Nov 28, 2021; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Cleveland Browns defensive end Jadeveon Clowney (90) gives a thumbs up during the game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images.
The Minnesota Vikings signed wide receiver Jauan Jennings on Thursday night, making the roster pretty full after an initially quiet free agency and a fruitful draft. Now, our staff has recommendations for one extra free-agent move as a cherry on top.
One signing helped the offense. Now the staff turns to the defense.
We asked for one name per writer. Here’s what they said.
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Staff Picks for the Vikings’ Next Free Agent Addition
New England Patriots linebacker Kyle Van Noy celebrates on the field after his team defeated the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Feb. 3, 2019. Van Noy played a major role in New England’s defensive dominance during the championship matchup, helping secure another title in the Patriots dynasty era. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports.
Kyle Van Noy | OLB
VT Writer: Henrique Gucciardi
After trading Jonathan Greenard, the Vikings need an experienced EDGE rusher to rotate with Dallas Turner and Andrew Van Ginkel. Van Noy turned 35 recently, but still played almost 50% of the snaps in 2025, and has familiarity with Brian Flores.
Xavier Woods | S
VT Writer: Tony Schultz
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The Vikings shored up a lot of spots over the last few years, including the offensive and defensive lines. There are a few spots that are more glaring than others right now, with wide receiver taken care of after the Jauan Jennings signing. I wrestled with which position needs the most attention now, and between EDGE and safety, I feel the team has solid young depth on the outside.
Safety is the one position that could use another veteran body. If Harrison Smith truly is retired, then Xavier Woods is the player I would tap in. He brings experience and can help younger players, like rookie Jakobe Thomas, find their path. Without Smith at the wheel, the defense may need a steady hand to keep the ship on course.
Joey Bosa | OLB
VT Writer: Ted Schwerzler
The Vikings have addressed plenty of holes on their roster, and did well to cover them in the draft. There’s still room to add depth at the EDGE rusher position in the Dallas Turner role. A veteran like Joey Bosa, or someone a little younger like Yetur Gross-Matos, could be a good contingency plan.
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Cameron Jordan | OLB
VT Writer: Dustin Baker
Jordan will turn 37 this summer, so yes, he’s old and won’t play much longer. He should cost around $7 million or $8 million. The longtime New Orleans Saint registered 10.5 sacks last year and missed just two games in his entire career, an absolutely remarkable feat.
New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan stands along the sideline during a road game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on Jan. 1, 2023. Jordan remained one of the Saints’ veteran defensive leaders during the 2022 season, continuing to anchor the pass rush with his trademark durability, energy, and long-established presence in New Orleans. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports.
His father, Steve Jordan, played tight end for the Vikings for 13 seasons from 1982 to 1994. There is some poetry in adding Jordan; he can finish his career where his father’s started and ended. Steve Jordan, incidentally, is one of the best tight ends in Vikings history.
Bring his son aboard to play OLB for a year or two. He’d make great insurance for Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner.
Nobody
VT Writer: Wes Johnson
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The signing of Jennings saps up a lot of the cap savings the Vikings got in the Greenard deal. What cap they have left needs to be treated like having a single silver bullet against a hungry vampire; they need to make it count. This money will be saved and used to fill roster positions should an injury occur during the preseason or at the start of the season.
Jadeveon Clowney or Joey Bosa | OLB
VT Writer: Cole Smith
The one glaring hole right now is EDGE3 depth, depending on how the Vikings view Jake Golday. I’d be in favor of signing either Jadaveon Clowney or Joey Bosa to bring a veteran presence off the bench.
Jadeveon Clowney | OLB
VT Writer: Ali Siddiqui
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With Jonathan Greenard gone, the Vikings can use another pass rusher. Clowney is 33 years old, but can still produce. He had 8.5 sacks last season in 13 games while playing just under 400 defensive snaps. The man can ball; he proves it every year.
Jadeveon Clowney | OLB
VT Writer: Steve Hoikkala
Houston Texans linebacker Jadeveon Clowney stands on the sideline during the second quarter of a road matchup against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sep. 30, 2018. Clowney was one of the NFL’s most physically disruptive defenders during his Texans tenure, combining explosiveness, speed, and power as a premier edge-rushing presence. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports.
The Vikings still lack depth at the EDGE position behind Dallas Turner and Andrew Van Ginkel. By adding Clowney, who had 8.5 sacks last year in 13 games, the Vikings gain a rotational pass rush threat that can provide additional pressure on the quarterback and depth on a cheap one-year contract. This kind of move is ideal for the Vikings’ current cap space and needs.
Jadeveon Clowney | OLB
VT Writer: Brevan Bane
The former first overall selection remains awaiting an opportunity in 2026. Clowney has a solid 23 sacks over the last 3 seasons, the perfect amount for a third EDGE rusher. That is a spot that opened up on the Vikings after Jonathan Greenard got sent packing to Philadelphia, meaning Dallas Turner is now a starter. Minnesota needs EDGE rushing depth, and they have the money to get a halfway decent rotational piece.
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Jadeveon Clowney | OLB
VT Writer: Janik Eckardt
The Vikings could use another established pass rusher to solidify their defensive front. Every summer, he chooses his new team, and he’s always fantastic. With Jonathan Greenard in Philadelphia, it’s time to make the call.
Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker
Tottenham have given their survival chances a huge boost as they bid to avoid the unthinkable: relegation from the Premier League.
Demotion to the second tier for a Spurs side that won the Europa League last season, reached the Champions League knockout stage this term and has spent just one season outside the top flight since 1950 would go down as one of the biggest shocks in Premier League history. Roberto De Zerbi is now the man tasked with engineering an escape, and three points against Aston Villa last weekend lifted them into 17th.
West Ham’s defeat to Brentford had opened the door as Nuno Espirito Santo’s side slip back into the bottom three and now with their fate out of their hands. Leeds pulled clear after an impressive recent run, while Nottingham Forest won back-to-back games at Sunderland and Chelsea to bolster their hopes.
With Wolves and Burnley both relegated, here’s how the rest of the crucial relegation run-in is shaping up.
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Nottingham Forest
Position: 16th | Played: 35 | Points: 42 | GD: -2
Remaining fixtures:
9 May – Newcastle (H)
17 May – Manchester United (A)
24 May – Bournemouth (H)
Where to pick up points? After four wins in five games, a home game against a struggling Newcastle side who have nothing to play could confirm Forest’s Premier League status.
Tricky contests? Ideally, they’d like to get it done before visiting Manchester United and then hosting a Bournemouth side who may be pushing for Champions League qualification on the final day of the season.
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Morgan Gibbs-White has found serious form in recent weeks (Getty)
Tottenham Hotspur
Position: 17th | Played: 35 | Points: 37 | GD: -9
Remaining fixtures:
9 May – Leeds (H)
17 May – Chelsea (A)
24 May – Everton (H)
Where to pick up points? A potentially pivotal clash with Leeds at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Monday night three matches from the end of the campaign will be a golden opportunity for Tottenham after escaping the bottom three.
Tricky contests? A heavy defeat to Brentford may not have been totally deserved for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side, yet is nonetheless ill-timed and highly-damaging. Now the visit of title-chasing Arsenal is unwelcome, too.
Final straight? If West Ham can get something from the Arsenal game then a trip against Newcastle and a home clash with Leeds to finish the season might just be the ticket to get them clear of the drop zone.
West Ham’s form since the turn of the year has given them a chance of survival (Getty Images)
Verdict?
This could genuinely go in any direction and you’d have to be a brave person to predict the outcome with any confidence. It could still all come down to the final day when West Ham host Leeds, Spurs play Everton and Nottingham Forest host Bournemouth.
Forest’s recent results have been massive, given that they could have been adversely affected by their Europa League run and probably need to have survival wrapped up going into the final couple of games.
Spurs have their survival hopes in their hands, if they can build on victories at Wolves and Aston Villa and win a Premier League game at home for the first time since December. But every team is showing fight – and it could all change quickly.
The BCCI has issued some stringent rules for IPL players, commentators and teams. As for unauthorised visitors in players’ and support staff’s rooms, the Board’s concerns deepened after a player was recently found hosting a few people in his room well into the night quite often. The BCCI Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) officer immediately summoned the team manager to enquire about the meetings, but the reply was “casual and disinterested”. The manager cited the player’s seniority in the team’s ranks to defend him. “I am not surprised. At times, the players use their stature within the team to bend the rules. Once I told a player to host his friends in the lobby restaurant, not in his room,” a former official said.
“I told him there are some board instructions on such matters. He just snapped: ‘You don’t worry. I will tell the board (officials) if they ask’,” said a former official, who worked for a long time in the IPL as a team manager.
Another franchise official offered his view on this. “Well, I don’t know about such arm-twisting (by players). But we have now given out clear instructions that written or at least verbal permission is required to invite friends and family to the hotel where the team stays.
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“I know they also need to meet family and friends. But we have told them not to entertain guests after 10 pm, and such meetings should happen in the lobby or any other public place where the team manager/officials should have ready access,” the official stated.
In another instance, a player failed to return calls from a team official, who knocked on his hotel room door to pass on information.
He eventually walked into the hotel quite late at night, accompanied by a group of friends. But it was brushed under the carpet, as the player was perceived to be close to the franchise’s owners.
“I agree that sometimes rules are not followed in letter and spirit, or sometimes some exemptions will be given to the players. Now, we are looking to put in place constant checks on the players.
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“But we should also ensure that it’s not an intrusion into their privacy. We will also be in talks with the BCCI as to how to implement this particular rule without any issue,” the official said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a press release)
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Wild coach John Hynes is going back to starter Jesper Wallstedt for tonight’s critical Game 3 against the Avalanche, who lead the teams’ second-round playoff series 2-0 after beating the Wild and backup goalie Filip Gustavsson 5-2 Tuesday in Denver.
“He’s played really good hockey,” Hynes said, confirming after the morning skate that Wallstedt would replace backup Filip Gustavsson. “I laugh sometimes because it’s like you make a decision for all the right reasons, and that was the plan. Like, (Wallstedt) was a little bit tired, had the (series’ first) game. . . Gus came in, he got his opportunity to play. Wally got some rest, recovery, so he’s ready to go.
“It wasn’t anything that was, you know, earth shattering from our standpoint, other than trying to do what’s right for the goalies, trying to do what’s right for the team. And he gets back in the net tonight.”
Wallstedt was excellent in Minnesota’s six-game defeat of the Dallas Stars last round, so Hynes decision to go with Gustavsson after the Wild’s series-opening 9-6 shootout loss to the Avalanche last Sunday was a little surprising.
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In Gustavsson’s first start of the National Hockey League playoffs, the backup goalie looked suspect on two of the four goals he surrendered.
The Wild have to stop getting out-goaltended, among other issues, to get back in this series against the Stanley Cup-favourite Avalanche, who are 6-0 in the post-season with goalie Scott Wedgewood.
For reasons unknown, Colorado coach Jared Bednar refused to confirm his starter for Game 3 but said Norris Trophy-winning defenceman Cale Makar will play after taking a “maintenance” day on Thursday.
Wallstedt told The Athletic on Friday that he would be ready for Game 3.
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“It was good timing to get Gus in to play,” he said. “Obviously, you give up eight goals, it’s a good reason to try another (goalie). No bad feelings about that.
“Whatever happens for Game 3, Game 1 was a good learning experience. I’ve played Colorado before, and that was just a different game. I didn’t play my best hockey. You reset, you look at stuff.”
When Hynes was asked about Wallstedt’s ability to “bounce back,” the coach turned the question around.
“I guess I’ll look at it differently, right?” Hynes said. “He played six unbelievable games (in the first round). That’s why he can come back — he played six unbelievable games. He won a series. That (9-6) game was a one-off. To me, it’s not so much, ‘Well, how’s does he bounce back off a tough game?’ Let’s take it this way: six great ones to one that wasn’t on him. So there’s a confidence built up in there, you know? I think that’s where it’s glass half-full, glass half-empty. We can focus on the loss, or we can focus on the six wins.”
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ICE CHIPS — Despite Joel Eriksson Ek’s one-legged participation in Friday’s practice — before he left the ice noticeably limping — Minnesota’s injured forward will not play tonight. Hynes insisted his top centre remains “day to day” and could be an option for Game 4 on Monday. . . There is no indication that shutdown defenceman Jonas Brodin, injured in the fifth game against Dallas, will be available this series. . . Brodin’s absence has caused a mini-crisis on Minnesota’s second defence pairing, as a new partnership between Jake Middleton and Jared Spurgeon has been torched by Colorado for nine goals against through two games. Hynes said he will try Daemon Hunt beside Spurgeon tonight and drop Middleton to the third pairing alongside Zach Bogosian, who returns after missing one game due to a lower-body injury. . . Besides their second pairing on defence, the Wild need to fix their penalty kill, which has surrendered three goals to the Avalanche on seven chances and has a playoff success rate of just 59.4 per cent, the worst on record for a second-round team since the NHL began tracking penalty killing in 1978. . . Bednar declined to say if injured Colorado defenceman Josh Manson will be available tonight.
Carl Pavano and his ex-wife, Alissa, have been in quite the prenup battle, with Alissa accusing the former pitcher of signing the one-sided agreement she says she was “demanded” to sign.
According to documents, Alissa “had given up her residence, potential employment, and all financial independence” after Carl had shown “ongoing controlling behavior,” including name-calling, cutting off her expenses and threats to take their children.
Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Carl Pavano delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 26, 2012.(Jesse Johnson/USA TODAY Sports)
To make matters worse, according to CT Insider, police have been called to their shared home in Connecticut nine times over the last two years, and most recently on April 29.
“A prenuptial agreement is an acceptable way for individuals, prior to marriage, to condition how their financial interests and responsibilities will be determined after marriage,” Alissa’s lawyers said in a brief, via the New York Post.
“It should not be an acceptable way for a monied spouse who has already started a family with his significant other to force her to give up her financial independence, and then to extract financial advantages in the premarital agreement under the threat of taking the minor children away from her and leaving her destitute.”
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Yankees trainer Gene Monahan checks pitcher Carl Pavano after he was hit in the head by a ball hit by Baltimore Orioles player Melvin Mora.(Beth Balbierz/The Record)
The signing of the prenup was videotaped, documents say, after Alissa had a $500 consultation with her attorney.
State Superior Court Judge Thomas O’Neill ruled the prenup valid, awarding Alissa $300,000 and ordering Carl to buy her a home worth $1 million. Carl had a net worth of over $43 million by the time the trial began, the document says.
The prenup was signed shortly after they were married in 2011, but the divorce began in 2024. The aforementioned ruling came last year.
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New York Yankees starting pitcher Carl Pavano pitches in the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on Sept. 8, 2008.(Gary A. Vasquez/USA TODAY Sports)
Pavano pitched for the Montreal Expos, Florida Marlins, New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians and Minnesota Twins, being named an All-Star in 2004. He pitched to a 4.81 ERA in his career, with his biggest payday coming from the Yankees. However, he only made 26 starts in his four seasons with them and is widely considered one of their worst signings.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola ended his press conference with an Arsenal joke after his team beat Brentford 3-0
Pep Guardiola made clear Manchester City will be supporting West Ham against Arsenal on Sunday with a funny gesture at the end of his press conference. The Blues boss had finished talking about the 3-0 win over Brentford when he crossed his arms above his head and said ‘Come on you Irons!’
City need Arsenal to drop points in one of their remaining three games to have a chance of beating them to the Premier League title, and a West Ham side fighting relegation look the most likely of any opponents to do the Blues a favour when they face the leaders on Sunday. Guardiola had dismissed questions on Friday about if he would be supporting West Ham, yet with the Brentford game won he allowed himself a joke to finish his 15 minutes with reporters.
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City will be cheering on West Ham with a little more hope after an emphatic win over Brentford on Saturday in a difficult game. It took nearly an hour to break the deadlock but the Blues eventually ran out 3-0 winners to move two points behind Arsenal as well as move to within one goal of them; should City take two more points from the remaining three games, the title would be decided on goal difference.
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However, it remains in Arsenal’s hands and Guardiola was realistic about the chances of catching a team that has shown for nine months they are one of the best in Europe.
“We are fighting with a team quite similar to Liverpool in the past, in the final of the Champions League without losing a game and have been top of the league almost all season,” he said.
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“It’s not in our hands now so it depends on them dropping points but all we can do is Wednesday win again, play the final of the FA Cup and go to Bournemouth – I’d say that is not the best one to go to – and Aston Villa. The calendar is demanding but it’s simple. It’s just two weeks and the season will be over.
“I love to be here again. Finish second again minimum so I love it. I didn’t enjoy last season and the moment to fight to qualify for the Champions League was difficult but the Carabao Cup is in our pocket, the FA Cup final at Wembley is the most beautiful day of the season and I love it.
“When you arrive and have the feeling that the job can be done, well done. When you arrive fighting against Arsenal, with many changes, seeing how they help each other in every training sessions, it is a joy.”
OK, let me start by answering the above question that — at least not yet anyway — Jordan Spieth is not, in fact, back. But boy was he making it look like 2017 Saturday at the Truist Championship
Spieth, the former World No. 1, three-time major winner and his own walking commentator on the golf course, was stuck in neutral for the first 42 holes of this week’s tournament at even par when he came to the seventh hole.
The current World No. 50 reached the 553-yard par-5 in two and was left with a steeply uphill, 66-foot eagle try to break into red figures again after a bogey on the previous hole.
Spieth gave the ball a rap and sent it on its way to the cup. It climbed up the ridge in the middle of the green, took a subtle break to the left and rattled the flag stick before falling in the cup for an eagle.
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The crowd roared for one of the PGA Tour’s favorite stars despite only recording two PGA Tour wins since his last major in 2017. But don’t tell Spieth it’s not 2017 anymore.
In a call back to that most recent Open Championship victory at Royal Birkdale, Spieth calmly looked at caddie Michael Greller, pointed at him and then motioned to the hole. He walked to the 8th tee as Greller retrieved his ball from the hole.
If that sounds familiar, it’s because it is. Spieth famously yelled, “Go get that,” to Greller after draining a 48-foot eagle putt on the par-5 15th to regain the solo lead. That came after a hectic stretch where Spieth made bogey on the 13th after putting his tee shot on the driving range and then stuffed his approach on the 14th to get that shot right back with a birdie.
Why does this all matter now?
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Next week will be Spieth’s 10th opportunity to complete the career Grand Slam with a win at the PGA Championship, this year at Aronimink, outside of Philadelphia.
While Spieth hasn’t won since the 2022 RBC Heritage, he has shown signs this season of getting his game back to the form he showed in the mid-2010s when he won three majors in three years. He’s currently 37th in this season’s FedEx Cup rankings and made numerous equipment changes last week, including the first golf ball model switch of his career.
Those changes had him tied for second heading into the weekend before Cam Young ran away with the event.
This week, the driver and ball changes have borne fruit as he ranks third in the field in SG: Off-The-Tee, a category that plagued him earlier in his career.
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And the eagle jump-started a round that ended up as a three-under 68, putting him into the top-30 as of this writing.
He still likely won’t factor much on Sunday at Quail Hollow, where the lead was 10 under as he finished his third round, but could all the momentum lead to him putting everything together next week? His elusive Wannamaker trophy feels closer than it should.
AAMI Park will play host to Sunday’s
Round 10 NRL game between Melbourne Storm and
Wests Tigers. The game kicks off at 2:00 pm with Melbourne Storm heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Melbourne Storm vs.
Wests Tigers
game and give you our free tips and bets.
Melbourne will be desperate to halt its worst losing run in club history when it hosts Wests Tigers on Sunday afternoon. The Storm have looked uncharacteristically flat in recent weeks, struggling badly in attack despite leading at halftime against the Dolphins last round. Jahrome Hughes’ return could not come at a better time, with Melbourne needing greater direction and energy around the ruck. The Tigers also enter under pressure after being thrashed by Cronulla and losing more key personnel to injury. Jarome Luai now shoulders greater responsibility with Adam Doueihi sidelined, while Cameron Munster will be eager to rediscover his best form for Melbourne. The Storm have dominated this matchup for years, including a 64-0 demolition last season at AAMI Park. With Hughes back steering the side, Melbourne has a strong chance to steady its campaign.
Melbourne Storm vs Wests Tigers Teams
Storm team: 1. Sualauvi Faalogo 2. William Warbrick 3. Jack Howarth 4. Nick Meaney 5. Hugo Peel 6. Cameron Munster 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. Stefano Utoikamanu 9. Harry Grant 10. Josh King 11. Shawn Blore 12. Ativalu Lisati 13. Trent Loiero 14. Trent Toelau 15. Joe Chan 16. Davvy Moale 17. Cooper Clarke 18. Stanley Huen 19. Manaia Waitere 20. Jack Hetherington 21. Lazarus Vaalepu 22. Moses Leo
Tigers team: 1. Heath Mason 2. Sunia Turuva 3. Patrick Herbert 4. Taylan May 5. Luke Laulilii 6. Jarome Luai 7. Jock Madden 8. Terrell May 9. Tristan Hope 10. Fonua Pole 11. Sione Fainu 12. Kai Pearce-Paul 13. Alex Twal 14. Latu Fainu 15. Bunty Afoa 16. Alex Seyfarth 17. Royce Hunt 18. Mavrik Geyer 19. Jeral Skelton 20. Charlie Murray 21. Tony Sukkar 22. Javon Andrews
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is rewriting the record books every single day. Already the fastest Indian with the fastest ton in the IPL, Sooryavanshi is also the only batter to score two IPL tons in less than 40 balls (35-ball vs Gujarat Titans in IPL 2025, 36-ball ton vs Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2026). On Saturday, Sooryavanshi broke another world record. With a first-ball six against Mohammed Siraj, Sooryavanshi shattered the world record for fastest to 100 T20 sixes. The 15-year-old reached the ‘century’ of sixes in just 514 balls. He is also the youngest player to reach the mark.
Sooryavanshi scored 36 in 16 balls. His innings included three sixes and three fours. All his three sixes came in the powerplay. Sooryavanshi now holds the record for most sixes in the powerplay in an IPL season.
Most sixes in powerplay (1-6 overs) in an IPL season
Fifties from captain Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan, along with a late flourish from Washington Sundar, guided Gujarat Titans (GT) to 229/4 in 20 overs against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in their Indian Premier League match at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Saturday. Put in to bat by RR’s stand-in captain Yashasvi Jaiswal–stepping in for the injured Riyan Parag–the Titans were propelled to a 200+ total by fifties from captain Gill (84 off 44 balls), Sudharsan (55 off 36 balls) and a late cameo of 37* off 20 balls from Sundar.
Gujarat Titans capped off their innings in style, with Sundar and Rahul Tewatia smashing 21 runs in the final over bowled by Tushar Deshpande, who was struck for three sixes.
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The Gujarat Titans openers, Gill and Sudharsan, started with a clear intent to exploit the powerplay overs, helped by an 18-run over bowled by RR’s Jofra Archer, who conceded nine extras in the opening over.
Both Gill and Sudharsan dealt in boundaries at regular intervals and guided GT’s score after the Powerplay to 82/0.
While Sudharsan completed his fifty off 30 balls in the ninth over, captain Gill brought up the fourth fifty of this IPL season in the 11th over, also off 30 balls. However, RR’s Yash Raj Punja broke the 118-run opening stand in the same over as he claimed Sudharsan’s wicket. After 11 overs, GT’s score was 119/1.
With ANI inputs
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Sep 21, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Viktor the Viking entertains the fans during the first half of a game between the Minnesota Vikings and Cincinnati Bengals at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images
Lately, there has been a lot of attention on the decision to bring in WR Jauan Jennings. Doing so gives the Vikings a scary three-headed monster out wide for whoever is passing the pigskin.
Next up for deals was the decision to toss another young d-lineman into the mix. Check out the update from agent Brett Tessler: “The Minnesota Vikings just signed my client Smith Vilbert (DL, UNC / Penn State) to a 3-year deal after he attended their rookie minicamp this weekend.” The length, three years, is the standard for undrafted talent. Playing through the entire contract would mean being a Vikings RFA afterwards.
Vikings Fire Up Next Contract, Sign Young D-Lineman
Lately, there has been a ton of attention on Minnesota’s defensive line.
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Most notable, of course, was the surprising decision to opt for the hulking Caleb Banks. The massive defensive tackle coming out Florida doesn’t lack for talent. What could be an issue, though, is his health and technique. Both earned concern moving into the 2026 NFL Draft, which is to say nothing of the firestorm of criticism after using No. 18 to snag him.
Next up was the move for Domonique Orange, a nose tackle who is reasonably referred to as “Big Citrus” due to his size and last name. Expect Mr. Orange to earn snaps early in his career to clog running lanes. He got chosen in the 3rd.
Apr 23, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Florida Gators defensive lineman Caleb Banks is selected by the Minnesota Vikings as the number 18 pick during the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
But then there has been a broader effort to insert young talent into the mix, an approach stretching back several years.
A couple of years ago, the Vikings found Jalen Redmond from a rival pro league. He overcame long odds to get onto the roster before becoming the team’s most formidable defensive lineman. He will soon demand meaty money, but Minnesota has him on an insanely-cheap deal at present.
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So, too, did Elijah Williams get found late, signed after impressing in the spring. Rugged NT Taki Taimani was a UDFA pickup who has been around the Twin Cities for a couple years already.
Even recent draftees such as Levi Drake Rodriguez (7th) and Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins (5th) earned modest interest from the NFL. Minnesota, quite evidently, is a spot where these low-profile young lads have a chance to shine.
Alec Lewis of The Athletic offered his two cents on the recent signing: “Vikings sign DL Smith Vilbert after rookie minicamp today. They’ve had very good history with some of these UDFA DL.”
Draft nerd Thor Nystrom (SKOR North) draws a connection between UNC head coach Bill Belichick and Vikings DC Brian Flores, writing, “And like Vikings UDFA CB Marcus Allen, Vilbert started on defense for UNC HC Bill Belichick last season. That still means something to somebody I know.”
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Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
During the 2025 season, Smith Vilbert picked up 22 tackles. He had a single sack to stand alongside 6 tackles for loss. Of note, as well, are his 1 forced fumble, 2 fumble recoveries, and 2 passes defended.
Bringing in the new d-lineman follows shortly after signing veteran Eric Johnson, who boasts an impressive nickname: “The Creature.”
On PFF, Vilbert earned a modest 64.3 grade for his effort in 2025. He is listed as being 6’6″ and 282 pounds. His path to the 53-man roster will be a difficult one, but it begins with proving to be a capable special teams helper alongside someone who can soak up snaps in run defense.
Shakur Stevenson has considered how the respective styles of Floyd Mayweather and Terence Crawford would gel in a prime-for-prime showdown.
Several similarities can be drawn between both all-time greats, such as the fact that they retired as unbeaten five-division world champions.
On the flip side, though, it could be said that their extraordinary skills, while being somewhat comparable, were most effective against different styles of opponents.
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Some have made the observation that Mayweather, for instance, would encounter moments of difficulty when facing southpaws in the early portion of his career.
As a fighter who could switch seamlessly between stances, it is then tempting to suggest that Crawford would have posed major issues for his countryman.
It must also be said, however, that ‘Bud’ occasionally allowed complacency to get the better of him, perhaps most notably in fights against Yuriorkis Gamboa and Egidijus Kavaliauskas.
Based on those two performances, and Mayweather’s apparent difficulty with southpaws, Stevenson has told The Agnew Podcast that it is practically impossible to select a winner at welterweight.
“It’s just hard to say. With both of them guys, they different. I think Floyd, early on in his career, he struggled with southpaws.
“I feel like ‘Bud’ is gonna be a southpaw and probably the best southpaw he’s ever [come up] against.
“But then I’ve seen ‘Bud’ have little issues with guys like ‘Mean Machine’, who was orthodox, and Gamboa was winning some rounds.
“It’s a 50/50 thing [with Mayweather and Crawford] – you just never know who would come in on-point and win that fight.”
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While Stevenson highlights Mayweather’s history against southpaws as a point of weakness, it is difficult to ignore the fact that against Manny Pacquiao, a naturally aggressive lefty, the American was able to produce a 12-round masterclass.
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