Minnesota Vikings safety Jay Ward knocks the football loose from Chicago Bears wide receiver DJ Moore during second-half action on Sep. 8, 2025, at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. Ward continued competing for a larger defensive role in Brian Flores’ secondary while contributing physical play and versatility throughout Minnesota’s defensive backfield rotation. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images
Minnesota Vikings training camp is less than 10 weeks away, and during that event, the coaching staff will shave the roster from 90 men to 53. Accordingly, it’s time to start defining some of the overlooked players entering the summer.
Minnesota’s roster has several quieter names who could become useful pieces before the regular season.
Minnesota’s roster is more than capable of returning to the postseason in 2026. The following players will quietly assist in that endeavor.
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Depth Players Will Affect Key Summer Battles
The annual underrated pecking order of Vikings, ranked in ascending order (No. 1 = most underrated).
Pittsburgh tight end Gavin Bartholomew (TE02) participates in on-field drills during the 2025 NFL Combine on Feb. 28, 2025, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Bartholomew showcased his athletic profile in front of NFL evaluators as teams assessed tight end prospects ahead of the draft, with Minnesota among the franchises monitoring offensive depth options during the scouting process. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.
5. Gavin Bartholomew | TE
Minnesota drafted Bartholomew in 2025 from Round 6 — and then he didn’t do a damn thing as a rookie because of injury. Undrafted tight end Ben Yurosek swiped his job.
Now, though, Bartholomew is presumably healthy, so he’s basically another rookie for the Vikings this season. He and Yurosek will duke it out for the TE3 job this summer, and there’s a chance that Bartholomew prevails, building on the plan from the 2025 NFL Draft.
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Who knows? Perhaps Bartholomew is just plain good. There’s no way to tell until he steps foot on a regular season field. The Vikings drafted him for a reason 13 months ago.
4. Ryan Van Demark | OT
The 2025 numbers for Van Demark, a newcomer in free agency, are quite phenomenal, especially for a guy who projects as a backup tackle on the Vikings’ 2026 depth chart.
Fans hope that Christian Darrisaw’s ACL has finally healed. If Darrisaw encounters more troubles, inserting Van Demark into the lineup shouldn’t spell doomsday, based on his performance in Buffalo last year.
3. Jay Ward | S
Ward’s path to increased playing time is now clear. With Harrison Smith’s departure, ample safety snaps are available. The Vikings further emphasized this by passing on Dillon Thieneman and Emmanuel McNeil-Warren in the draft, despite Thieneman frequently appearing in mock drafts as a Minnesota-bound player. This leaves Ward, Theo Jackson, and 3rd-Round rookie Jakobe Thomas as the primary contenders for those roles.
Ward already demonstrated his potential late in 2025. He quietly began taking snaps from Jackson, bringing a grittier, more aggressive style to the secondary as Brian Flores relied on him down the stretch.
With only one year left on his contract, this upcoming season is crucial for Ward to prove he can be more than a rotational defensive back. Ward played 250 defensive snaps last year and banked a 70.4 PFF grade. His aggression and playmaking were noteworthy.
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2. Blake Brandel | OL
Brandel consistently elevates the importance of a backup role, so much so that he usually wiggles his way into a starting job.
Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle Blake Brandel (64) stretches before a preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Aug. 27, 2021, at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. Brandel prepared alongside Minnesota’s offensive line group before kickoff as the Vikings evaluated roster depth and developmental talent during preseason action entering the regular season. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports.
Last season, Brandel played in all 17 games, starting nine and logging 64% of Minnesota’s offensive snaps. The vast playing time was largely due to the Vikings’ injury-plagued offensive line, for which Brandel provided crucial stability.
His greatest asset is his versatility; Brandel can play guard, tackle, and center. It made him one of the Vikings’ most valuable depth players in 2025, stepping in to steady an offensive line frequently disrupted by injuries.
It’s his work at center, however, that truly sparks interest for the 2026 season.
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Brandel played 383 snaps at center, showing steady improvement throughout the season. What began as a longshot opportunity to start at the position evolved into a genuine discussion. While his 61.4 PFF grade indicates solid rather than superstar-level play, it represents valuable consistency for an offensive line that often lacked it.
Brandel is on deck to start at center in Week 1, too. Whoodathunkit?
1. James Pierre | CB
Pierre logged a magnificent 86.8 PFF grade in 2025. If that mark translates to 2026, well, Pierre should actually start over Byron Murphy Jr. or Isaiah Rodgers. That won’t happen because the coaching staff loves Murphy Jr. and Rodgers, but Pierre has the spine to start.
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Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback James Pierre (42) warms up before a game against the Denver Broncos on Sep. 20, 2020, at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh. Pierre prepared for early-season action as the Steelers hosted Denver in front of a limited crowd, with Pittsburgh eventually earning a 26-21 victory during the Week 2 matchup at home. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports.
That’ll be vital to remember if injuries beset either starter — Murphy Jr. and Rodgers somehow played 17 games apiece in 2025, which is rare for two starting corners.
Pierre is the real deal, and at CB3, he has a chance to be the Vikings’ best third corner since the Mike Zimmer era.
His 41.5 passer rating allowed in Pittsburgh last year was just to die for.
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Defenceman Cale Makar will make his return for Game 3 against the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday (8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+).
Makar missed the first two games of the Western Conference Final with an upper-body injury and watched the Avalanche drop both to head to Vegas in a 2-0 series hole.
The Canadian blue-liner has four goals and an assist while averaging nearly 25 minutes of ice time through the opening two rounds.
Games 1 and 2 starting goalie Scott Wedgewood will return between the pipes in Game 3. The 33-year-old stopped 22 of 24 shots in a Game 2 loss and is operating at a .912 save percentage this post-season.
David Benavidez has been accused of making “excuses” by taking a “different path”, seemingly distancing himself from the most significant fight at 200lbs.
But despite claiming Ramirez’s WBO and WBA titles, Benavidez has expressed an interest in moving back down to 175lbs, where he still holds the WBC strap, and facing unified champion Dmitry Bivol.
Before attempting to reclaim his WBC belt, though, Bivol must first defend two of his three major titles against mandatory challenger Michael Eifert on May 30.
After that, Benavidez will almost certainly be targeting a clash with Bivol, despite cruiserweight rival Jai Opetaia accusing him of taking a “smarter path”.
Speaking with Ring Magazine, the former IBF champion insisted that he would be ready to face Benavidez, but only if the 29-year-old’s team is willing to show the same enthusiasm.
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“That fight’s easy to make on our side. I’ve been ready… I just hear excuses. How bad do you [Benavidez] wanna fight?
“I hear he’s gonna take a different path, and I think he’s gonna to take a smarter path to be honest.”
While still regarded by many as the No.1 cruiserweight, Opetaia no longer has a world title with which to entice Benavidez. Instead, it means his potential showdown with Benavidez would not be a three-belt unification match.
A 29-year-old professional wrestler has created history by signing with WWE. She made her in-ring debut during a recent show.
The name in question is Martinez (aka Nikki Blackheart). She was invited for a tryout at the Performance Center in February and reportedly signed with the Stamford-based promotion in March. However, the global juggernaut officially announced her signing, along with three other stars (Mason Rook, Marcus Brown, and Lacey Simon), only recently.
Thanks for the submission!
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Martinez competed inside the WWE ring for the very first time after the May 19 edition of NXT went off the air in a dark match against Skylar Raye. In her second match, she wrestled Masyn Holiday at an NXT House Show in Fort Pierce, Florida, on May 22. She secured wins in both the bouts.
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Earlier today, Martinez took to X (formerly Twitter) to post a photo of herself standing alongside Shawn Michaels. The former CCW Women’s Champion noted that her heart was overflowing with gratitude as she pointed out that she was the first female Dominican wrestler to sign with the wrestling promotion.
“My heart is overflowing with gratitude. You’re looking the first female Dominican wrestler to sign with the WWE🥹🖤 let’s go !” Martinez wrote.
You can check out her tweet below:
Martinez shared an emotional message before her WWE tryout
Martinez had reportedly been on World Wrestling Entertainment’s radar since WrestleMania 41. She also received a lot of praise from Bayley before her trials in February.
Before her tryout, Martinez shared an emotional message on X. She expressed gratitude for everyone who supported her and claimed that she was ready to earn her place in the company.
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“The biggest pinch me moment 🖤 I was officially invited to the @wwe tryout. My heart is overflowing with gratitude for all the moments experienced, all the people that have helped me in my journey, my coach, my loved ones, my classmates, all the promoters that took a chance on me, my lodestone girls, and all my supporters that believed in me from day one. I have so much more to say, but for now all I can say is THANK YOU !! 🖤And I’m ready to earn my place,” Blackheart wrote.
It will be interesting to see when Martinez appears on a televised show.
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Delhi Capitals’ Kuldeep Yadav and teammates celebrate (ANI Photo)
Delhi Capitals signed off their IPL 2026 campaign with a commanding 40-run victory over Kolkata Knight Riders in a dead-rubber clash, as KL Rahul and Kuldeep Yadav starred on Sunday. With Rajasthan Royals defeating Mumbai Indians earlier in the day to seal the final playoff berth, both KKR and Punjab Kings were officially eliminated before the match began. Delhi Capitals had already been knocked out after PBKS’ win over Lucknow Super Giants on Saturday, leaving only pride and final standings to play for at Eden Gardens. Batting first after KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane opted to bowl, Delhi Capitals piled up an imposing 203 for 5, thanks largely to Rahul’s explosive half-century at the top. The DC opener looked in complete control from the beginning, attacking both pace and spin with ease. Rahul hammered five fours and four sixes during his 30-ball 60, registering his sixth fifty of the season. He particularly targeted Sunil Narine, dancing down the track repeatedly to clear the ropes. In one over, Rahul launched Narine for a towering six over long-on before following it up with another boundary over the spinner’s head. Rahul then shifted gears further against Kartik Tyagi, smashing a boundary and a straight six in an over worth 20 runs to race to a 25-ball half-century. At that stage, Delhi looked set for a total well beyond 220. However, KKR managed to regain some control through Anukul Roy, who dismissed Rahul against the run of play. Sahil Parakh also chipped in with 24 before Axar Patel added 39, while Varun Chakravarthy returned with 1 for 35 despite continuing to play with a hairline fracture in his left toe. KKR’s chase began positively, with Rahane leading the charge in what could possibly have been his final appearance for the franchise. The veteran batter produced one of his best innings of the season, smashing 63 off just 39 balls with four fours and four sixes. Rahane attacked aggressively, taking on Auqib Nabi with back-to-back sixes before repeating the same against Axar Patel to bring up a rapid 31-ball fifty. But just when KKR appeared to be building momentum, Kuldeep Yadav completely turned the game. Returning to the playing XI after being left out and after going wicketless in his previous three matches, the left-arm wrist-spinner tormented his former side with a brilliant spell of 3 for 29. Kuldeep first removed Cameron Green cheaply before producing the decisive moment of the match. Sensing Rahane moving across, he bowled a tossed-up delivery outside leg stump that dipped sharply. Rahane attempted to loft it straight but only managed to slice it to David Miller. On the very next ball, Kuldeep dismissed Rinku Singh for a duck, putting KKR in complete trouble. He nearly completed a hat-trick as well after Tejasvi Dahiya edged the following delivery, but Abhishek Porel dropped the chance behind the stumps. From there, KKR collapsed rapidly and were bowled out for 163 in 18.4 overs, slumping to their seventh defeat of the season. Mitchell Starc also impressed against his former franchise with figures of 2 for 26, while Lungi Ngidi cleaned up the tail with 3 for 27. The result helped Delhi Capitals finish sixth on the points table with seven wins and seven losses, moving above KKR, who ended seventh after another disappointing campaign under Rahane’s leadership.
Marcus Rashford was expected to join Barcelona on a permanent basis this summer but has been handed a potential route back to parent club Manchester United
Rashford, 28, has completed his season-long loan at the Camp Nou following his final outing of the campaign on Saturday. It concluded on a disappointing note, however, after Rashford struggled to influence proceedings in a surprise 3-1 loss at Valencia.
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All signs appeared to suggest Barca would meet the necessary £26million fee to secure Rashford permanently this summer – and they may yet do so. Nevertheless, Meulensteen, who won numerous Premier League titles on Sir Alex Ferguson‘s staff, has floated the possibility of his return to Old Trafford now former team-mate Carrick has been installed as manager on a permanent basis.
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“There is a route back for Marcus Rashford because Michael Carrick knows him,” the Dutchman told BOYLE Sports, who offer the latest football betting. “I think there is a really important conversation to be had, no two ways about it.
“Marcus has grown up as a little kid from Manchester. He’s Manchester United through and through. And for whatever reason, something has made him make the decision to move away.”
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“Maybe it has been good for him to move away for a while, just to have a look at it and look back at Manchester United from the outside in. Because it will also have given him the opportunity to realise how much Man United actually means to him.”
“Because he knows Michael and Michael knows him, I think it’s definitely a good conversation that they should have. And then obviously, it all depends on what exactly the expectations are from both parties.”
Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package
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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.
Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.
Initially, Rashford moved to Aston Villa for the second half of the 2024/25 season. He was then loaned to Barcelona for a year-long spell last summer.
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Carrick, who shared the pitch with Rashford before hanging up his boots, has since assumed control of his former club. After reviving the fortunes of several players at Old Trafford, returning Rashford to his peak form in red would represent another feather in his cap.
Having struggled to build rapport with certain managers previously, it’s easy to imagine how Carrick might offer the familiar presence he’s been craving. Nevertheless, the decision rests entirely with Barcelona as to whether they activate the £26m clause in his contract and eliminate any chance of a reunion.
Jannik Sinner and Coco Gauff took full advantage of their final practice sessions at Roland Garros, fitting in some last-minute prep before the main draw action began.
With play now underway in Paris, both are sure to be at the centre of attention throughout the tournament.
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Sinner, who comes in as the top seed, is aiming to complete a Career Grand Slam. Gauff returns to Paris as defending champion, looking to add another title to her record.
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On Saturday, both took part in official Roland Garros practice sets, which included umpires and a scoreboard, giving players a closer feel for match conditions ahead of their opening rounds.
Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
Both players take victories in the final practice matches
Sinner went up against Alexander Blockx, who is coming off a semi-final run in Madrid, and came out on top 6-2.
Gauff also picked up a win, defeating Tiantsoa Sarah Rakotomanga Rajaonah of France 6-3 in her session.
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They weren’t the only notable names putting in work before the tournament began. Several other high-profile players also took part in practice matches ahead of the clay-court Grand Slam.
Elina Svitolina edged out Jessica Pegula 6-4, while Elena Rybakina matched that scoreline against Sorana Cirstea. Taylor Fritz also looked sharp, beating Miomir Kecmanovic 6-1.
Sinner then turned his attention to Rafael Nadal, with whom he partnered for a relaxed hit on Court Philippe Chatrier. That session drew plenty of attention from fans and media alike as the pair enjoyed some final touches before competition began.
Roland Garros sets opening week attendance record
The scorelines from those practice sets didn’t mean much, but the sessions were a useful tune-up for everyone involved, regardless of the results.
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Players picked up on areas they’ll want to work on, and the competitive edge of those practice matches should help them settle in once their real campaigns begin.
Meanwhile, there was good news for organisers even before play got started in Paris.
Attendance numbers set a new mark for Opening Week, with 138,000 fans making their way through the gates over six days. It’s a welcome boost at a time when discussions around prize money have become more prominent among players.
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Aryna Sabalenka was among those speaking out. The WTA number one walked out of her opening press conference in protest over Roland Garros’ current revenue share of 15% going towards prize money.
Emma Raducanu suffered her first opening-round loss at the French Open with an error-strewn display against Argentina’s Solana Sierra.
The British number one opted to return to action for the final couple of weeks of the clay season following two-and-a-half months out with a post-viral illness instead of concentrating on grass but it has not paid off.
She took positives from a narrow loss to Diane Parry in Strasbourg earlier this week, and she at least improved in the second set at a sun-baked Roland Garros before falling to a 6-0 7-6 (4) defeat.
It is only Raducanu’s third time playing in the tournament but this was the first occasion she has failed to make it to the second round.
The first set was a horror show, with Raducanu spraying the ball to all parts of the small court 13 and losing it to love in just 25 minutes.
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Solana Sierra steamrolled Raducanu in the first set (Getty)
A tally of no winners and 15 unforced errors told its own story, with Raducanu’s US Open-winning coach Andrew Richardson, with whom she reunited earlier this week, unable to inspire the same sort of magic.
Sierra is a very capable player on clay in particular but is ranked only 68, well below Raducanu’s mark of 39, and is playing in just her sixth grand slam event.
Raducanu looked like she could be heading for one of the worst defeats of her career when she trailed 4-1 in the second set but she began to find a foothold in the match, elongating the rallies and drawing errors from her opponent.
After pulling it back to 4-3, Raducanu bent double at the change of ends and coughed into her towel – a legacy of the illness that first affected her in early February and which she has still not quite shaken off.
But she showed grit to pull level at 5-5 and then break the Sierra serve when she served for the match to force a tie-break.
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Sierra raced into a 5-1 lead, though, and this time Raducanu could not pull it back, with her final tally of 42 unforced errors simply far too many.
The 23-year-old will now hope she can stay healthy and find her groove on the grass, where she has normally played well.
Wyndham Clark carded an 11-under par final round of 60 to win the CJ Cup Byron Nelson by three shots and finish 30 under par.
The American becomes just the 10th man to finish a four-round tournament 30 under or better since 1983.
Clark, who had carded rounds of 66, 63 and 65, scored an eagle and nine birdies to overtake overnight leader Si Woo Kim.
The 32-year-old’s approach shot to the 18th left him with a two-and-a-half foot putt for a three, and he sank his attempt for a fourth PGA Tour title and a score of 254.
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South Korean Kim, who went round the par-71 course in 60 on Friday, only managed a 65 to drop to second on 27 under, with world number one and defending champion Scottie Scheffler two shots behind in third in Texas.
Clark, the 2023 US Open champion, last won on the PGA Tour in February 2024, at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
Head coach Rudy Hernandez has recalled the exact moment that Junto Nakatani revealed the level of power he experienced from Naoya Inoue’s punches.
The two Japanese stars squared off in an eagerly-awaited showdown earlier this month, which took place at a sold-out Tokyo Dome in front of roughly 55,000 fans.
As a sizable favourite, many expected Inoue to retain his undisputed super-bantamweight crown, yet his sheer dominance in the early rounds nonetheless came as a surprise to most.
At this point, ‘Big Bang’ suddenly sprang to life after taking a far more measured approach in the previous rounds, appearing to no longer respect the power of his opponent.
According to his trainer, Hernandez, this was a pivotal moment which, if only it had arrived sooner, may have been enough to pinch a razor-thin victory on points.
In any case, the experienced coach has told BoxingScene what Nakatani thought of Inoue’s power, whilst believing that a potential rematch with Inoue would surely go their way, so confident in Nakatani’s ability that he has promised to retire if he is proven wrong.
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“If we don’t beat [Inoue] in the rematch, I will never train fighters again. I will retire. I will quit, because I really believe in the rematch we are going to kick Inoue’s butt.
“The moment Junto told me that [Inoue] doesn’t hit that hard, that was a game-changer. I wish he had told me that in the second or third round.”
Hernandez adds that, irrespective of their prior head collision, an Inoue uppercut in round 11 was what ultimately broke Nakatani’s orbital bone.
From there, the three-weight world champion was fighting an uphill battle to even complete the full 12 rounds, let alone pull off a sizable upset.
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