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The Biggest Clues about the Vikings’ Free Agency Plan

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Kevin O’Connell throws a pass during pregame warmups before a Vikings game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field.
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell throws a football during pregame warmups before facing the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field in Chicago. The NFC North matchup on Nov. 24, 2024, featured O’Connell loosening up on the field before kickoff while players and staff completed final preparations. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images.

NFL free agency starts in two days with “legal tampering,” and the Minnesota Vikings will embark on the process with interim general manager Rob Brzezinski in charge. Head coach Kevin O’Connell and defensive coordinator Brian Flores are expected to have heavy input on personnel, and here’s what folks know in the way of clues.

Minnesota’s next wave of moves is starting to come into focus.

The Vikings began the offseason severely over the cap, so free agency might be a bit different this time.

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Several Early Signs Reveal Where the Vikings Could Pivot

March is here, and the Vikings’ roster is about to change.

Kevin O’Connell reacting on the sideline during a Vikings game against the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium. Vikings free agency
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell reacts to an official’s call during the second quarter of a divisional matchup with the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Sep 25, 2022. O’Connell gestures from the sideline while communicating with players during the NFC North contest unfolding before the home crowd that afternoon. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports.

1. Don’t Expect Splashy, Expensive Signings

For the 2026 Vikings, what you see on the roster in very early March might be what you get, for the most part.

Brzezinski said to ESPN this week: “We’ve spent a lot of money the last two years in free agency. And so our goal is going to be to keep our core in place, and that’s going to involve making some difficult decisions on some players, which you deal with on a daily basis.”

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“But I think for the most part, our goal is going to be to draft and develop and to retain our core, and supplement with free agency. It just makes logical sense that that bill’s coming due. We do have to navigate it, and navigate it responsibly.”

That sounds like a man who’s been giving a directive to “take it easy” with the spending. The Vikings had their shots at fanciful splurges in the 2024 and 2025 free-agency periods; now is the time to be quieter.

2. A Collaborative Decision-Making Approach

Brzezinski was at the NFL Combine last month, and predictably, local media asked him about the confusing power structure. He replied, “We have to have protocol in place, and so the owners have asked me to handle that responsibility if that would occur. But our intent is to have complete and total collaboration, and I think the decisions are going to be pretty easy to make.”

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“It’s an awesome responsibility. I’ve been here a long time. I know what this franchise means to our fans, and I just want to be a small part of one day delivering that championship.”

This sounds fabulous — in theory. All parties must work together in union and with cordiality. We shall see if that rings true.

Most expect O’Connell to have final say on offensive players, with Brian Flores pressing the button on defenders. Perhaps Brzezinski is the referee.

When you see “O’Connell guys” signed and “Flores guys” walk through that door, know that Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is no longer in the way.

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3. A New QB Is Coming

After the regular season ended, O’Connell chatted with reporters for the 2025 autopsy press conference, and right away, they asked him about the 2026 quarterback strategy:

O’Connell declared, “Ultimately, I think in the quarterback room, it’s about having just the deepest, most talented room you possibly can, every single year. What that looks like at a pretty impactful position on your salary cap, when you’re able to possibly plan for your depth chart looking in a way where you can be competitive no matter what.”

“I think there has to be competition at quarterback. I think that’s what’s gonna make everybody better in that room. It’s gonna be what makes our entire offense thrive through that competition.”

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Kyler Murray standing on the sideline during a Cardinals game against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Vikings free agency
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) stands on the sideline during the second quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington, Nov 24, 2024. Murray watches the action while teammates regroup during the road matchup as coaches confer nearby along the bench area late in the half that afternoon. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images.

This was new lingo. Last offseason, the Vikings cleared the forest for J.J. McCarthy to walk through it by himself as the uncontested QB1. That won’t happen again.

Kyler Murray is probably on the way to the Vikings — or Geno Smith or Aaron Rodgers if Murray picks a different team.

It won’t be McCarthy-or-bust again.

4. Two Big Trade Pieces — in Theory

Most don’t believe McCarthy will be traded; it’s too early for that. However, the Vikings allowed Jonathan Greenard’s status to go public this week, a report saying the club would be open to trading him if it can’t find the money in the budget for his extension. Somewhat realistically, Greenard could be traded next week or anytime, really, before the draft.

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Jonathan Greenard celebrating a sack during a Vikings game against the Atlanta Falcons at U.S. Bank Stadium. Vikings free agency
Minnesota Vikings linebacker Jonathan Greenard (58) celebrates after recording a sack during the second half against the Atlanta Falcons at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Sep 14, 2025. Greenard pumps his arms while teammates converge following the defensive stop that energized the crowd during the late game sequence inside the stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images.

Meanwhile, due to Jordan Addison’s repeated and relentless shenanigans, there’s a small chance that Minnesota could trade him elsewhere for a 2nd- or 3rd-Round pick. Greenard is more likely to leave than Addison, but the fact that two of the team’s 10 best players are gettable via trade is rare and noteworthy.

Minnesota has until May 1st to lock in Addison’s fifth-year option. They’ll probably do it, but it would be ultra-telling if they do not.


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Taylor Fritz & girlfriend Morgan Riddle have broken up, tennis insider makes wild relationship claim

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Taylor Fritz and Morgan Riddle have been a tennis power couple for over half a decade. The two had begun dating in June 2020, but if latest reports are to be believed, they have parted ways after a nearly six-year long relationship.

Tennis insider Craig Shapiro, who hosts an eponymous podcast, on Sunday took to social media to share the news. As per the post on X, he said “reliable sources” had confirmed the break-up to him.

“Reliable sources telling me Fritz and Moorgs are no mas,” The Craig Shapiro Tennis Podcast wrote on X.

Fans reacting to the post took note of Riddle’s absence from some of the more recent matches featuring Fritz. The social media influencer was otherwise a regular feature in the player’s box, cheering her boyfriend on at major events throughout the tennis season.

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Even though, Riddle and Fritz began dating back in 2020, they did not go public with their relationship until a couple of years later. They have since been spotted at multiple events together even outside of tennis, featured on magazine covers and are frequently seen on each others’ social media handles.


Morgan Riddle credited boyfriend Taylor Fritz for getting her into fashion

Morgan Riddle supports Taylor Fritz from the stands at the 2026 Australian Open. (Source: Getty)Morgan Riddle supports Taylor Fritz from the stands at the 2026 Australian Open. (Source: Getty)
Morgan Riddle supports Taylor Fritz from the stands at the 2026 Australian Open. (Source: Getty)

Morgan Riddle had in an interview with Vogue magazine opened up about her relationship with Taylor Fritz. The social media influencer revealed that she was in fact a very person th first couple of years that she was with the Ameican tennis star.

Before taking on the role of a social media influencer, she worked for non-profit organizations. She even credited Fritz with pushing her into fashion, which has become a big part of her brand today.

“I was very private for the first two years of our relationship,” Morgan Riddle told Vogue in 2025. Work played a large role in her decision. “I was working in nonprofits for children in hospitals.”

“When I met him, I literally did not know one designer. He was like, ‘We’ve got to get you drip,’” she continued.

Riddle also spoke about some of the challenges that come with having a social media presence, especially for those clubbed under the tennis “groupie” label. She said she likes to keep a distance from negativity, has matured over the years and can handle it a lot better now.

“I have friends who have been on YouTube since they were 15 years old. It was kind of nice to have an introduction to it once I was mature and felt like I had a better head on my shoulders,” Morgan Riddle said.

“There’s still a lot of negativity around it, and I know that because I see misogynist comments—always from idiot men,” Morgan Riddle said. “I do think there’s more visibility on what girls are doing outside of just attending their partners’ matches.”

Fritz last played at the Sunshine Double on home soil. He has chosen to delay his start to the clay season, skipping the Monte-Carlo Masters. He will next feature at the clay event in Munich a fortnight later.

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