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The quarterback position continues to be the main topic for the Minnesota Vikings and it's all centered around quarterback Sam Darnold.
After a spectacular season where Darnold was named to the Pro Bowl Games and thrived over the the course of the season with 4,319 yards passing and 35 touchdown passes. He was also the first quarterback in 20 years to throw five touchdown passes in a game (Daunte Culpepper did 3 times in 2004).
Adam Schefter predicts Sam Darnold's future
The biggest question mark about Darnold right now is where he will play in 2025. The Vikings have said they would like to have Darnold back, but they also said that about Kirk Cousins last season. Wanting him back is one thing, then the contract negotiations come into play.
Will the Vikings be able to keep Darnold? If they don't there will be plenty of teams who will want to find acquire Darnold. ESPN's Adam Schefter named the Las Vegas Raiders as a team of interest.
"The marquee quarterback this off-season is Sam Darnold, the Minnesota Vikings quarterback. The Vikings have said that they'd like to bring him back, but that is not going to be cheap. The franchise tag remains an option. And one team that I would watch with Sam Darnold moving forward, would be the Las Vegas Raiders, I think, at some point in time, they're likely to have some interest in trying to bring Sam Darnold to Las Vegas."
The Raiders make a ton of sense for Darnold. Their new head coach Pete Carroll has experience in elevating a quarterback who was cast aside in Geno Smith. The 2022 season showed that Smith could be a franchise quarterback. That experience could prove vital in continuing Darnold's success.
If the Vikings can't find a way to bring Darnold back, the Raiders are a very logical landing spot for a multitude of reasons, including their desperation for a quarterback.
More must-reads:
- Browns make curious decision with rookie QB Shedeur Sanders
- Dynamic safety extension a massive win for Vikings
- The 'Single-season sack leaders by NFL team' quiz
TODAY'S BEST
Why as many as 100 NFL players are facing fines and potential suspension
There is not a bigger sporting event in North America than the Super Bowl, and tickets are only getting more expensive every year. There is also a ridiculous secondary market for tickets where seats sell for well above the original face value. It is usually fans or ticket resellers going for a quick profit. But as was reported on Friday, sometimes it can be players in the NFL looking to make a profit. According to multiple reports, including the Associated Press and ESPN, more than 100 players are facing fines and potential suspensions for selling their allotment of tickets to this year's Super Bowl between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs for above face value. Players are reportedly facing fines of one-and-a-half times the face value they originally paid for the tickets, while they are also prevented from purchasing tickets to the Super Bowl for the next seasons. The Associated Press obtained a memo from the NFL detailing the violation and investigation. That memo was as follows: “Our initial investigation has determined that a number of NFL players and coaches, employed by several NFL Clubs, sold Super Bowl tickets for more than the ticket’s face value in violation of the Policy. This long-standing League Policy, which is specifically incorporated into the Collective Bargaining Agreement, prohibits League or Club employees, including players, from selling NFL game tickets acquired from their employer for more than the ticket’s face value or for an amount greater than the employee originally paid for the ticket, whichever is less. We are in the process of completing our investigation into this matter, but the investigation has revealed that club employees and players sold their tickets to a small number of ‘bundlers’ who were working with a ticket reseller to sell the Super Bowl tickets above face value.” If players are not willing to pay the fine, they could be facing suspension from the league. It seems unlikely that any of the players — none of whom have been named, or their teams — would refuse to pay such a fine. It's also one of those moments where you can say, professional athletes — they're still normal people trying to make a quick buck. The most logical answer here is perhaps some of the players caught up in this are younger players who have not yet struck it rich on a big contract or perhaps even practice squad players who are not making top dollar.
Aaron Boone Makes Feelings Clear After Yankees’ Big Trade
The New York Yankees didn't come into the season with the strongest third base situation, and it only got worse over time. They converted traditional second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. to the hot corner after getting him at the Trade Deadline last season and installed a timeshare with him, DJ LeMahieu, Oswald Peraza, and Oswaldo Cabrera there in 2025. However, the latter player broke his ankle on May 12, and the Yankees released the now 37-year-old LeMahieu on July 10. Chisholm was primarily back at second at that point, so this left Peraza and Jorbit Vivas as their only true remaining third basemen. With Peraza hitting .147 and Vivas hitting .164, it was clear what the team's biggest need was. That's why it acquired veteran third baseman Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies on Friday. New York manager Aaron Boone gave his thoughts about the 30-year-old before Friday's bout with the Philadelphia Phillies, via SNY. "I know there's real offensive potential there. I know he's had real offensive success, as well as some struggles there over the last calendar year or two," he said. "It seems like over the last month he's really started swinging the bat like he's capable of. He can impact the ball, he can control the strike zone, he's had some swing-and-misses that have probably hurt him a little bit." "But then he can really defend over there," he continued. "The handful of times that we've played against them that I watch him, you're like, 'That's what it should look like over there.' He moves really well and has that prototypical good third base thing." McMahon is slashing .217/.314/.403 with 16 homers and 35 RBI over 100 games this season. He also has a .978 fielding percentage and six errors. Right-handed pitcher Will Warren (6-5, 4.91 ERA) will start for the Yankees against Phillies right-hander Taijuan Walker (3-5, 3.75 ERA) on Friday.
Dodgers Announce Max Muncy Update After 16 Straight Missed Games
Third baseman Max Muncy is in his eighth season with the Los Angeles Dodgers after debuting with the Oakland Athletics in 2015. Muncy failed to establish himself as a reliable major-league hitter in Oakland, but his career took off in Los Angeles. The 34-year-old left-handed slugger has made two All-Star teams with the Dodgers and appeared in 905 games, hitting 203 home runs and driving in 575 runs. He’s also been a postseason hero, batting .217 with 44 hits, 13 homers, 34 RBIs and 38 runs scored across 62 career playoff games, and he’s won two World Series titles (2020, 2024). On July 2 against the Chicago White Sox, Muncy sustained a left knee bone bruise after a collision at third base while making a tag. An MRI showed no structural damage, and although his initial recovery timeline was set at six weeks, the Dodgers announced he could begin a rehab assignment next week and return ahead of schedule. His rehab progress has expedited his return timetable, and the team is eagerly anticipating his comeback. During his absence, the Dodgers have dropped five of 16 games, and their division lead dropped to five games over the San Diego Padres. His veteran presence has been missed in the clubhouse as much as his bat has been at the plate. In 2025, Muncy is batting .250 with an .832 OPS, 13 home runs, 55 RBIs and 51 walks while hitting in the heart of the Dodgers' lineup.
Trade rejection speaks volumes about Red Sox's Jarren Duran intentions
The Boston Red Sox appear to have no interest in trading outfielder Jarren Duran, at least not in the near future. Trade rumors have swirled around Duran for most of the season, especially after designated hitter Rafael Devers was traded to the Giants. However, Sean McAdam from MassLive reported that the Red Sox may wait until the offseason before moving on from the former All-Star. The decision to wait on Duran is not due to a lack of offers. McAdam also reported that the Padres made a significant offer for Duran involving pitcher Dylan Cease, catching prospect Ethan Salas and another unnamed prospect. That offer was quickly rejected. The Padres have long coveted Duran. McAdam had previously reported that the Padres have been "relentless" in their pursuit of the Red Sox outfielder. The reported trade offer including Salas, the Padres second-best prospect and the 21st-best prospect in baseball per MLB.com, illustrates how serious they are about acquiring Duran. Likewise, the Red Sox's refusal to entertain such an offer, even as a starting point for negotiations, speaks volumes about their interest in moving Duran. The Padres' offer would help solve several problems for the Red Sox in both the present and future. Moving Duran would help clear up the logjam in the outfield, while Cease and Salas would respectively improve the back of their rotation and provide a possible cornerstone behind the plate going forward. Duran is a valuable trade chip as he is under team control through 2028. He has also taken a step back in production from his stellar showing in 2024, posting a respectable .254/.321/.428 batting line in 459 plate appearances entering Friday, with nine homers and 25 doubles while stealing 16 bases. That production would be an upgrade for several teams looking to improve their outfield going forward. The question is whether or not the Red Sox will be realistic in their asking price for Duran. Considering how quickly the Padres' offer was reportedly rejected, that may not be the case.
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