd assessment? For the most part.

The Vikings’ Super Bowl odds in early July are 18th-best in the sport. Here’s the full list for curious minds:

• Los Angeles Rams: +500
• Buffalo Bills: +1000
• Baltimore Ravens: +1100
• Seattle Seahawks: +1200
• Los Angeles Chargers: +1600
• Kansas City Chiefs: +1600
• Detroit Lions: +1700
• New England Patriots: +1700
• San Francisco 49ers: +1700
• Philadelphia Eagles: +1800
• Houston Texans: +1900
• Cincinnati Bengals: +2000
• Denver Broncos: +2000
• Green Bay Packers: +2200
• Dallas Cowboys: +2200
• Chicago Bears: +2700
• Jacksonville Jaguars: +2700
• Indianapolis Colts: +4500
• Minnesota Vikings: +4500
• Washington Commanders: +5000
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers: +6000
• Pittsburgh Steelers: +7000
• New York Giants: +7000
• Atlanta Falcons: +7500
• Carolina Panthers: +8000
• New Orleans Saints: +8000
• Tennessee Titans: +12500
• Las Vegas Raiders: +12500
• Cleveland Browns: +35000
• New York Jets: +40000
• Miami Dolphins: +60000
• Arizona Cardinals: +100000

Oddsmakers pretty much plop the Vikings in the same boat as the Colts at +4500. That’s akin to reaching into a shuffled deck and pulling one specific card — like the Ace of Spades — on the first try.

NFL Spin Zone‘s Sayre Bedinger ranked Minnesota at — you guessed it — No. 22 in his recent power rankings: “The Vikings are going to be relying on defensive coordinator Brian Flores and his scheme more than ever before.”

“Even with the possibility of a breakout from Dallas Turner, this team has young players replacing the likes of Jonathan Greenard, Jonathan Allen, Javon Hargrave, and Harrison Smith. Those are huge losses. Factoring in the quarterback position coming down to Kyler Murray and JJ McCarthy, this is going to be maybe the biggest “test” year for O’Connell and his staff.”

The Vikings haven’t won a playoff game in 2,376 days.

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

Every NFL team has players who don’t quite match the value of their contracts, and based on current depth chart construction, the 2026 Minnesota Vikings are not excluded.

The club begins the regular season in about nine weeks, and unless the following players lower their cap hits, they reasonably fit in an “overpaid” bucket. The players are listed ascendingly (No. 1 = most overpaid Viking).

Vikings’ Cap Sheet Reveals a Few Expensive Questions

4. Josh Oliver | TE2

2026 Cap Hit: $9.9 Million

Oliver is a blocking tight end, which is fantastic. It’s also a bit ironic because coming out of college (San Jose State) in 2019, that was supposed to be his problem. The scouting report said the guy could batch, but his run blocking stank.

Well, Oliver flipped the script, probably after the Baltimore Ravens‘ coaching staff got a hold of him.

The issue with a blocking tight end? They’re not worth $10 million. Teams can find sufficient versions for half the price or even less. The Vikings shouldn’t cut Oliver or devalue him on the depth chart, but the fact remains that $9.9 million is expensive.

Thankfully, Oliver has some redzone utility. He’s dependable when quarterbacks target him.

3. Aaron Jones | RB

2026 Cap Hit: $10.2 Million

You can write this in ink: 2026 will be Jones’s final season in Minnesota. He’ll turn 32 in December, and his career, for better or worse, is winding down. When the offseason began, most Vikings fans and analysts theorized Jones as a roster-cut candidate, and they didn’t do that on a whim. He’s effective in spots, especially early in the regular season, yet injuries habitually take their toll on Jones. That’s his jam.

The Vikings proposed a paycut for Jones in March. He accepted. He’s back in the saddle as RB1 or RB2 because of his pass-blocking and locker room leadership. It’s just quite obvious that his prime is well in the past.

Minnesota also refused to sign a free-agent running back like Travis Etienne or draft a mid-round rookie like Mike Washington. It’s Jones again — and probably for the last time.

He averaged 4.2 yards per carry, played 12 games, and banked 548 rushing yards last year. His career has been fantastic, and the guy is an awesome dude. Still, he’s not worth $10.2 million unless he forges a totally unforeseen and healthy late-career resurgence.

2. T.J. Hockenson | TE

2026 Cap Hit: $15.6 Million

Of all men on this overpaid list, Hockenson might have the clearest path to a resurrection. He blew out his knee in the 2023 season, thanks to a low hit by Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph, and, due to the shift in the Vikings’ offense — using Hockenson as the sixth offensive lineman — he’s never regained his form.

Hockenson signed a monster extension during the summer of 2023. Four months later, the injury occurred, rendering the contract not worth the squeeze. If a team pays a tight end over $15 million, it must target him heavily in the passing game. The Vikings don’t do that anymore. Hockenson’s success in the Twin Cities feels like a Kirk Cousins special in hindsight.

Here’s the silver lining, though: new Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray has cooked with tight ends. Ask Trey McBride, who most consider the best or second-best tight end in the sport. If Murray could unlock McBride, he should be able to get Hockenson back up to speed.

If not, 2026 will likely be Hockenson’s final season in Minnesota. There’s a reason so many fans thought the franchise might draft Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq in April.

1. Will Fries | RG

2026 Cap Hit: $17.2 Million

Was Fries terrible in 2025? Absolutely not. Was Fries worth $17.2 million in 2025? Absolutely not.

The guy posted a Pro Football Focus grade just over 60.0, which would’ve been remarkable during the Mike Zimmer era of Vikings football when guards like Dakota Dozier and Dru Samia graced your television sets. But that was then, and this is now.

Former Vikings boss Kwesi Adofo-Mensah paid Fries handsomely last season, and based on his 2025 output, he should be earning about $6 million annually — not $17 million.

Perhaps Fries will settle in the Vikings offense with another year of experience. If he does not, you are about seven months from Googling or putting Fries’ dead cap hit into ChatGPT. Always remember: Adofo-Mensah handed Fries the fact contract based on five good games for the Indianapolis Colts in 2024. He has no verifiable history of consistency.

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

The referee for the Argentina vs Egypt match, Francois Letexier, and other match officials are in focus after what transpired in a dramatic FIFA World Cup 2026 clash on Tuesday. Egypt appeared close to a historic upset after taking a 2-0 lead. Argentina produced a late comeback starting in the 79th minute, with Lionel Messi playing a decisive role by scoring one goal and setting up another before Enzo Fernandez completed the turnaround in stoppage time. However, Mohamed Salah’s Egypt were furious with some crucial decisions by the officials going against the team, including a disallowed goal following a VAR review and a penalty appeal that was not reviewed in the buildup to Argentina’s winning goal.

The Egyptian Football Federation (EFF) has reportedly approached FIFA, lodging a formal protest against the decisions of referee Francois Letexier. According to a report in Spanish publication Diario AS, the president of the Egypt Football Association, Hany Abo Rida, has lodged a formal complaint with FIFA against French referee Francois Letexier and his officiating team.

The report further states that the complaint calls for an investigation into what Egypt describes as controversial decisions that went against the Pharaohs. The federation has also officially requested that the French officiating team be removed from the remainder of the tournament because of what it considers crucial errors.

Now, according to a report by L’Equipe, the Frenchman’s performance “will be reviewed, and FIFA’s refereeing officials will decide, based on his technical performance, the officials’ reports, and the disputed video footage, whether he will continue in this World Cup.”

However, the report added that the complaint may not succeed, as a country/member association “cannot exercise a veto over the appointment of the refereeing body, which falls under the purview of the FIFA Referees Committee.”

Past instances

Though requests and complaints like Egypt’s have been made at past FIFA World Cups, they did not result in a referee being excluded. However, in 2002, Italy complained against Ecuadorian referee Byron Moreno after the Round of 16 match against South Korea (1-2). He had awarded 15 minutes of added time, and the Azzurri lost. After that match, he did not officiate any other game in that competition, but FIFA never officially clarified whether it was due to the Italian protests.

Francois Letexier officiated the Euro 2024 final between Spain and England. He has also been voted the world’s best referee by the IFFHS (International Federation of Football History & Statistics)

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Bob Myers, the former Golden State Warriors executive renowned for constructing the league’s most recent dynasty, made an appearance on Wednesday’s episode of the “Game Over” podcast with Max Kellerman and Rich Paul, the Klutch Sports CEO who famously represents LeBron James.

Myers’ current role as president of sports for Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, in which he hired new Philadelphia 76ers president of basketball operations, made his presence particularly intriguing. After all, the Sixers, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, are among the top-three contenders pursuing James, who is reportedly taking Philadelphia‘s pitch “really seriously.”

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Myers, seated next to Paul, illustrated a version of that pitch on the podcast, the same place Paul previously listed the potential teams James could join this offseason. Myers repeated that he believes the Sixers give James the “best chance to win” in his 24th NBA season.

“If you’re talking about the Sixers, if he was here, I would say, ‘I honestly believe this is your best chance to win,’” Myers said. “You have to decide all the other things, that are equally important, because it’s his life. He has to play, he has to face the scrutiny of his decision. Half the people will say, ‘You should have done this, you should have done that.’ Criticize him or whatever, which is his life, so he’s been through all that.

“What I would just say is, if it’s about winning, let’s talk about this team. Because you can win here, in Philadelphia. If you want to talk about other stuff: What’s this guy like, what’s that guy like — by the way, he knows players, a lot of them, better than I do. Their games — this is a guy that probably watches more basketball than anybody understands. He’s probably watching a game in February that nobody’s watching. So not only does he know the guys, he knows how they play.”

Trainer Greg Eurell is targeting a second successive Flemington win with his gelding Obvious this Saturday, a goal that seemed unlikely just two months ago.

The son of Toronado is entered for the 1600-metre Silver Bowl Final, an event restricted to three-year-olds.

Obvious cemented his status as a leading contender for the Silver Bowl after securing a heat victory on June 20. This followed a second-place finish at Caulfield on May 30, performances that offered Eurell considerable relief given his horse’s previous form.

Obvious finished last at Sandown on April 6 and again at Mornington twelve days later. Eurell attributes his gelding’s late-season resurgence to a period of rest and rehabilitation at Monomeith Stud, utilising their water walker facilities.

“It was hard to work it out, he led into those runs in his usual manner and then he just failed to fire a shot,” Eurell commented.

“So we thought we’d give him a freshen up and send him down to Monomeith on the water walker.”

“Then we just brought him back in and we’re doing a bit with him, gave him a jumpout, the jumpout was good, so we thought, ‘oh well, we’ll go again.”

Obvious was beaten three-quarters of a length at Caulfield by Clevor Trever, who stands as a significant rival this week. A number of other horses contesting the Silver Bowl were also unsuccessful in their most recent outings.

While Obvious carried 52.5kg to victory at Flemington thanks to Luke Cartwright’s allowance, he now shoulders 57.5kg in this week’s non-claiming race, with Eurell opting to retain the winning jockey.

“He gets a bit of a penalty weight-wise after the win, but I think he’s in great shape and the beauty of him is he can handle any surface.”

Obvious has drawn barrier seven in the thirteen-horse Silver Bowl Final and is currently sharing the second line of betting with Lucky Lucky Boom, with Clevor Trever the favourite.

For those interested in the action, investigating the betting markets for the main race could be a worthwhile endeavour.

Explore the latest betting markets for the race at betting sites.

Jockey Billy Egan is set to partner the Patrick Payne-trained gelding Jimmy The Bear again for the $200,000 Listed Winter Championship final at Flemington this Saturday.

Despite Egan not having ridden Jimmy The Bear extensively during his Winter Championship defence campaign, he will reclaim the ride at a crucial juncture.

This marks the first time Egan has been aboard Jimmy The Bear in 2026. His last association with the horse was in the Kensington Stakes on New Year’s Eve, and he has maintained a keen interest in the gelding’s performances.

“I galloped with him on Tuesday morning at Werribee – Patrick rode him and I rode his stablemate, but he worked good,” Egan commented.

“He’s been going pretty good. I think he’s had a similar lead up with all the races he’s run in, it’s been the same sort of plan as last year, and he’s going well.”

Much like last year, Jimmy The Bear commenced his campaign at Caulfield in early May and completed his Winter Championship preparations in The David Bourke (1620m) at Flemington.

This year saw him have only one additional start before the final, a win over 1600m at Caulfield on May 30, whereas in 2025, he had two runs in between.

The son of Jimmy Creed is assigned 60kg for Saturday’s assignment, a kilogram more than last year. He aims to join Glaneuse as the only horse to win the 1600m race, first run in 1980, in consecutive years.

“He’s pretty highly rated now, so he deserves to carry the weight,” Egan said of the 13-time winner.

“He’s a big horse and he’s proven he can carry the weight.”

Jimmy The Bear drew barrier one for the Winter Championship Final. This contrasts with his younger half-brother and stablemate, Clevor Trever, who will start from the second-widest gate in the 13-horse Silver Bowl Final, which closes the meeting.

The Omaha Beach three-year-old also carries 60kg for his first attempt at 1600m. Egan acknowledges the challenge but believes the colt is up to the task.

“Maybe the weights might be a little bit different for him, because they got so close to him last time and he is getting out to the mile,” he observed.

“He’s probably got a few more obstacles to overcome, but he’s in really good form.”

Egan’s other mounts on Finals Day, both trained by Payne, are Bold Soul in the $150,000 Banjo Paterson Series Final (2600m) and Falset Star in the $175,000 Listed A R Creswick Stakes (1200m).

Check out the latest betting markets for the Winter Championship Final with leading Australian betting sites.

One of the greatest pitchers in the history of baseball will be hanging up his cleats after this season.

Three-time Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander announced on Wednesday that the 2026 season will be his last.

Amid an injury-riddled season with the Detroit Tigers, Verlander decided it’s time to go.

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Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander watches from the dugout during a game against the Chicago White Sox at Comerica Park in Detroit June 21, 2026. (David Rodriguez-Munoz/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

“This season has challenged me in ways I haven’t experienced before, both physically and mentally. I’ve always believed that as long as I could compete at the level I expect of myself, I’d keep playing. I never wanted to retire because of a milestone, a number, or a date on the calendar. I wanted the game to tell me when it was time. Over the last several months, I’ve realized that time has come,” Verlander said in a social media post.

“While I’m fully committed to giving my team everything I have for the rest of this season, I’ve decided this will be my last. It’s fitting that I get to finish where it all started – with the Detroit Tigers, the organization that drafted me and gave me my first opportunity.”

Verlander inked a one-year deal with the Tigers, with whom he spent his first 12½ seasons before being traded to the Houston Astros, in the offseason. In Houston, he returned to dominance, winning both of his World Series titles and two of his Cy Young Awards.

“Baseball has given me more than I could have imagined. It taught me discipline, resilience, and the value of continuing to adapt and evolve. I’ve been fortunate to play with and against incredible players, for outstanding organizations, and compete in-front of fans who deeply appreciate the game,” Verlander added in his announcement.

Justin Verlander of the Houston Astros celebrates after the Astros defeated the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 6 of the 2022 World Series at Minute Maid Park Nov. 5, 2022, in Houston, Texas. (Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

PHILLIES STAR SAYS ‘BS RULE’ IS KEEPING HIM FROM BEING NAMED ALL-STAR IN FRONT OF HOME CROWD

“To every teammate, coach, player, clubhouse attendant, and fan who has been part of this journey – thank you. It’s been a privilege to share the field with you. To my family, especially my wife Kate, thank you for standing beside me through every season, every rehab, and every high and low. I couldn’t have done this without you. It’s time for the next chapter. But first, I’m excited to finish this season the only way I know how – with everything I’ve got.”

Verlander is the active leader with 3,554 strikeouts, which is good for eighth all-time. He needs 21 to surpass Don Sutton and 87 to pass Tom Seaver.

The 43-year-old made his MLB debut in 2005 and won the American League Rookie of the Year Award the following season in what was just a small glimpse of what was to come.

Verlander was a Cy Young Award finalist on four other occasions, consistently near the top of the leaderboard in just about every pitching stat. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred gave Verlander a legend’s exemption to this year’s Midsummer Classic, making him a 10-time All-Star.

One could argue that Verlander should have at least one more Cy Young Award on his mantle, but he is on the fast track to Cooperstown and very much in the conversation to join Mariano Rivera as the only player unanimously elected to the Hall of Fame.

Verlander’s best season came in 2022, when he pitched to a career-best 1.75 ERA along with a 0.829 WHIP. However, that came after he missed the entire 2021 season due to Tommy John surgery for an injury he suffered after pitching just one inning in the abbreviated 2020 season.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander throws against the Boston Red Sox during the first inning Aug. 22, 2023, in Houston.  (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

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He won his first Cy Young Award in 2011, when he was also awarded the MVP Award, and his second in 2019. Verlander’s 11 seasons between his first and final Cy Young Awards are the second-most behind Roger Clemens, who had 18 seasons between his first and seventh.

Verlander led the majors in innings and WHIP four times while recording the most strikeouts in three seasons.

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A minor mix-up in a recent barrier trial nearly prevented Tyler Schiller from assessing Gatineau, but there will be no such confusion for the juvenile’s upcoming debut at Rosehill.

Schiller was mistakenly aboard Gatineau’s stablemate, Blackbelt, during the same 900-metre heat on June 19. The error was only identified and rectified once the horses were en route to the starting stalls.

“There was a bit of a mix-up, and I ended up on the other horse of the Hawkes’ in the trial on the way to the gates,” Schiller stated. “Jay Ford was on the grey (Gatineau) going to the gates, and he’d been told to win the trial. I obviously wasn’t told that, but I knew he was expected to go out there and perform well, so I just gave him a good experience.”

Blackbelt finished second in the trial, while Gatineau secured fourth place. However, Gatineau caught the eye with his strong finish under his own steam, closing in on the placegetters.

Although Gatineau faces a challenge competing against more experienced horses in Saturday’s Thank You ATC Members Handicap (1100m) at Rosehill, Schiller believes the colt possesses natural talent and is keen to see his race-day potential.

“I thought his trial was terrific. He trucked up behind them well,” Schiller commented. “He’s got plenty of ability. It will be interesting to see what he does when he gets a gap and hits the front, because I know sitting behind them on the bridle can be a different story.”

A win for Gatineau would continue a successful late-season trend for Hawkes Racing’s two-year-olds.

The stable previously celebrated an impressive victory with the All Too Hard colt Why So Hard at Randwick on June 6, followed by Marwooba’s win at Rosehill a week later.

Schiller, who rides extensively for John, Wayne, and Michael Hawkes in Sydney, indicated that this late-season surge is not surprising.

“We had a few early in the season that had setbacks with shin soreness and that sort of thing,” he explained. “They’ve missed all the big races, but the team has been able to get the horses into races where they can knock off a two-year-old win before they turn three. The team has been going well of late, so hopefully we can keep up the momentum.”

Schiller is also anticipating a strong performance from the Jim and Greg Lee-trained gelding Glorious Moments as he makes his black-type debut in the Listed Winter Stakes (1400m). Having won four of his seven starts, the gelding demonstrated tenacity when winning with a considerable weight at Randwick last start, adding intrigue to the typical field in the feature sprint. “It’s a quality field, so you can’t say he’s going to come out and be dominant, but I think he’s a really good chance down in the weights,” Schiller noted.

Explore the latest online bookmakers for potential wagers on this weekend’s racing action at Rosehill.