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Reporter gives reason Vikings may use franchise tag to retain Sam Darnold
Reporters and NFL analysts such as Ben Solak of ESPN have routinely linked Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold with the Las Vegas Raiders, in part because multiple insiders have said the Vikings won't retain Darnold's rights via the franchise tag before the March 4 deadline for such a move.
For a piece published Thursday, The Athletic's Alec Lewis shared that "whether or not the franchise tag becomes an option" for the Vikings "depends on whether another team would be willing to trade for Darnold" this offseason.
"First-year Raiders coach Pete Carroll may be a defensive coach but he has succeeded in supporting quarterbacks," Lewis explained. "Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly worked closely with [Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell] in 2016 with the San Francisco 49ers. Darnold being familiar and confident in the support structure matters. Not to mention, Las Vegas has more salary cap space than any other quarterback-needy team."
O’Connell was an offensive assistant under Kelly back in 2016.
While the Raiders have an undeniable need at the sport's most important position, they also possess the sixth overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft. In a mock draft posted on Feb. 3, ESPN's Matt Miller predicted that the Raiders could land Colorado's Shedeur Sanders at choice No. 6. Others believe Las Vegas would have to move up in the draft order to grab either Sanders or Miami's Cam Ward.
"Minnesota could benefit if a team like the Raiders prefers to acquire Darnold before he hits the free-agent market," Lewis continued. "If Las Vegas believes a team like the Pittsburgh Steelers could vie for Darnold’s services — and it wanted to prevent the price from climbing further — it could acquire Darnold directly from the Vikings. ...Representatives from all 32 teams will attend the NFL Scouting Combine, providing the Vikings in-person avenues to gauge Darnold’s market."
Per Joe Clark of Steelers Depot, NFL insider Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported on Wednesday that she has a "hard time believing" Pittsburgh would pursue Darnold if he became available. However, the situation could change if the Steelers enter March without a legitimate starting quarterback under contract for at least 2025.
For now, it sounds like the Vikings haven't slammed the door shut on tagging Darnold as 2024 first-round draft pick J.J. McCarthy continues to recover from the full meniscus repair he needed this past summer.
"Evaluating McCarthy’s progress on both fronts will be critical in Minnesota’s spring," Lewis added. "The more relevant conversation next week may apply to McCarthy’s weight. He weighed 202 pounds at Michigan, then 219 pounds last spring at the NFL Scouting Combine. The torn meniscus — and ensuing rehab — may have chiseled away at some of his size."
More must-reads:
- Vikings' opinion of J.J. McCarthy makes Sam Darnold's future seem even clearer
- Browns insider shares draft theory about Shedeur Sanders, Giants
- The 'Quarterbacks sacked most times in an NFL Wild Card game' quiz
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Chicago Bears looking at bringing back familiar face at running back
The Chicago Bears don’t appear satisfied with their running back room with one week left to decide the 53-man roster. The Bears have until Aug. 26 to make their final cuts before preparing for the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1. The Bears entered training camp with questions at running back. Veteran D’Andre Swift had a down year in 2024. Roschon Johnson isn’t a long-term solution, and seventh-round pick Kyle Monangai will have a steep learning curve when the regular season begins. The Chicago Bears worked out a former running back Per Aaron Wilson of KPRC, the Bears worked out running backs Royce Freeman, undrafted rookie Kylin James and former Carolina Panthers practice-squad player Dillon Johnson. Royce Freeman played with the Bears in 2024 Of the three, Freeman is the only running back with stats at the NFL level. Freeman, a third-round pick by the Denver Broncos in 2018, has appeared in 79 games and started nine games. He’s rushed 471 times for 1,472 yards and 10 touchdowns. The Bears signed Freeman to the practice squad in December. He was then signed to the Los Angeles Rams practice squad in January. He last played a regular-season game in 2023, when he added 319 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games for the Rams. The Bears are signaling their need for a running back this summer. There are other options available in the trade market, as the Washington Commanders are shopping Brian Robinson Jr. during the preseason. More running backs will be available after other teams trim their rosters to 53 players, but they might not be the type of athletes to make a significant boost for the offense early in the regular season.
Projected Brian Robinson Jr. trade to Bears gives Commanders big win
The Washington Commanders could be big winners in a projected trade scenario that ships running back Brian Robinson Jr. to the Chicago Bears. Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton laid out a proposal in which Chicago would get Robinson, while Washington would receive a 2026 fourth-round pick and guard Ryan Bates. On paper, it’s the kind of deal that helps both sides, but the Commanders may walk away with the bigger haul. Why the Bears Would Make the Deal “As the Detroit Lions' offensive coordinator between 2022 and 2024, Bears head coach Ben Johnson built his offense around a robust ground attack. He inherited a roster with D’Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson as a backfield duo, but Chicago could make a move for a player who’s familiar with running backs coach Eric Bieniemy.” That connection is key. Robinson played under Bieniemy when he was Washington’s offensive coordinator in 2023. While Bieniemy wasn’t known for leaning heavily on the run, he still helped showcase Robinson’s versatility. “In 2023, Bieniemy was the Commanders' offensive coordinator. Though he didn’t make a strong commitment to the run game, his offense allowed Robinson to display his pass-catching ability. The bruising 6’1”, 225-pound tailback logged career highs across multiple receiving categories.” For Chicago, the timing makes sense. Johnson is currently sidelined with a foot injury, and even if it’s minor, the Bears may not feel comfortable relying on him as their No. 2 back. Swift has also battled injuries throughout his career, and while rookie Kyle Monangai has earned praise from GM Ryan Poles, it’s a stretch to expect a seventh-rounder to immediately carry a big role. Robinson gives them insurance and a proven starter who knows Bieniemy’s coaching style. Why the Commanders Win Big From Washington’s perspective, the proposed return is what makes this deal intriguing. The Commanders would add a 2026 fourth-round pick, giving GM Adam Peters more draft flexibility down the road. But perhaps more importantly, they’d also get Ryan Bates, a versatile interior lineman who can start at guard. “In return for Robinson, the Commanders should inquire about Bates, who was acquired by the Bears before they hired Johnson and his coaching staff. The versatile interior offensive lineman could start at left guard over Brandon Coleman, who’s moving inside from left tackle.” That’s a big plus for a team determined to build a sturdy line in front of Jayden Daniels. With Laremy Tunsil at left tackle and first-round pick Josh Conerly Jr. on the right side, adding Bates would give Washington even more stability. It’s only a projected deal, but it’s the kind of scenario that feels like a win-win. Chicago would shore up its backfield, and Washington would continue to build around its young quarterback. If a trade like this comes together, the Commanders might end up feeling like the biggest winners.
MLB sends message by suspending Victor Robles for bat-throwing incident
Major League Baseball announced that Mariners outfielder Víctor Robles has received a 10-game suspension and an undisclosed fine from the league. The suspension will begin as soon as Robles is reinstated from the injured list, though Robles has filed an appeal and the suspension is being held in abeyance until the appeals process is complete. Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reported these details prior to the official announcement. Divish notes that the M’s would have to play a man short during the suspension. Robles has been on the injured list for most of the year. Back in early April, he made a sensational catch in San Francisco but crashed into the sideline netting and dislocated his left shoulder, causing a small fracture in the humeral head of said shoulder. A week ago, he was finally able to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Tacoma. During that week, he was hit by pitches multiple times, as shown in this video breakdown from Jomboy Media. Although he was hit five times, only three of them were technically counted as hit-by-pitches, with the other two counting as swings. Regardless, the final incident saw Robles hit by Joey Estes of the Las Vegas Aviators. Of the five times Robles was hit, three of them were out of the hand of Estes, though the final two were counted as swinging strikes. Regardless of how it was scored, Robles was clearly upset and threw his bat toward the pitcher’s mound. It doesn’t appear as though it hit Estes or anyone else, but MLB is understandably taking a firm stance against a player using his bat in this dangerous manner and sending Robles a message. President of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto spoke to members of the media, including Adam Jude of the Seattle Times, noting that the club tentatively planned to reinstate Robles from the IL next week but those plans may change with the suspension. Divish suggests that perhaps the best plan is to reinstate Robles on Sept. 1, so that the M’s can at least play with a 27-man roster, though that would push his reinstatement into the middle of September. Reinstating him earlier would mean playing with a 25-man roster for a while, though that would also mean Robles would be able to be reinstated for more games. It’s also unclear how long the appeals process will take. Sometimes, players appealing a suspension will hang in limbo until their team goes to New York, where the MLB head offices are located. The M’s don’t play in New York again this year, so it’s not clear when the appeal would be scheduled for. Robles being in the minors could also complicate factors. The M’s would surely love for the appeal to drag out into the winter and for Robles to serve his suspension next year, since they are currently in a playoff race, though MLB presumably wouldn’t let it play out like that.
Sophie Cunningham's sister calls out WNBA officials
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham has not been shy about criticizing WNBA officials, and that trait seems to run in the family. Cunningham’s sister Lindsey had a critical message for the WNBA after Sophie was injured during the second quarter of the Fever’s game against the Connecticut Sun on Sunday. Lindsey Cunningham wrote on X that the league was “pathetic” for “fining players for commenting on your poor officiating” instead of “hiring officials that are able to call a consistent game and protect your athletes.” Sophie Cunningham suffered a season-ending knee injury when Connecticut’s Bria Hartley drove into her knee while trying to get to the basket. Critics felt that Hartley dove into Cunningham’s knee instead of making a basketball play. Cunningham is frequently critical of WNBA officiating and has already received multiple fines this season for it. Presumably, her sister’s commentary will not cost her any money, but one has to be wonder if Sophie’s thoughts are the same. The Fever came from behind to beat Connecticut 99-93 in overtime on Sunday. The win moved them to 19-16 on the year and back into sixth place in the standings.
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