Vikings d-lineman Elijah Williams is a success story playing out in real time. Already, the young fella has exceeded expectations by going from offseason tryout to UDFA contract to 53-man roster.
Williams, quite evidently, isn’t incapable of overcoming long odds.
After the second day of minicamp at TCO Performance Center,Vikings Territory had the chance to chat with the Vikings d-lineman for a few minutes. Doing so offered an opportunity to learn a bit more about his comfort level going into his sophomore season, how he has been building his body, and working under the coaching from Ryan Nielsen.
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Vikings D-Lineman Elijah Williams is Back and Burly
Williams likes the teaching he’s getting from Coach Nielsen.
Being able to watch the defensive line coach go to work is a treat. He’s ultra specific in his instructions, leaving little room for ambiguity about how to defeat blockers. Williams has noticed: “I love it because he’s just going to make sure that you’re doing the right thing and you understand why you’re doing it. He’s a great coach.”
“That hands on really helps,” Williams clarified, “and you can tell, you can feel his enthusiasm.”
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Aug 9, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver John Metchie III (8) evades Minnesota Vikings defensive end Elijah Williams (99) in the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images
After saying that he’s feeling healthy and well, Elijah Williams described adding on some size to better thrive in the rough-and-tumble life of an NFL lineman.
Williams explained that he’s sitting at 305 and that that has been intentional: “I’m going to stay in that range, it feels better for taking on double teams.” Any lineman living on the inside needs to be able to soak up blocks, but generally it’s a 1T — shaded on the center — who clogs running lanes while demanding a pair of blockers. Williams foresees some of that regardless of being a touch closer to the end of the line.
Last season, Williams played in seven games, earning 9 tackles within his 42 snaps on defense and 29 snaps on special teams. He’ll be looking to increase his workload and his production.
Describing a willingness to play essentially “everywhere” given Brian Flores’ proclivity for shuffling players around, Williams said that he feels “very comfortable.” Part of that has meant “less nervousness,” thereby allowing him to focus on his “technique.”
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“I’m just trying to take it day by day. I just want to be better than I was last year. Make more of an impact on this team,” Williams said.
Oct 20, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; New Orleans Saints co defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
As things stand, Jalen Redmond is the top player along the defensive line. He’ll be supported by a pair of rookies in Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange. Moreover, Levi Drake Rodriguez is a noticeable presence on the field, offering great burst and energy. He, too, will be somebody who is very important.
Lost in the shuffle, perhaps, is Elijah Williams. The 23-year-old Vikings d-lineman is unlikely to be the second coming of Kevin Williams, but he’s a good ball player who has shown a knack for winning an uphill battle.
The defender is back and heavier. Ideally, that allows him to prove sturdier at the line of scrimmage as he helps a team undergoing a broader youth movement within the front seven.
Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has been praised by defender Josko Gvardiol for his early sessions with the team.
Enzo Maresca has been called a ‘perfect’ choice to replace Pep Guardiola as Manchester City players enjoy working with the new manager. Maresca took on the daunting challenge of succeeding one of the greatest coaches in the game when he left the Etihad in May after a decade at the club.
All eyes are on Maresca and City to see how they will cope without Guardiola, and their rivals are relishing the prospect of no longer having to compete with the Catalan. Maresca has built his reputation as a head coach over the last three years though and relished the opportunity to take charge at the Etihad after leaving Chelsea last season.
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It is still early days for the squad with many still resting after the World Cup, but those players who have started to work with the new coach have been impressed by his training sessions. City defender Josko Gvardiol described Maresca as perfect for the way that he and the team want to play going forward.
“The level is that high and Enzo has been chosen with reason as the manager,” he said. “I think he has a quality, has some new ideas and also we need to see what we’re going to do [with] the style of [play], the football we are going to play and the tactics and everything. I think he is a perfect one, but of course it takes time.
“It’s something totally new, it’s not easy to change the manager, so we will take time. It’s our job to help him as much as possible and also to listen to try to adapt as quick as possible.”
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Gvardiol was speaking in a wide-ranging interview covering the disappointment of last season and why he will have to play through the pain barrier this season. You can read the full article here.
He is one of #France’s most memorable #football players: nearly thirty years later after helping ‘Les Bleus’ win their first #WorldCup – and twenty years after his infamous #redcard, Zinedine #Zidane is coming back to coach the squad.
Jul 31, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Detroit Tigers shortstop Kevin McGonigle (7) hits a sacrifice fly during the fourth inning of the game against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images
Kevin McGonigle, Gleyber Torres and Max Clark each homered and drove in two runs apiece as the Detroit Tigers notched an 8-6 victory over the Athletics on Saturday night at West Sacramento, Calif.
McGonigle had three hits on a night in which the Tigers reportedly dealt two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal to the Los Angeles Dodgers for three prospects ahead of Monday’s trade deadline.
Colt Keith and Spencer Torkelson each had two hits and one RBI, and Clark, Torres and Eduardo Valencia also had two hits apiece as the Tigers beat the Athletics for the second straight night. Detroit has outscored the A’s 21-7.
Framber Valdez (6-7) allowed two runs and nine hits over seven innings for the Tigers. The left-hander struck out six and walked two.
Henry Bolte had three hits, including a three-run homer, and Tommy White also had three safeties for the Athletics, who have dropped seven of eight games and 28 of 35.
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White and Lawrence Butler singled to start the eighth and Kyle Finnegan retired Jeff McNeil on a flyball before Bolte crushed his three-run blast to center to pull the Athletics within 8-5.
Kenley Jansen allowed a run in the ninth while recording his 13rd save. He allowed a leadoff double to Tyler Soderstrom and struck out the next two batters. Soderstrom, who had moved to third on a wild pitch, scored easily on McNeil’s bunt single before Bolte flew out to left to end it.
Athletics All-Star Nick Kurtz sat out due to his right thumb injury flaring up.
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Jack Perkins (2-7) of the A’s was roughed up for six runs and nine hits over 5 1/3 innings. The right-hander struck out a career-high nine and walked one.
Detroit moved ahead in the fifth as McGonigle hit a single and Torres followed with a two-run blast to right-center to give the Tigers a 4-2 lead.
The Tigers added two in the sixth as Torkelson singled and Clark followed with a two-run shot to right-center. Clark, Detroit’s top prospect, is 5-for-9 with a homer after two big league games.
Torkelson hit an RBI single in the seventh to give the Tigers a 7-2 lead. McGonigle’s run-scoring in the eighth made it a six-run margin.
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McGonigle hit the third pitch of the game the opposite way and over the wall in left.
Later in the inning, Keith stroked an RBI single to make it 2-0.
The Athletics got a run back in the third when Jacob Wilson singled, White reached on a two-out infield single and Butler singled in Wilson from third.
In the fourth, Bolte led off with a ground-rule double and moved to third on an infield out. He later scored on Wilson’s fielder’s choice.
Aug 1, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Timbers midfielder David Da Costa (10) controls the ball during the first half against Seattle Sounders FC defender Kalani Kossa-Rienzi (85) at Providence Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images
Brandon Bye scored in the 82nd minute as the Portland Timbers rallied for a 2-1 victory against the visiting Seattle Sounders in a Cascadia Cup clash Saturday night.
Kevin Kelsy scored his team-leading ninth goal of the season for the Timbers (7-8-3, 24 points), who improved to 3-0-1 under interim coach Jack Cassidy. Goalkeeper James Pantemis made two saves.
Kalani Kossa-Rienzi scored for Seattle (7-7-3, 24 points), which suffered its franchise-record sixth straight defeat. Goalkeeper Andrew Thomas was credited with three saves.
The go-ahead goal came after Portland’s Cole Bassett passed to David Da Costa at the top left corner of the 18-yard box. Da Costa spun and sent a pass across the top of the penalty area to Bye, whose right-footed shot from 20 yards eluded a pair of defenders and a diving Thomas on its way into the lower left corner of the net.
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The Sounders opened the scoring in the 27th minute. Paul Rothrock’s cross from the left wing for Osaze De Rosario was headed away from the top of the 6-yard box by Timbers defender Kamal Miller. The ball fell to Kossa-Rienzi and his left-footed shot from 18 yards out found the lower right corner of the net.
The Timbers tied it in the 41st minute after working the ball down the left wing. Kristoffer Velde’s cross from the edge of the penalty area was slightly deflected by Sounders defender Stuart Hawkins before glancing off Kelsy’s left thigh and into the net from close range. A video review determined Kelsy was just onside on the play.
Rusnak had a chance in the dying seconds of the half, but his shot from the top right of the 6-yard box sliced into the side netting.
Seattle’s Paul Arriola, getting the start at right back, had to come off in the seventh minute because of an apparent lower right leg injury and was replaced by Kossa-Rienzi.
The 2026 Rocket Classic continues on Sunday with the fourth round at Detroit Golf Club in Detroit. You can find full Rocket Classic tee times for Sunday’s fourth round at the bottom of this post.
Rocket Classic Round 4 tee times: What to know
Sunday, Michael Brennan will be in a final-round final pairing. Just like he was just about a year ago. And that happened close to where Brennan is now.
Last year’s tee time came at the BioSteel Championship on the PGA Tour Americas circuit, and the event was played at Ambassador Golf Club in Windsor, Ontario, which is about 15 miles south of Detroit Golf Club, site of this week’s Rocket Classic, where Brennan will start Sunday’s final round in second. Brennan went on to win the BioSteel, then he won twice more on the PGA Tour Americas tour before winning the PGA Tour’s Bank of Utah Championship, securing a PGA Tour card.
“Windsor was such a huge week for me last year on the Americas Tour because it was my first win. I felt like it had been coming,” Brennan said. “I had been close a few times prior and to get over the hump was cool. Hopefully the location, having it be so close, rubs off some good vibes for tomorrow.”
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Would he have thought at the BioSteel that a year later, he’d be in a position for his second PGA Tour win?
“I was playing good golf, but it’s tough to think that way,” he said. “You don’t want to get too far ahead of yourself because then if you think that and you’re playing on the Americas Tour, it can be frustrating. But I have just tried to be confident in my game. Very grateful that it’s gotten me to this point.”
Sunday, Brennan will start the final round one shot behind leader Davis Riley. Riley, Brennan and Rasmus Hojgaard will make up the final grouping, and they tee off at 12:45 p.m. ET. You can watch Sunday’s final round of the 2026 Rocket Classic from 1-3 p.m. ET on Golf Channel and then 3-6 p.m. ET on CBS. PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ will also provide exclusive early streaming coverage on Sunday, in addition to featured group and featured hole coverage.
Check out the complete Round 4 tee times and pairings for the Rocket Classic below.
Aug 1, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Kevin Gausman (34) pitches to the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images
In possibly his final start for Toronto, Kevin Gausman allowed one run in 5 2/3 innings as the Blue Jays defeated the visiting St. Louis Cardinals 5-1 on Saturday to clinch the three-game series.
Gausman (5-10), a pending free agent who may be dealt by the trade deadline on Monday, scattered nine hits, walked one and struck out four.
George Springer had two hits and two RBIs for the Blue Jays, who have won three in a row. Alejandro Kirk added a two-run single.
Alec Burleson, Jordan Walker and Blaze Jordan each had two hits for the Cardinals, who lost their third straight despite outhitting Toronto 11-9. St. Louis was 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position and stranded 11.
Gausman survived three singles in the third with the help of a double play grounder.
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The Blue Jays scored once in third against Quinn Mathews (0-1), who was making his major league debut. Davis Schneider led off with a walk, took second on Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s one-out single to right and scored on Springer’s two-out single past shortstop Masyn Winn.
Toronto took a 2-0 lead in the fourth. Ernie Clement singled to lead off and took third on a double by Myles Straw on a drive that popped out of the glove of diving center fielder Nathan Church approaching the warning track. With one out, Luis Urias lofted a sacrifice fly to center.
The Cardinals scored their only run in the sixth. Ivan Herrera doubled to left-center and scored on Winn’s one-out double to right-center. After Church grounded out, Gausman left to a long standing ovation and Braydon Fisher took over.
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Mathews was replaced by Luis Gastelum after Daulton Varsho’s bunt single opened the sixth. Matthews allowed two runs, six hits and three walks with three strikeouts in five-plus innings.
Toronto stretched the lead to 5-1 in the seventh.
Gastelum plunked pinch hitter Andres Gimenez, Guerrero followed with an infield hit to shortstop and Springer sliced a double to the right field corner past a diving Walker. Peter Strzelecki came in and gave up Kirk’s two-run single to right.
As a result, ‘Boots’ has now set his sights on becoming the undisputed super-welterweight king, rather than focusing on a long-awaited showdown with Vergil Ortiz.
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But while collecting all four major belts would, indeed, be a phenomenal achievement, it must be said that Ortiz represents his most commercially viable option.
Even after having not fought since his second-round stoppage of Erickson Lubin in November, the 28-year-old is still repeatedly mentioned in the same breath as Ennis.
More importantly, though, Ortiz is now free to revisit the negotiating table after reaching a promotional settlement with Oscar De La Hoya and Golden Boy.
Speaking with YSM Sports Media, the American even claimed that fans would rather see him collide with the 6ft 6in ‘Towering Inferno’ than Ortiz.
“It’s still on the table but, right now, we’re collecting belts. I feel like the two guys with the belts [would make for] bigger fights right now. I feel like Fundora is a bigger fight [than Ortiz].
“Everybody wants to see that fight. Vergil Ortiz is a good fight but no one really wants to see it, because I’m going to knock him out.
“I’d rather fight the tall guy [Fundora] that y’all think is this monster, get him out of there, and then I’ll run through the whole division.”
While preferring Fundora, Ennis could instead enter a three-belt unification match against Josh Kelly, who retained his IBF title with a hard-fought victory over Caoimhin Agyarko last Saturday.
A scary training camp collision briefly threatened Cyrus Allen’s strong start with the Kansas City Chiefs, but the rookie wide receiver appeared to avoid a serious injury.
Initial tests showed Allen sustained only a shin bruise, with no tear or broken bone, ESPN reported, citing sources.
Allen was not the only Chiefs receiver to have an injury scare Saturday. Xavier Worthy went down during an 11-on-11 period after hauling in a deep pass near the end zone and landing on his shoulder.
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy receives a pass during practice at Chiefs training camp in St. Joseph, Missouri, on Aug. 1, 2026.(Roman Puno/Cal Sport Media/Sipa USA)
Worthy has already dealt with shoulder-related concerns early in his NFL career. He injured his right shoulder on the third snap of last season after colliding with tight end Travis Kelce on a crossing route during a game against the Los Angeles Chargers. Worthy later underwent an offseason procedure to address the injury.
Allen went down Saturday during a special teams period as the Chiefs practiced pooch punts. He and defensive back Kaiir Elam, both lined up as gunners, ran into each other near the goal line while attempting to track down the ball. Elam got up and walked off, but Allen stayed on the grass before two staffers helped him onto a cart.
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Cyrus Allen runs drills during the team’s mandatory minicamp at the Chiefs practice facility in Kansas City, Missouri, on June 9, 2026.(Denny Medley/Imagn Images)
Allen appeared to shake his head before covering his face with his jersey.
Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub said Allen had been making a strong push for a role before the injury.
“I hate to see somebody get hurt, especially on a special teams drill,” Toub said. “We’ll see how he is. He’s really doing well on offense, and he’s doing well for me too. He’s at gunner and returner, and he’s doing a real good job, putting himself in a good position to be a guy that’s going to help us this year.”
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Cyrus Allen was helped up after an apparent injury during practice at Chiefs training camp in St. Joseph, Missouri, on Aug. 1, 2026.(Roman Puno/Cal Sport Media/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect)
Toub added that Chiefs rookies are always asked to put in work during special team drills.
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“Anytime you have a rookie, everybody is on special teams until they aren’t, until they establish themselves, whether it’s a starter on offense or defense,” he said.
The Chiefs took Allen in the fifth round of April’s draft, and he quickly emerged as one of Patrick Mahomes’ go-to targets early in camp. Allen has led Kansas City’s wide receivers in catches during 11-on-11 periods.
The 2026 trade deadline is set for Monday, Aug. 3, and the deals look like they could go right down to the last minute
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1 min read
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Tarik Skubal is headed to the Dodgers and the first — and biggest — domino of the trade deadline has fallen.
The muddled standings in almost every division and both wild-card races have turned the 2026 deadline into a seller’s paradise. Where do teams like the Brewers, Rays and Phillies turn for starting pitching now? Do the Red Sox go all in after their 15-game winning streak turned them into buyers? Just how deep will the Mets tear it down?
The deadline is set for 6 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 3, and it looks like the deals will come down to the last minute as teams try to figure out if they’re really playoff contenders or simply the beneficiaries of mediocrity in the first half.
CBS Sports will be keeping track of every trade below.
The reigning champion Los Angeles Dodgers are acquiring left-handed starter and back-to-back American League Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal in a blockbuster trade with the Detroit Tigers, ESPN reports. In return, the Tigers are receiving a package headlined by outfielder Zyhir Hope, along with right-handers River Ryan and Brady Smith.
With the deadline trade, the Dodgers, already boasting a roster and rotation stuffed with stars, have acquired the top talent available in their mission to win the World Series for a third straight season.
The 29-year-old Skubal, who’s slated for free agency this coming offseason, missed time earlier this season after undergoing arthroscopic elbow surgery. While that injury likely removed him from contention for a third straight Cy Young award, he’s still pitched at an ace level when healthy:
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Armed with a blazing fastball and a repertoire filled with plus offerings, Skubal during his 2024 and 2025 Cy Young campaigns was simply dominant. Across 62 starts and 387 ⅓ combined innings in those seasons, Skubal put up an ERA of 2.30 while striking out 31.2% of opposing batters and amassing a WAR of 13.1. With the deal, Skubal becomes the first pitcher to be traded in the offseason or season following a Cy Young win since R.A. Dickey in 2012.
Skubal will be owed the remainder of a $32 million salary for this season, and because he was traded in-season, he’s now ineligible to receive a qualifying offer from the Dodgers.
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For the Tigers, the decision to trade Skubal was not an obvious one. While they’ve been among the most disappointing teams in baseball this season, they’ve played stronger than their record at an underlying level. As well, the bar for contention in the American League this season is quite low. Ultimately, though, lead decision-maker Scott Harris decided that getting something in return for Skubal before he hits free agency was in the organization’s best interests.
As for the Dodgers, they add Skubal to a high-end rotation that presently is quite compromised by injury. Shohei Ohtani is presently limited to DH duty because of knee and bicep issues, and it’s not certain when he’ll be able to return to the mound. Tyler Glasnow, meanwhile, has been sidelined since early May with back spasms. While he may be able to begin a minor-league rehab assignment soon, a pitcher with Glasnow’s injury history carries no guarantees. Elsewhere, Blake Snell has made only one start this season. He underwent surgery to remove bone chips in his elbow back in May. He’s on rehab assignment presently, but, like Glasnow, Snell has a substantial injury history that can’t be ignored. The Dodgers also have no idea when Gavin Stone will be able to pitch again as he continues an uncertain recovery from a spring shoulder injury.
The goal in acquiring Skubal to join the front of the rotation alongside Yoshinobu Yamamoto is, in true Dodger fashion, to win the World Series. On that front, Skubal for his career has made six playoff starts, and in those starts he’s put up an ERA of 2.04 with 56 strikeouts and just five unintentional walks in 39 ⅔ innings. A secondary and related motivation on the part of the Dodgers and lead exec Andrew Friedman was to keep Skubal away from teams that figure to challenge the Dodgers for the pennant; the Braves and Phillies have been tied to Skubal in recent days and weeks, and the Brewers — with perhaps the strongest farm system in the game — have been strongly linked. Instead, it’s another needle-moving, headline-grabbing addition by Friedman and MLB‘s contemporary dynasty.
The Tigers’ return
On the return front, the package going back to the Tigers is fronted by Hope, a 21-year-old former 11th-rounder out of a Virginia high school. Coming into the season, CBS Sports ranked Hope as the No. 36 prospect in all of baseball. Here’s part of that write-up:
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“Hope, the best part of the return on Michael Busch, batted .266/.376/.428 with 13 home runs and 27 stolen bases while spending most of the year in High-A. He’s a physical left-handed hitter with clear loft to his swing. He knows how to lift and pull the ball, which is a good thing given his innate strength. Hope also possesses a patient approach that, when married to his swing-and-miss tendencies (he connected on fewer than 70% of his swings in High-A), could result in an uncomfortably high strikeout rate. A larger sample of him in Double-A should reveal just how high.”
He’s improved that already impressive standing with a strong season to date. In 94 games for Double-A Tulsa, Hope has a slash line of .293/.369/.530 with 23 home runs and 18 stolen bases. Overall, he has an .862 OPS across parts of four minor league seasons. Hope in 2026 has split time between the outfield corners.
Ryan, who soon turns 28, made four highly effective starts for the Dodgers in 2024, and this season he’s made eight starts in Triple-A in his comeback from Tommy John surgery, which he underwent in August of 2024. The 21-year-old Smith, who was recently promoted to High-A, has a 4.36 ERA in 21 starts this season with 113 strikeouts and 30 walks in 74 ⅓ innings.
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