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Interim Minnesota Vikings general manager Rob Brzezinski spent four of the team’s top five selections in the 2026 NFL Draft on defensive prospects. This comes after the Vikings had the seventh-best defense in points allowed last season.

Their heavy defensive emphasis, spending five of the team’s nine picks on guards, suggests that Minnesota is satisfied with its offense. Although the team has since indicated that it was not their intention to make the top half of the draft so defensive-focused, the results are what they are. While the injection of talent was also much needed, especially after the departures of Harrison Smith, Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave, the Vikings also have a significant need to focus on offense after losing receiver Jalen Naylor.

recently, athleticVikings insider Alec Lewis went so far as to call the team’s WR3 position a “major roster hole.”

The Vikings top the offense with one of the NFL’s best receiver tandems in Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. Still, the rest of the team’s receivers have combined for three receptions, all of which belong to Tai Felton, who is set to enter his sophomore season. That’s why Lewis predicts the Vikings will address the receiver position by signing a veteran who will compete with Felton for WR3 duties in Minnesota.

RELATED: Team insider debunks latest Minnesota Vikings rumors

As mentioned, the Vikings recently brought in former San Francisco 49ers receiver Jaune Jennings for a workout and a two-day visit. But he left the team facilities without a contract. The 28-year-old’s signature remains in the game.

Other potential Vikings free agent receiver targets could include Odell Beckham Jr., who previously won a Super Bowl with head coach Kevin O’Connell on the Los Angeles Rams. DeAndre Hopkins has also expressed interest in reuniting with Kyler Murray in Minnesota. The Vikings could also turn to the trade market to address what appears to be a major weakness in an offense that otherwise looks set.

RELATED: 4 Minnesota Vikings WR targets after the 2026 NFL Draft

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Claiming the sixth and 24th overall selections in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns are in an advantageous position on April 23. They are one of five teams with two first-round selections. Still, even after Day 1, the Browns still have a chance to add some potential starters, as they also have the 39th, 70th, and 107th overall picks, for a total of nine picks.

Browns general manager Andrew Berry will have plenty of opportunities to address Cleveland’s biggest needs. But some weaknesses are more glaring than others, and the Browns are expected to address them soon.

According to NFL insider Tony Pauline of Essential Sports, “AB wants a quicker O-line and has been telling people that since last season.”

Several offensive tackle prospects are projected to be selected in the first round, and with so many top pass-rushers available at the top, the Browns are expected to be the first team to select a lineman. That means they’ll have to take first look at the top offensive lineman on their draft board, whether it’s someone like Fano or Francis Mauigoa, or another prospect that Cleveland feels can handle at left tackle, remains to be seen.

Pauline’s sources say the Browns also will not trade All-Pro pass-rusher Myles Garrett this offseason. With Garrett under contract through 2029, there is no incentive for Cleveland to part with a “generational talent” who has broken the NFL’s single-season sack record.

RELATED: 2026 NFL mock draft: Trades that captured the first round of the NFL draft

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The Jacksonville Jaguars already have an impact player with the surname Lawrence, who makes a big impact on offense. After the Dexter Lawrence trade rumors surfaced, some are wondering if the Jaguars are lacking on defense as well?

Ultimately, Lawrence wants a trade, but it’s possible the New York Giants find a way to commit their three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle to a new contract. But for now, teams are trying to come up with trade offers that could add Lawrence to their roster.

Does it include Jaguar? According to Jacksonville general manager James Gladstone, trading for Lawrence “isn’t something we got into.” Yet, since he is still under contract with the Giants, as Gladstone said, he is “not even free to talk about it.” In public.

In other words, even if the Jaguars are privately trying to make a trade for Lawrence, it’s not something they can really discuss freely with the media. Plus, with the 2026 NFL Draft (April 23-25) right around the corner, the Jaguars are more focused on making sure their draft board is ready to make a splash.

Who knows? If the Jaguars can’t find a defensive tackle early in the draft, perhaps they reconsider the potential cost of trading for a proven star like Lawrence. But right now, that doesn’t seem possible for Duval.

RELATED: 5 Christian Wilkins Landing Spots for 2026

Dedicated NFL copywriter/editor. My work has been found on SportsNut, Sports Illustrated, Sporting News, MSN, Yahoo, and Minnesota Sports… More about Andrew Buller-Russ

Last offseason, the Minnesota Vikings lost starting safety Cam Bynum to the Indianapolis Colts in free agency. The former fourth-round pick spent another excellent season with the Colts, recording a career-high four interceptions.

This offseason, the Vikings released franchise icon Harrison Smith. The potential future Hall of Famer turned 37 in February, and he’s considering retirement after starting the last 14 seasons. The Vikings did not add any safety in free agency, nor did they draft one last year.

Needless to say, safety is one of the team’s top needs even if Smith decides to return for a 15th season, as his playing future is certainly limited. However, the Vikings are likely to address this position in the 2026 NFL Draft, where they have nine selections, including the 18th overall choice in the first round.

Recently, ESPN’s NFL Draft analyst Matt Miller sat down with local KSTP Vikings insider Darren ‘Doogie’ Wolfson. In doing so, Miller expressed his belief that the Vikings will address their “significant need” at safety in either Round 1 or Round 2 in the 2026 NFL Draft, where the Vikings have the 49th overall selection.

“I think Minnesota has a serious need at the safety spot, it seems like it will be addressed if not in Round 1, then very early in Round 2.”

It’s good to be back to work after a solid family vacation. Today we caught up with ESPN NFL Draft analyst Matt Miller. our share #Vikings Link to the focused chat and all 11 minutes below:https://t.co/GsIIoJhqqL pic.twitter.com/39IvbuxB24

– Darren Wolfson (@DWolfsonKSTP) 9 April 2026

The way Miller described it – “very early in Round 2” it almost makes one wonder if the Vikings are potentially aiming to trade up from the 49th overall pick, or possibly trade down from No. 18 to get the protection they want. Either way, expect an injection of youth into defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ secondary come draft weekend.

RELATED: Minnesota Vikings defensive prospect engages in ‘statement workout’

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For the first time since the failed Max Crosby trade, Las Vegas Raiders general manager John Spitek and head coach Clint Kubiak publicly addressed the fallout — and both looked like men who came out the other side just fine.

At the NFL’s annual league meetings in Phoenix this week, the two spoke candidly about the five-time Pro Bowl defensive end and what the chaotic sequence of events at the start of free agency ultimately meant for the franchise.

Las Vegas Raiders GM gets an ‘elite’ member during free agency

Earlier this month, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on March 6 that a deal was underway to send Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for two first-round draft picks. The new league year was required to start on 11 March before the deal could be made official. But before that could happen, Baltimore backed out – citing concerns about Crosby’s surgically repaired knee – and the pass rusher returned to the silver and black.

The timing of that reversal didn’t disrupt the team’s offseason plans as much as it might seem, Spytek said.

“Just the timing of it, it didn’t really happen,” Spytek said. “We did what we did on Monday, and that was Tuesday when it all happened. We had a lot of cap space and a lot of cash was provided to us by Mark [Davis] And the ownership group has to be aggressive and build the team in the best way possible. I’ll echo what Clint said – the way it worked out, it was like we got another elite defensive end in free agency.

Those signings — notably center Tyler Linderbaum and edge rusher Qwity Paye — came during the legal tampering window, just before the Ravens pulled the plug.

Development of a General Manager

Crosby has seen a parade of general managers and head coaches come through the organization since being drafted in 2019. Spytek, who has worked to build trust with his star player from the beginning, said communication between them has never stopped.

“I have had many great conversations with Max since the beginning of his tenure here and we have had many great conversations throughout the season,” Spytek said. “We had a deal at the end of the season, which everyone knows about. We talked about it in the months leading up to the deal. Max and I have continued to have good conversations since. I know he and Clint have had good conversations, too. We just try to tell each other the truth and not have a lot of secrets or unknowns. Max, Clint and I will continue to work that way.”

Spytek also talked about the importance of making those difficult roster decisions – ones that impact players beyond the football field.

“Those are all challenging conversations,” Spytek said. “I try to sit down with that person in that moment and explain the reasons why we’re doing it, and try to be as honest and candid as I can. For me, those are all deeply personal conversations because you know how deeply it affects that person. I don’t just see them as a player. This is changing their lives.”

Also Read: Mark Davis Isn’t Selling the Raiders So Stop Acting Like He Is

Kubiak: “Our team is better now”

Kubiak came to Las Vegas after helping Seattle win the Super Bowl last month, giving him a compressed timeline to assemble his coaching staff — all while watching this trade saga play out in real time.

He didn’t hide how he felt when Spytech told him the deal was off.

“Anytime there’s a trade, you always know there’s a downside to it,” Kubiak said. “Once it happened, I was really excited. When Spy came and talked to me about it, we sat down and my first thing was to smile. ‘Oh, we have Max back. Are you kidding me? It’s great.’ “Our team has gotten better.”

With the signing of Paye, Malcolm Koonce retained, and Tyree Wilson still on the team, Las Vegas enters 2026 with legitimate depth along the defensive line. Crosby’s return only solidifies what was already shaping up to be a priority area.

One remaining question is whether Crosby will be in the reckoning immediately when the regular season opens. He had meniscus surgery in January and is not expected to make a full recovery until this summer.

“These are things we have to work on,” Kubiak said. “We have to get him healthy enough to practice. I know he’s going to put himself in great condition to do that, and we’ll probably have conversations about that as we move forward. Just taking small steps right now.”

The coach did not seem worried about the deadline. He’s seen how Crosby works.

“Max is our guy. He’s the leader on defense.”

Also Read: Las Vegas Raiders: 5 second round pick options for GM John Spytek

Braven Honda graduated from San Diego State with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism in May 2021. During his time at SDSU, … More about Braven Honda

Tanking has become a hot issue in the NBA, as it has been a controversial discussion for many years. Teams that are not in the mix for the playoffs keep their star players on the bench in hopes of losing and improving their chances of obtaining a high-value draft pick. On Wednesday, Commissioner Adam Silver claimed that the league is going to resolve the issue soon.

According to ClutchPoints insider Brett Siegel, during the NBA Board of Governors press conference, Silver claimed the league is going to hold a meeting to potentially make changes to the tanking rule in May. If passed, the rules will be in effect for the 2026–27 season.

“NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said at his NBA Board of Governors press conference that there will be a ‘special meeting’ in May to address and discuss the issue of tanking and potential rule changes for the 2026-27 season,” Siegel said.

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, reports indicate that the meetings will discuss potential lottery reforms that could impact the upcoming offseason. It seems the 64-year-old soon-to-be commissioner wants the change to be made as soon as possible.

Stein reported, “Adam Silver says a special meeting of the Board of Governors will be called in May to vote on lottery reforms to take effect for the 2026-27 season, and ahead of this summer’s upcoming draft and free agency.” “‘We’re going to fix it … full stop,’ Silver says about addressing tanking.”

While there are questions being raised about competitiveness right now, according to Siegel, Silver thinks adding two new franchises could help. The NBA is looking to address the tanking issue, and Adam Silver sees no problem with increasing the size of the league from 30 teams to 32.

“We have enough talent to field 32 teams,” Silver said. “When we just did the 2-team expansion, 6% of the players were international. That’s 30% now… Tanking is a confusing thing and we study it… I’m not worried about the caliber of 32 competing teams.”

The NBA will likely announce the outcome of the meetings in late May. If changes are made, we could see them impact the 2026 NBA Draft.