Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle Justin Skule (67) lines up during second-half action, engaging at the line of scrimmage as protection schemes unfold and the offense works through a drive Sep 28, 2025, at Croke Park in Dublin, Ireland, during an NFL International Series matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.
By now, NFL free agency is about a month old, and all attention among fans and front offices has fixated on the draft, which is about two and a half weeks away. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Vikings have six free agents from the 2025 roster who remain in limbo.
A few former Vikings from last season are still waiting for their next NFL opportunity.
This happens every offseason, so consider this the 2026 edition.
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Familiar Ex-Vikings Names Remain on the Market for Now
Needing employment, these are six Vikings from last year’s roster still hunting.
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Brett Rypien goes through pregame warmups, loosening his arm and preparing for action ahead of kickoff Sep 21, 2025, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Rypien worked through routine drills on the field prior to facing the Vikings in an interconference matchup. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images
Brett Rypien (QB)
Rypien’s situation is a stark contrast to last year, when he was the Vikings’ QB2 during the offseason. Now that the Vikings are pursuing other quarterbacks, Rypien will likely seek opportunities elsewhere. He realistically projects as a QB3 or QB4, where his experience and backup capabilities would be valuable.
For the Vikings, it’s Kyler Murray, J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer instead.
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Fabian Moreau (CB)
Moreau provided quietly effective, albeit largely unnoticed, play for the Vikings in 2025. As a veteran corner, he capably handled his assignments, holding opponents to an impressive 54.2 passer rating in 11 games, a noteworthy figure for a CB3. Given their need for reliable depth at the position,
Minnesota would benefit from re-signing him as CB4 insurance. A reunion feels mutually beneficial. Stay tuned.
Harrison Smith (S)
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Although the Vikings officially released Smith last month, his career in Minnesota may not be over. He was re-energized at the end of 2025, playing his best ball in December and January.
The Vikings will open him back with open arms if he’s not ready for retirement. The prospect of the Vikings contending in 2026 with Kyler Murray while Smith is absent feels incongruous. What if they won the Super Bowl without him? Should send shivers down your spine.
The Viking Age‘s Adam Patrick noted on Smith last month, “It seems safe to assume that if Smith comes back for the 2026 season, it will be in a Minnesota uniform and not with another team. The All-Pro defender has spent his entire NFL career with the Vikings, and there haven’t been any indications that he would want to join another franchise.”
“What are the chances of Smith returning for another season in Minnesota? Well, Brian Flores remaining the Vikings’ defensive coordinator for at least another year doesn’t hurt. Smith has expressed multiple times in the past how much he loves playing in Flores’ defense, and Minnesota’s defensive play-caller would obviously love to have his top safety back on the field in 2026.”
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Jeff Okudah (CB)
Okudah struggled to find his footing in Minnesota. Injuries hampered his performance, and opponents frequently targeted him with success.
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey breaks free from Minnesota Vikings cornerback Jeff Okudah, creating separation for a touchdown catch in second-half action Oct 23, 2025, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The scoring play highlighted McConkey’s route-running and speed against Minnesota’s secondary coverage. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
His career has veered significantly from the high expectations that accompanied him as a top three draft pick in 2020. The consistent talent that made him a coveted prospect has been elusive, giving the Vikings little incentive to re-sign him.
His career may be on the verge of irrelevance.
John Wolford (QB)
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Wolford served as the emergency quarterback last season, providing a veteran option during periods of injury and roster instability. While valuable in the short term, this role rarely offers long-term security. As Minnesota moves in a different direction in 2026, Wolford will likely seek practice squad opportunities or emergency depth roles with another team.
Justin Skule (LT)
Skule presented a compelling case for re-signing early in the offseason. Given Christian Darrisaw’s recovery from a significant knee injury and the unpredictable nature of offensive line recoveries, tackle depth is crucial. Furthermore, Brian O’Neill’s age underscores the need.
Skule provided solid snaps for the Vikings in 2025, demonstrating the reliability and composure expected of a swing tackle. But Minnesota signed Ryan Van Demark from the Buffalo Bills, effectively ruling out a Skule contract.
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San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Justin Skule stands on the field during pregame moments, preparing for kickoff and working through final adjustments Sep 13, 2020, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Skule readied himself for action along the offensive line ahead of a matchup with the Arizona Cardinals. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Our Kyle Joudry wrote about Skule two weeks ago, “In saying ‘yes’ to OT Ryan Van Demark, the Vikings seem to be saying ‘no’ to OT Justin Skule. The decision is to move on, at least if the expected occurs. In fairness, the decision to say goodbye to Justin Skule isn’t totally shocking.”
“At any point, Minnesota could have re-signed him in January, February, or the early portion of March since he was an in-house employee. And then there was Kwesi Adofo-Mensah seemingly tipping the team’s hand, publicly explaining (before being fired) that the team would look to improve at OT3.”
Matt Nelson (LT)
Nelson represents the type of roster depth typically considered when planning the practice squad. His quiet presence in free agency reflects the league’s perception of his limited role. While not without value, his opportunities are restricted, and he appears destined to remain on the fringes of rosters.
Minnesota, in theory, could sign him as a depth guy after the draft.
NEW DELHI: Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru continued their dream run in IPL 2026 with a commanding 43-run victory over Chennai Super Kings at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday, powered by a sensational batting display and timely strikes with the ball.Put in to bat, RCB endured a cautious start on a slightly tacky surface, going boundary-less in the first three overs. Virat Kohli looked the most assured early on, while Phil Salt gradually found his rhythm. The innings gained momentum after the PowerPlay, with Salt (46) and Devdutt Padikkal stitching a crucial stand.
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Padikkal then took charge, compiling a fluent 50 off 29 balls to anchor the innings.However, the real carnage unfolded in the death overs. Following Padikkal’s dismissal, skipper Rajat Patidar joined forces with Tim David, and the duo unleashed a brutal assault. David was particularly destructive, smashing an unbeaten 70 off just 25 balls, including eight towering sixes. Patidar played the perfect foil with a blistering 48* off 19 deliveries as RCB surged to a massive 250/3.In reply, CSK’s chase got off to a shaky start. Jacob Duffy struck early to remove both Ruturaj Gaikwad and Sanju Samson, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar dismissed Ayush Mhatre to leave them reeling. Despite the early setbacks, Sarfaraz Khan launched a stunning counterattack, racing to a 24-ball fifty and propelling CSK to 77 in the PowerPlay.Just when CSK looked to rebuild, Krunal Pandya turned the game on its head, dismissing Sarfaraz with his very first delivery and removing Kartik Sharma soon after. A spectacular one-handed catch by Jitesh Sharma to dismiss Shivam Dube further dented the chase.Though Prashant Veer (43) and Jamie Overton (37) offered resistance, the required rate kept climbing. Bhuvneshwar (3/41) and Krunal (2/36) ensured regular breakthroughs, while Suyash Sharma impressed with his control.CSK were eventually bowled out for 207 in 19.4 overs, falling well short. With this emphatic win, RCB not only extend their winning streak but also reinforce their status as early title contenders. On the other hand, CSK now find themselves at the bottom of the table with three back-to-back defeats in the new season. Brief score: RCB 250/3 (20 overs) beat CSK 207 all out (19.4 overs) by 43 runs
Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) side Kun Khalifat FC have announced the death of their team manager, Ekpemadu Chigioke.
The sad news was shared by the Imo State-based club on their official social media handle on Sunday, April 5, 2026.
In a short statement, the club wrote:
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“Farewell, Our brother Ekpemadu Chigioke ️
Your passion as the team manager and player, dedication, and impact will never be forgotten.
Rest in peace… till we meet again.
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#ThePrideOfImo | #WeAreKunKhalifatFC”
The cause of his death was not disclosed by the club.
Chigioke’s passing is a big blow to Kun Khalifat FC, especially as the team is set to face Nasarawa United in an NPFL away match later on Sunday.
Tributes have already started to pour in from fans, players, and members of the football community, who have described him as a committed and passionate figure in the club.
Lola Vice competes against Kendal Grey during NXT at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York on March 31, 2026.(Rich Freeda/WWE)
The match was fast-paced and featured hard-hitting action as all competitors tried to make quick work of each other.
Grey and Vice quickly picked up where they left off on Tuesday night. The two grappled for control and tried to get quick pins on each other after throwing Jayne out of the ring. No woman had the upper hand in the very beginning, but the match quickly moved outside the ring. Jayne threw Grey into the stairs while Vice hit a Meteora on the champ to take advantage.
Jayne came in with some momentum. She already defeated Grey and Vice in the past. She had her Toxic Influence stablemates, Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid, on the outside of the ring and in her corner. Grey also had the backing of Wren Sinclar, while Vice only had herself.
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Jayne tried her darndest to keep it a one-on-one match, tossing either Grey or Vice out of the ring to keep the numbers even inside of it. She showed her veteran abilities often throughout the match.
Kendal Grey competes against Lola Vice during NXT at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York on March 31, 2026.(Rich Freeda/WWE)
But Grey, who won the Iron Survivor Challenge when she was still the Evolve women’s champion, would not be beaten down – neither would Vice. The Cuban American pro wrestler used her own mixed martial arts background to keep her opponents at bay.
Just as Jayne thought she was going to get a pin on Grey, Vice – who was on the outside of the ring – put Grey’s foot on the rope to break the count. Toxic Influence got into the mix, but Sinclar hit a crossbody on the outside and sent Jayne’s partners running.
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Vice tried to put Grey into a sleeper. Jayne forced Grey out of the ring. Vice hit Jayne with a spinning backfist and pinned Jayne for the win.
It is Vice’s first title reign and she becomes a double champion with the victory as she also holds the AAA world mixed tag team championship with Mr. Iguana. She’s the first Cuban American female to hold the women’s championship in NXT.
NXT women’s champion Jacy Jayne addresses the crowd during NXT’s Vengeance Day on March 7, 2026, in Orlando, Florida.(Conor Kvatek/WWE via Getty Images)
Vice made her NXT debut in 2023 and earned her first title shot after winning the NXT Breakout Tournament.
The Boston Celtics trade-deadline acquisition will be back in the lineup on Sunday.
Centre Nikola Vucevic will return against the Toronto Raptors (3:30 p.m. ET / 12:30 p.m. PT on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+), the team announced.
Vucevic has been sidelined since suffering a fractured right ring finger against the Dallas Mavericks on March 6. He required surgery to repair the fracture.
The 35-year-old Montenegrin averaged 10.4 points and 21.7 minutes in 12 games with Boston after coming over from the Chicago Bulls.
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The Celtics sit second in the Eastern Conference and have already clinched a spot in the postseason.
Errol Spence Jr is on the brink of his long-awaited return after nearly three years out of the ring.
The Former unified welterweight champion hasn’t fought since his undisputed showdown with Terence Crawford back in July 2023.
Heading into the bout, it was seen as a 50-50 affair, with Spence arguably even a slight favourite, but instead it was Crawford who earned a dominant ninth round stoppage win to claim all four world titles at 147lbs.
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A number of factors have kept Spence out of action since then, including injuries and failed negotiations with other fighters, but now his imminent return has moved a step closer after his planned next opponent won his interim bout over the weekend.
Former WBO super-welterweight champion Tim Tszyu is the man in question, as he secured a one-sided unanimous decision win over Denis Nurja, and then had a callout for Spence immediately after the contest.
“Me and Errol is going to be one hell of a fight, it’s a banger. You know how I am, I don’t take a backwards step. If he wants to meet me at the front, bring it on. You know what they say, catch the big fish. Let’s go fishing.”
It didn’t take Spence long to respond, as posting on social media, he promised to deal with Tszyu convincingly.
“You think sh*t sweet [I’mma] do you so bad!”
The clash between Spence and Tszyu had reportedly been lined up to take place in June, but the Australian did suffer a cut in his bout against Nurja, which could potentially delay proceedings.
Q: Dear Chef, I’m struggling with the chipping yips. Any easy remedies? —Kyle M., Wilmette, Ill
Kyle, I feel for you. The chipping yips are a huge bummer and can happen to anyone. Even Tiger Woods suffered from them for a while, back in 2015. But he bounced back, and so can you!
Try this simple solution: Next time you’re hitting shots around the practice green, add a toe tap with your lead foot before you swing through to impact. You can do this in a variety of ways, even pausing your swing at the halfway point. The goal is to make sure you’re getting that toe tap in before you start your through swing to impact.
Not only does thinking about the toe tap help you get out of your head and ease the anxiety of the impending strike, it also encourages you to have your weight properly positioned throughout the swing.
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You’ll find much more of McLachlin’s advice at ShortGameChef.com, which provides golfers with a comprehensive resource to improve their short games. Through personalized tips, drills and expert insights, McLachlin helps players of all levels gain more confidence and a deeper understanding of their short game to lower their scores. You can browse membership options here.
The Houston Astros have placed right-handed starting pitcher Hunter Brown on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to April 2, with a right shoulder strain, the team announced Sunday. There’s no word just yet as to the severity of the injury, but anything about the shoulder is always at least slightly worrisome with pitchers.
Brown is, of course, quite important, too. The Astros entered Sunday with a 6-3 record, good for first place in the AL West here in the very early going. Brown is their ace and Opening Day starter who finished third in AL Cy Young voting last season after going 12-9 with a 2.43 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 206 strikeouts in 185 ⅓ innings.
The 27-year-old pitcher first felt something while throwing a bullpen on Friday, manager Joe Espada told reporters Sunday (via MLB.com).
So far this season in two outings, Brown is 1-0 with a 0.84 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 10 ⅔ innings. For whatever it’s worth, his velocity was down a bit last start, but it was nothing that would’ve raised any obvious red flags. It was fractional.
This marks the first time Brown has been on the IL in his major-league career.
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Brown entered Sunday fourth on the odds board for the American League Cy Young, via Caesars.
As for the Astros, the remainder of their rotation at present is Mike Burrows, Cristian Javier, Tatsuya Imai and Lance McCullers Jr. Spencer Arrighetti and Jason Alexander are in Triple-A and are reasonable options to replace Brown. Brown was lined up to start Monday, however, and Arrighetti just pitched on Friday. Alexander, meanwhile, went on Wednesday and would be on regular rest Monday — meaning Alexander fits perfectly for now and if the Astros would prefer Arrighetti they could reconfigure things later. All of that is likely dependent on how just how long Brown is expected to be out.
Right-hander Christian Roa was recalled from Triple-A to take Brown’s roster spot.
A bogey at the 18th left Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre with the narrowest of advantages after the third round of the weather-interrupted Texas Open on Sunday.
The world number 11 had seen his lead reduced from four shots to two by Swedish playing partner Ludvig Aberg through six holes when storms caused the third round to be suspended on Saturday.
When action resumed in San Antonio with players to complete both their third and fourth rounds, MacIntyre picked up a shot at his opening hole to give him a bit of breathing space over his rivals, only to drop a shot at the ninth.
The 29-year-old had looked on course for a two-shot advantage thanks to some solid play, but dropped another shot at the last for a round of 72 to see his lead down to one.
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Aberg resumed with two bogeys in his first three holes but timely birdies at the 14th and 17th kept him in contention.
Also on the same mark are American Michael Kim, who shot a third round of 66 and his compatriot Andrew Putnam and Ryo Hisatsune who had 67s.
England’s Matt Wallace moved into contention with a round of 64 as he chased a second PGA Tour career win.
Sue Bird, a Basketball Hall of Famer and WNBA legend, dismissed the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) assertion that its policy change was to protect women’s sports.
Bird agreed with American Olympic runner Nikki Hiltz, who identifies as transgender nonbinary and wrote that the IOC was “not solving a problem that exists.” The former Seattle Storm star said the policy was just “fearmongering.”
Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird pose for a photo during the 2025 WNBA All Star Skills Challenge at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind., on July 18, 2025.(Trevor Ruszkowski/Imagn Images)
“That kinda sums it up for me because what’s being presented as this huge issue that we have to protect women. It’s not,” Bird said speaking to Megan Rapinoe on their “A Touch More” podcast. “What it is is fearmongering, and you brought up the (Trump) administration, for them to get votes. That’s all this is. It’s all that it’s ever been in my opinion.
“I think the other part is a reminder. What we have always talked about and focused on is, if you open this door, if you crack this door open, it gets blown open and you’re not policing women’s bodies across the board. I feel very sad about this. So, to kind of circle back to how we started, just want to send so much love to the trans community.”
IOC President Kirsty Coventry speaks to volunteers, ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026. (Daniele Mascolo/Pool Photo via AP)
The IOC said “eligibility for any female category event at the Olympic Games or any other IOC event, including individual and team sports, is now limited to biological females, determined on the basis of a one‑time SRY gene screening.”
The organization added that the policy was “evidence-based” and “expert-informed.” The testing can be conducted via saliva, cheek swab or blood sample.
A presentation at a World Athletics panel in Tokyo in September revealed that 50 to 60 athletes with male biological advantages have been finalists in the female category at global and continental championships since 2000.
Retired United States soccer player Megan Rapinoe looks on before a SheBelieves Cup match against Colombia at Sports Illustrated Stadium on March 7, 2026 in Harrison, New Jersey. (Brad Smith/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images)
The panel was led by the head of the World Athletics Health and Science Department, Dr. Stéphane Bermon, who said sex tests were necessary because of an “over-representation” of DSD (differences of sex development) athletes among finalists, per multiple reports.
Fox News’ Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 16: Jannik Sinner of Italy speaks during a press conference ahead of the 2026 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 16, 2026 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)
Jannik Sinner gave fans a different side of himself in a recent vlog with coach Darren Cahill, mixing humor with honest reflections on his journey.
The light moment came when Cahill pressed him about his motorbike test:
Darren: “How many times have you failed your motorbike license?” Jannik: “Why do you bring this up?” Darren: “How many times?” Jannik: “We have to be specific” Darren: “How many times?” Jannik: “3 times”
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Away from the jokes, Sinner also spoke about what his life could have looked like outside tennis.
“Realistically, I would maybe work in a kitchen with my dad. He’s a cook, he used to be a cook. I couldn’t see myself being a pro ski racer because of certain reasons. I believe something realistic could be working in the kitchen with my dad & having bigger ambitions there.”
He then reflected on the moments that have defined his career so far.
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“For me there are two moments. One when I reached #1 in 2024. The other one was when I won Wimbledon. That for me, it was not even a dream. It was unrealistic when I was young to win such a big tournament. The more you go on, you believe in yourself, you try to do better. Winning that title with my parents there, my brother, great friends… it was for sure the happiest moment I’ve ever had on a tennis court.”
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