Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah addresses reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine on Feb. 25, 2025, in Indianapolis, Indiana, speaking at the Indiana Convention Center while evaluating draft prospects and league trends. The annual event offered Adofo-Mensah extended access to top college talent as roster planning and long-term personnel strategy remained in focus. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.
If nothing else, Vikings GM former Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is a numbers nerd.
No shortage of attention has been placed on his background as an investor on Wall Street. Prior to getting there, Adofo-Mensah was pursuing an academic path. So, the man has a brain in his head. I, for one, believe that he’ll land on his feet and go on to have a very successful career in the NFL, if that’s his desired route. What’s so cruel — apart from the timing of his firing — is that the league’s financial outlook looks a touch rosier.
Vikings GM Sees Insult Added to Injury
Tom Pelissero of The NFL Network offers the update.
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Kick it over to the best league insider in the business: “The NFL informed clubs today it is projecting a 2026 salary cap in the range of $301.2 million to $305.7 million per club, per source. That would represent another significant jump from this year’s $279.2 million cap number, and nearly $100M than the $208.2M cap in 2022.”
Feb 27, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah talks to the media at the 2024 NFL Combine at Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports.
The outlook for a little while has been Minnesota being in cap debt for roughly $49 million, per Over the Cap. The update now sees things at roughly $41 million.
Obviously, there’s still more work to be done, but every chunk of money helps.
Working against the Vikings (purely from a financial perspective) is that there’s in-house talent that still needs to be re-added. Most prominently, there’s the reality of DT Jalen Redmond needing a new deal. Minnesota has a pile of leverage since the DT1 isn’t a free agent, but he does need a new deal.
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Nevertheless, the budget increase is a nice development. Had the Vikings GM been allowed to remain in his position, Adofo-Mensah would have been pleased.
Dec 24, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah looks on before the game against the New York Giants at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports.
Around the NFL, there will be teams with way more buying power than the Vikings. After all, the vast majority of the league gets the same increase. Toss on the reality that the overwhelming majority of the league was already in a spiffier spot and it’s not as if Minnesota just found $5-$10 million that other teams didn’t.
In other words, the Vikings’ front office won’t be doing cartwheels. Every NFL team turned over the couch cushions and found some spare change, meaning all of the teams are richer (in a sense).
The good news is simply that the in-house subtractions won’t be quite as painful. The added room creates more wiggle room within a budget that desperately needed it. The task now falls to Rob Brzezinski to machete his way through the dense wilderness of the Vikings’ finances.
Look for the Minnesota Vikings to end up somewhere around $20 million in open room by the time the new league year arrives. Getting to that range will allow for some low-end and medium additions alongside maybe one or two higher-end deals that push cap hits into the future.
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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
In the meantime, look for extensions for players like RT Brian O’Neill, OL Blake Brandel, CB Isaiah Rodgers, and LB Blake Cashman, among others. Cornerstone guys like WR Justin Jefferson and EDGE Jonathan Greenard appear to be strong candidates for restructured deals. Some cuts and/or some trades will take care of the rest of the financial issues.
Former Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was going to lead the effort, but Minnesota has pivoted away from that option just ahead of the NFL offering the nice update about the salary cap for 2026.
Paris St. Germain’s Achraf Hakimi in a match against Atalanta in Paris on Sept. 17, 2025.
Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi said that he will stand trial following a rape accusation made against him.
The accusation stems from a February 2023 incident in which a then 24-year-old woman accused the Moroccan player of sexually assaulting her at his home outside of Paris. The public prosecutor’s office in the city’s suburb of Nanterre began a preliminary investigation the following month.
Hakimi has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.
“Today, a rape accusation is enough to justify a trial,” he posted on X. “This is as unjust to the innocent as it is to the genuine victims. I calmly await this trial, which will allow the truth to come out publicly.”
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Hakimi’s lawyer, Fanny Colin, confirmed the order for a trial on Tuesday, with the trial date not yet set.
“A trial has been ordered on the basis of an accusation that rests solely on the word of a woman who obstructed all investigations, refused all medical examinations and DNA tests, refused to allow her mobile phone to be examined, and refused to give the name of a key witness,” Colin said in a statement.
Hakimi, 27, has made 194 appearances for PSG and the vice captain was named to the club’s initial squad for Wednesday’s match against Monaco in the second leg of the club’s Champions League knockout round playoff tie.
PSG coach Luis Enrique said during a press conference on Tuesday ahead of the Monaco match that, “this matter is in the hands of the authorities.”
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Born in Spain, Hakimi represents Morocco on the international stage and helped the team become the first African side to reach the World Cup semifinals when they did so in Qatar in 2022.
Swansea co-owner Snoop Dogg was greeted with twirling towels and a guard of honour on his first visit to the Welsh club.
The American rapper, who is a minority owner of the Championship club alongside American television host Martha Stewart and Croatia international Luka Modric, made his first appearance at the Swansea.com Stadium for Tuesday’s clash with Preston.
Snoop Dogg joined the Swansea ownership group last July and made his way to south-West Wales after being at the Winter Olympics, where he served as Team USA’s honorary coach as well as a special correspondent for broadcaster NBC.
The celebrity visit had created so much excitement that a 21,000 record crowd was expected at the Swansea.com Stadium, which opened in 2005.
Snoop Dogg, who had arrived at the stadium nearly three hours before the 7.45pm kick-off, had requested the crowd to be in their seats ahead of the action to twirl the complimentary towels – a staple action for supporters in American sports.
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The plea post on Swansea’s official X account was accompanied by a short video of the 54-year-old showing how he would like fans to do it.
The fans had obviously watched the video as Snoop took to the field through a guard of honour for Snoop made up of 20 youngsters representing Wales at the 2026 Street Child World Cup in North America.
Dressed in the club’s all-white colours, with a Swansea crest on his jacket, dark glasses and a beanie hat, Snoop made a pre-match lap of honour as fans twirled their towels with rock music booming in the background.
Snoop Dogg saluted the fans, shook hands with some, and had photographs taken with others. Club mascot Cyril the Swan even got a hug.
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He eventually disappeared down the tunnel seven minutes later just before a light show started prior to kick-off.
Snoop Dogg, known for hits like Gin and Juice and Drop It Like It’s Hot, has had a successful three-decade music career, having topped the UK charts and received 16 Grammy nominations.
Nigeria’s women’s national football team has arrived in Yaoundé ahead of their double-header friendly matches against Cameroon as preparations intensify for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Head coach Justine Madugu, his technical crew, home-based players, and the foreign-based contingent all touched down in the Cameroonian capital as the team begins final preparations.
The Super Falcons will face the Indomitable Lionesses on 28 February, with the second friendly scheduled for 3 March.
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Both matches are tests ahead of WAFCON 2026 in Morocco, where Nigeria has been drawn in Group C alongside Malawi, Zambia, and Egypt.
The friendlies provide the technical team an opportunity to assess the players, sharpen match fitness, and fine tune any tactical details before continental competition begins.
With WAFCON on the horizon, the build-up has officially started
Jeeno Thitiful feels grateful, sarcastically so. She’d just been reminded that in four previous appearances at this week’s HSBC Women’s World Championship, she didn’t finish outside the top 10, which was meant to be complimentary.
But Thitiful opted to see it another way.
“Thanks for the pressure,” she deadpanned, then added:
“No worries.”
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That drew smiles, and the symbolism was thicker than any course’s rough.
Pressure, it feels like, is everywhere for Thitikul. It was there at last week’s Honda LPGA Thailand event, Thitikul’s home event, a tournament she considers on par with any major when thinking of value. Then there are the majors themselves. She’s won everything — except one of those. There’s the pressure, too, of being ranked atop the world, because the world then tends to look your way.
And yet?
No worries. To cope, Thitikul said Tuesday she’s swearing by a four-word mantra. It’s a pressure deflator, much like using a touch of sarcasm, and the saying is this:
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Dance in the rain.
That’s deeper. That’s thoughtful. That’s played out over her pressure points.
How Jeeno Thitikul approached pressure during the Honda LPGA Thailand event
Tuesday, Thitiful said she was still a little short on sleep. Adrenaline will do that, and Sunday at the Honda LPGA Thailand, it was flowing. Still, she said she decided that no matter what happened, her home country fans were going to get a show.
“The nerves is always going to be there, but you have to beat the nerves,” she said. “Sometime you get more worried about the future, about what next shot I’m going to do.
“But I told myself, this is the time that you need joy with it, need joy with excitement, need joy with the nervous moments.
“That’s why I kind of try to dance in the rain.”
Then it’s off to the next week, and the chance to do it all over again.
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“I feel like you want just only that day, and then yesterday was like another new day that the trophy wasn’t there anymore,” Thitikul said. “It’s a new week, it’s a new journey, it’s new themes.”
How Jeeno Thitikul will approach pressure during her pursuit of a major win
The theme of Thitikul not yet winning a major has followed her — her best showing was a runner-up finish at last year’s Evian Championship. Still, her thought is: There are five chances this year. And five next year. And so on.
More dances.
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“Obviously when the pressure moment, when the nervous moment coming, you’re not going to get it every time,” Thitikul said. “… You have 10 times, you’re not going to get it 10 times. You’re obviously going to fall for sure.
“But I think the times that you fall, then you learn what the next time you’re going to do. But if you fall, that’s fine. Because you have the 11th time coming again.”
Thitikul also said she learned last week that she doesn’t need a “perfect 100 percent” game to win. In Thailand, she thought her iron play was well below that.
“So I think for the goals for the majors, for whatever, I think that’s kind of always going to be with me,” she said. “That obviously if I’m not a 100 percent of my game, but I have to show out there and be able to bounce back.”
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How Jeeno Thitikul will approach the pressure of being the world No. 1
Interestingly, Thitikul had been ranked No. 1 previously — for a week, after the 2022 Toto Japan Classic, when she was 19. Then, she said she put pressure on herself. But things have changed.
Thoughts have changed.
“It’s definitely different to my perspective of seeing things,” Thitikul said. “Seeing perspective of every way of seeing that because at that time, I think I was so young, and then I just put a lot of pressure on myself. I know a lot of people already had eyes on me and they are already expecting me. … At that time, I see things so serious. Even if I miss one shot, I felt that was bad.
“Right now, when I have a bad shot, it’s OK, you have another one. I think it’s more relaxing. It’s small thing to handle. But I just told myself, I really enjoyed it to be where I am right now and then I’m not going to be in this position forever. There’s going to be more top players coming up, but I want to perform and enjoy this position the best that I can.”
The PGA Florida Swing gets underway on Thursday with the 2026 Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches at the PGA National Champion Course. Coming off two Signature Events, the Cognizant Classic field is missing many big names, but it does feature past major winners such as Shane Lowry and Brooks Koepka, who is playing in his third event since rejoining the PGA this season.
The latest 2026 Cognizant Classic odds via FanDuel Sportsbook list Ryan Gerard and Shane Lowry as the +1600 co-favorites. Koepka is +3300 after missing the cut in his last prior event, the WM Phoenix Open. Before locking in any 2026 Cognizant Classic picks, or making any PGA DFS picks on sites like FanDuel or DraftKings, be sure to see the golf predictions and projected leaderboard from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
SportsLine’s proprietary model, built by DFS pro Mike McClure, simulated every PGA Tour event 10,000 times and reveals golf betting picks that have a history of being extremely profitable.
This same model has also nailed a whopping 16 majors entering the weekend, including the 2025 Masters — its fourth Masters in a row — as well as this year’s PGA Championship and Open Championship. Anyone who has followed its sports betting picks could have seen massive returns on betting sites.
One major surprise the model is calling for at the Cognizant Classic 2026: Lowry, the co-favorite this week and the 2019 Open Championship winner, doesn’t even crack the top 3. He’s a golfer to fade this week. Lowry hasn’t won an individual event on the PGA Tour since that major championship, though he did team up with Rory McIlroy to win the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in 2024. Lowry finished T8 at Pebble Beach earlier this month, but that marked his first top-10 finish since May of 2025. See who else to fade here.
Another surprise: The model is extremely high on Daniel Berger as a +2700 longshot, saying he’s a top-six contender despite not being in the top 10 on the odds board. Berger struggled in his past two events, though he does have a pair of top-20 finishes this season — one at the Sony Open and another at the WM Phoenix Open. He has three top-five finishes at this event, which used to be known as the Honda Classic, including one in 2022. See who else to pick here.
Ryan Gerard +1600 Shane Lowry +1600 Nicolai Højgaard +1900 Rasmus Højgaard +2200 Michael Thorbjornsen +2200 Keith Mitchell +2700 Daniel Berger +2700 Max McGreevy +3300 Johnny Keefer +3300 Brooks Koepka +3300 Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen +3300 Will Zalatoris +3500 Aaron Rai +3500 Christiaan Bezuidenhout +3500 Haotong Li +3500 Alex Smalley +3500 Davis Thompson +3500 Richard Hoey +4000 Mac Meissner +4000 Thorbjørn Olesen +4000 Max Homa +4500 Kristoffer Reitan +4500 Michael Brennan +4500 Jordan Smith +4500 Chris Kirk +4500 Nico Echavarria +4500 Tom Kim +5000 John Parry +5500 Sami Valimaki +5500 Mackenzie Hughes +5500 Matt Wallace +5500 Ricky Castillo +5500 Seamus Power +6000 Garrick Higgo +6000 Stephan Jaeger +6000 Jesper Svensson +7000 Kevin Yu +7000 Eric Cole +7000 Zecheng Dou +7500 Doug Ghim +7500 David Ford +7500 Kris Ventura +7500 Billy Horschel +7500 Austin Eckroat +7500 Joel Dahmen +7500 Kevin Roy +7500 Gary Woodland +7500 Dan Brown +8000 Adrien Dumont de Chassart +8000 S.H. Kim +8000 Taylor Moore +8000 Luke Clanton +8000 Emiliano Grillo +8000 Vince Whaley +8000
South Africa head coach Desiree Ellis says Morocco’s investment in women’s football has raised the bar for the rest of the continent ahead of the next Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Speaking after the South Africa women’s national football team defeated Angola 2-0 in the COSAFA Women’s Championship, Ellis admitted that winning the upcoming WAFCON will be tougher than it was in 2022.
“Morocco has got a two-tier professional league. They’ve obviously got the resources and a bottomless pit to be able to assist them with that,” she said.
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Rather than focus on what Morocco has, Ellis made it clear that South Africa’s response will come from within.
“We’ve got to look at other innovative ways to be able to do this and that is bringing these young players regularly into camp so that they can understand what it’s about.”
She referenced how she has previously trusted young players on the biggest stages.
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“We went to the World Cup in 2019 with a very young Sibulele and a very young Karabo at 17. We did likewise with Majiya. We took her to the WAFCON in 2022 that we won when she had just turned 18.”
For Ellis, exposing young talent early and surrounding them with experienced leaders remains key.
“What better way than to have the likes of Refiloe Jane and Bambanani Mbane here to be able to help those players develop and grow.”
With Morocco hosting again and determined to go one step further after back to back final defeats, Ellis knows the standard has risen, and other African countries must rise with it.
Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Javon Hargrave (97) wraps up Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during second-half action at U.S. Bank Stadium in a divisional matchup. The veteran interior lineman collapsed the pocket to finish the play as Minnesota’s defense pressured the passer throughout the contest. Dec 25, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA: Hargrave records the sack at home. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images.
The moment the Minnesota Vikings arrived at the NFL Combine, business heated up, with reports swirling and the team’s leaders reiterating the offseason direction. Along the way, defensive tackle Javon Hargrave officially entered the trade rumor mill, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
Minnesota can listen while still keeping options open, especially with iDL depth.
The Vikings may not find a trade partner, but the club will do its diligence nevertheless.
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Hargrave Trade Talk Makes Sense for Minnesota
Trade rumors are formally here for the purple team.
Minnesota Vikings defensive tackles Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave line up against the Chicago Bears during early-season action following their arrivals in 2025 free agency. Both veterans joined Minnesota on multi-year deals to reinforce the interior defensive line. Week 1, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA: Allen and Hargrave worked together up front against Chicago. Mandatory Credit: YouTube.
Schultz: Vikings Seeking Hargrave Trade
Hargrave is on the block in the NFL speak. Schultz tweeted Tuesday, “Sources: The Vikings have had trade talks with teams regarding 2x Pro Bowl DT Javon Hargrave. Hargrave started 15 games last year and had 3.5 sacks in his first season with Minnesota.”
NFL writer Logan Ulrich added, “A trade would be a preferable outcome for Minnesota if they can find a partner, as $3 million of his salary this upcoming year is guaranteed. Hargrave was still productive as a contributor, just not as much as the Vikings hoped.”
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“Hargrave was scheduled to make base salaries of $19.9 million and $21.65 million in the final two years of that deal when San Francisco reworked his contract. The team later released him with a post-June 1 designation ahead of the 2025 season.”
The veteran defender has been whispered as a cut or trade candidate for about two months. Now, the rubber has hit the road.
The Would-Be Compensation
Hargrave’s asking price is the underwhelming aspect. He turned 33 a couple of weeks ago and struggled as a run-stopper in 2025. The tweet from Schutlz implied that Minnesota could perhaps fetch something substantial via trade, but the reality suggests the Vikings might get a 7th-Rounder from a DT-needy team.
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That suitor would have to possess enough cap space to swallow the remainder of Hargrave’s contract and know it would be onboarding a decent interior defensive lineman, not a top-tier commodity.
The best-case scenario might be for interim general manager Rob Brzezinski to send Hargrave and a 7th-Rounder to a team for a 6th-Rounder. Commanding any better than a 6th-Round pick feels like extreme optimism.
Hargrave in 2025
Hargrave’s Pro Football Focus grades place him slightly above average, with a 70.0 pass-rushing grade and a 57.3 run-stopping grade, ranking him 35th among interior defenders in 2025. Although he showed glimpses of playmaking, his run defense was inconsistent.
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His volume statistics agree. In 16 games and 537 defensive snaps (53%), Hargrave recorded 52 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 6 quarterback hits, 4 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, and 31 pressures — ranking 34th among defensive tackles.
As teams head into free agency, Hargrave could be a solid, experienced option at defensive tackle. While he has performed at a Pro Bowl level in the past, his recent performance suggests he is now a more middle-of-the-road player.
Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Javon Hargrave (93) brings down Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott (21) during first-quarter action at Lincoln Financial Field. The interior defender stepped into the lane quickly to finish the tackle near the line of scrimmage. Nov 1, 2020; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA: Hargrave stopped Elliott on an early rushing attempt. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports.
Fortunately, the team’s defensive tackle group is already in sweet shape. Jonathan Allen remains a reliable veteran under contract through 2026, providing consistency. Jalen Redmond, a top performer last year, appears ready to be a long-term starter once the Vikings re-sign him this offseason.
Furthermore, Levi Drake Rodriguez is improving as a run stopper and could start next season. Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins contributed valuable snaps as a rookie, and Elijah Williams, an undrafted free agent, impressed during training camp and the preseason.
A Precursor to His Release?
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Of course, Schultz’s tweet could be posturing from the Vikings, leaking that Hargrave is available because the who’s who in the front office already knows he’ll be released if a trade partner cannot be found. It’s better for Minnesota to get a late-round draft pick and a team to absorb the remainder of his contract than to get nothing at all and be on the hook for $10.4 million.
On the other hand, if Hargrave is released — not traded — the Vikings will free up around $11 million in cap space to spend on another free agent or two. The savings and dead cap are basically a wash.
Two weeks ago, Bleacher Report suggested the Baltimore Ravens could be a trade destination for Hargrave.
Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Javon Hargrave reacts on the field during second-half action at U.S. Bank Stadium in a matchup with the Washington Commanders. The veteran lineman showed visible emotion after an interior defensive sequence as Minnesota battled in the trenches. Dec 7, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA: Hargrave responded following a key defensive series at home. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images.
Minnesota could also replace Hargrave in the 2026 NFL Draft with relative ease if it prefers drafting a defensive tackle in Rounds 1 or 2. DTs like Caleb Banks (Florida), Kayden McDonald (Ohio State), Peter Woods (Clemson), Lee Hunter (Texas Tech), and Christian Hunter (Georgia) are considered Top 50 picks two months out.
Other Vikings trade candidates might include Ivan Pace Jr. (LB), T.J. Hockenson (TE), Aaron Jones (RB), and perhaps even J.J. McCarthy if Minnesota finagles a deal for a top-tier quarterback.
Nov 13, 2025; Madrid, Spain; Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz at press conference at Ciudad Deportiva del Real Madrid. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Free agent tight end Zach Ertz intends to play in 2026 and is expected to be cleared from his rehab following a torn ACL around the season opener, NFL Network reported on Tuesday.
Ertz, 35, is two months into his rehab after injuring his right knee during the Washington Commanders’ 31-0 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Dec. 7.
A three-time Pro Bowl selection, Ertz posted 50 receptions for 504 yards and four touchdowns in 13 games (all starts) last season while playing on a one-year contract with the Commanders.
Ertz won a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles following the 2017 season.
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His 825 career receptions are fifth all-time among tight ends, while his 8,592 yards rank eighth at the position.
Ertz has 57 touchdowns in 181 regular-season games (143 starts) with the Eagles (2013-21), Arizona Cardinals (2021-23) and Commanders.
Raducanu announced as UNIQLO Global Brand Ambassador
Emma Raducanu has officially been unveiled as UNIQLO’s newest Global Brand Ambassador.
“Introducing Emma Raducanu, our newest Global Brand Ambassador and Britain’s top-ranked female tennis player. Emma will champion UNIQLO’s LifeWear philosophy, which is committed to pursuing excellence, making meaningful contributions to society, and empowering the next generation,” the brand shared on Instagram.
Raducanu rose to global prominence in 2021 when she made history by winning the US Open as a qualifier, becoming the first player in the Open Era to claim a Grand Slam singles title after coming through qualifying.
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In terms of titles, Raducanu has won:
1 Grand Slam singles title (US Open 2021)
Multiple ITF titles earlier in her career during her rise through the professional ranks
Despite injuries that have interrupted parts of her career since her breakthrough, she remains one of the most recognisable figures in women’s tennis and continues to attract major global partnerships.
The UNIQLO announcement adds another major brand to her portfolio as she continues her return to the top level of the tour.
;)
