The Vikings in the last few days have traded a quarterback and released a quarterback who probably wouldn’t have played, signed another quarterback who hopefully won’t have to play, traded a corner who probably wouldn’t have played much and decided (for now) on their punter.
All of it constitutes considerable news in the NFL, as will the massive wave of cuts the Vikings and all other teams must make by 3 p.m. Tuesday to get their rosters down to 53 players.
Interest in NFL free agency, fantasy football and the Super Bowl, just to name a few, are barometers of the massive hold the league has over fans. The Vikings are the No. 1 show in Minnesota sports, and it’s not even close.
I would argue that days like Tuesday, when fans devour news about the very fringes of rosters like they are at an all-you-can-eat buffet, hammer home that point even more than the obvious ones.
Andrew Krammer and I previewed what is to come during roster cuts and dissected in detail the addition of Carson Wentz on Tuesday’s “Daily Delivery” podcast.
But we also know we (and you) cannot merely be satisfied by waiting until the Vikings release their 53-man roster later Tuesday to break things down further. At the outset of today’s 10 things to know, here is what is cooking:
- The Minnesota Star Tribune is running a live blog as cuts and possible additions come in over the course of the afternoon. There are already several entries, with most (all?) dealing with spots so deep on the depth chart that a rational fan would need a microscope to see them.
- Vikings writer Ben Goessling will join me shortly before 3 p.m. for a livestream on X to talk about what has happened so far and (hopefully) to go through all the official cuts once they are announced. Highlights will be available later Tuesday in a video and audio podcast.
- And of course, all of our writers will continue to chase leads into the evening and beyond, because as we all know, rosters are in flux as teams see the players that other teams have cut.
- Other leagues could only dream of having fans interested in this level of roster speculation. Die-hard fans of the Twins, Wild, Timberwolves, Lynx and Minnesota United might treat things the same way Vikings fans do, but there are simply 1) so many more Vikings fans and 2) so many more seemingly casual Vikings fans who have a keen interest in roster machinations than, say, casual Twins fans.
- Speaking of roster cutdowns, two names with Minnesota connections are linked in one Adam Schefter tweet: Cam Robinson, who played for the Vikings last year, and former Gopher Aireontae Ersery.
- On the Twins front, Joe Ryan was shelled for a second consecutive start. I talked about the dog days of summer during Tuesday’s podcast and how this is going to be an ugly end to a frustrating Twins season.
- If things are going to be any better in 2026, it will likely be as a result of a wave of Twins prospects from a highly regarded minor league system.
- The Gophers volleyball team lost its opener to Texas A&M in four sets, and I enjoyed this succinct quote from coach Keegan Cook afterward: “We’re a team that’s building,” Cook said. “They feel like a team that’s built.”
- Star Tribune Gophers football writer Randy Johnson is expected to join me on Wednesday’s podcast to set up the season ahead. Minnesota opens Thursday at home against Buffalo.
- Thanks to everyone who came out to see Lynx players Courtney Williams, Natisha Hiedeman and DiJonai Carrington join me on the Star Tribune stage at the State Fair on Monday. It was the largest crowd I’ve experienced in several years of doing onstage State Fair interviews, a clear sign of the players’ popularity. If you missed it, you can check out the video on the Star Tribune’s YouTube page.
