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Raiders insider thinks team can sign Pro Bowl QB
The No. 1 question facing the Las Vegas Raiders in the offseason is who will be the starting quarterback for the 2025 campaign?
Last season, the Raiders signed Gardner Minshew to a two-year deal, but he will likely be cut by June. While that leaves QBs Aidan O'Connell and Carter Bradley on the roster, Las Vegas can sign an unrestricted free agent who makes sense to them and possibly select a QB in the 2025 NFL Draft. General manager John Spytek and head coach Pete Carroll have a lot of decisions to make.
Raiders beat writer Vinny Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal fielded questions from readers and believes the team can sign Sam Darnold as their starting quarterback after a breakout season with the Minnesota Vikings in 2024.
"Given how healthy they are from a salary cap and cash standpoint, if the Raiders want Darnold as their quarterback in 2025, they can make it happen. They are in the best financial position to sign him among teams that need a quarterback. It boils down to how they feel about him, and what they believe their chances are of drafting their top-ranked quarterback prospect," Bonsignore wrote.
Las Vegas is in good shape to sign Darnold or any other free-agent quarterback they choose. The Raiders have $99.5 million in cap space, according to Over The Cap.
Darnold had a big season under Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell when he passed for a career-high 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns. O'Connell's play-action, screens, outside-zone run plays and end-arounds helped the former USC quarterback. Las Vegas offensive coordinator Chip Kelly runs similar schemes, allowing Darnold to flourish again.
It remains to be seen who the Raiders will sign when free agency begins. Veterans like Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson, and Justin Fields will also be available. Still, some insiders believe Darnold will sign with Las Vegas.
More must-reads:
- NFL insider believes Raiders have big plans for Maxx Crosby
- Assessing top 2025 NFL franchise-tag candidates
- The 'Quarterbacks sacked most times in an NFL Wild Card game' quiz
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Aaron Rodgers reportedly made his desires clear to one team
Although the Steelers' confidence regarding Aaron Rodgers has emerged, the allure of a Vikings landing spot persists. Minnesota is standing down on Rodgers for the time being. The team intends to give J.J. McCarthy the first crack at starter reps during its offseason program. This places Rodgers in a bit of a bind, and it also could stall the Steelers and Giants and potentially force one or both teams to blink as this holding pattern continues. Rodgers has gone as far as, per ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert, informing the Vikings they are his preferred destination. Rodgers, 41, has been careful not to rule out teams; doing so would decrease his leverage. He views the Giants as a viable option, even though New York’s offer — one believed to be the best the future Hall of Famer has received this offseason — is unlikely to produce a deal. The Steelers hosted Rodgers on a visit Friday, but they have not upped their offer made at the beginning of free agency. Nevertheless, some around the league view it as a safe bet that the Steelers will end up with Rodgers. Although, he may well continue to wait on Minnesota rather than force a Pittsburgh fit. If Rodgers waits, more comparisons to his Packers predecessor will undoubtedly emerge. After the Jets relinquished Brett Favre‘s rights — due to a poison-pill provision in the Packers-Jets trade from 2008 — in 2009, Favre spent more than three months in free agency. The Vikings added him on Aug. 18, 2009. The Vikings did not receive word that Favre would unretire for a third time until Aug. 18, 2010. The Giants and Steelers will almost definitely not wait that long on Rodgers this offseason, but the Vikings may be willing to hold here due to the McCarthy onramp they are creating. McCarthy did stop short of confirming that the Vikings guaranteed him the starting job, telling Kay Adams he has not been told he will begin the season as the starter. With no veteran on the roster — despite organizational support for adding Rodgers after a 14-3 season — and a No. 10 overall pick invested, it is safe to say McCarthy is in the driver’s seat to be the NFC North team’s Week 1 signal-caller. Minnesota did make an offer to Daniel Jones, which would have removed the team from the Rodgers market, but the bridge option opted to sign with Indianapolis instead. “And I’m happy they didn’t, because I try to earn it every single day,” McCarthy said of the starting job during an "Up Adams" appearance. "And I never want that to be given to me. it’s such a privilege and opportunity to give me that chance, and I’m just going to make the most of it every single day.” The Vikings have left open the prospect of signing Rodgers this summer, Seifert adds, presumably after looking at McCarthy during OTAs and minicamp. This would leave roughly seven weeks for the Vikings to reconsider Rodgers, but he may already have a new home by then. Then again, a Vikings-or-retirement rumor surfaced during this saga. It is not a lock Rodgers would play in Pittsburgh or New York, but it certainly appears the Steelers believe he would delay retirement to play for them. Doing so would preempt a partnership with his top option, however. That could cause Rodgers to keep waiting, even though the Steelers — as of now, at least — will present a better chance for him to start throughout the 2025 season.
'I knew that this way, everything would be easier': Toni Nadal reveals reason behind not charging nephew Rafael Nadal for tennis lessons
The uncle of former world number one Rafael Nadal, Toni Nadal, has revealed the reason behind not charging his nephew for tennis lessons. The 38-year-old is regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men’s tennis in the singles category, having won as many as 22 Grand Slam titles. He retired from professional sport last year after participating in the Davis Cup. For most of his career, Nadal was coached by his uncle Toni, who introduced him to the sport as well. Toni was recently quoted in a report by the English media outlet Daily Express, where he revealed the reason behind not charging his nephew for tennis lessons. "Because I didn't want to charge for it,” he said. “I knew that this way, everything would be easier; I could tell him what I thought I should say. Well...I would have had to be more careful about saying what I wanted to say because ultimately the one who pays does so to hear what they want to hear." Nadal, who is also regarded as the ‘King of Clay’ after having won 14 French Open titles, a record in the competition’s history, explained in his autobiography, which was released in 2011, how tough his uncle was with him during his early playing days. "Toni was tough on me right from the start, tougher than on the other children,” wrote Nadal in his biography. “He demanded a lot of me, pressured me hard. He’d use rough language, shout a lot, he’d frighten me — especially when the other boys didn’t turn up and it was just the two of us. If I saw I’d be alone with him when I arrived for training, I’d get a sinking feeling in my stomach. My friend Miguel Angel Munar reminds me sometimes how Toni, if he saw my head was wandering, would belt the ball hard at me, not to hit me, but to scare me, to startle me to attention. It was always me, too, who he got to pick up the balls, or more balls than the others, at the end of the training session; and it was me who had to sweep the courts when we were done for the day. Anyone who might have expected any favouritism was mistaken."
Michael Hage confirms he will not play in Montreal next year
It was an open secret, and it’s now confirmed: Canadiens prospect Michael Hage will be back with the University of Michigan in 2025-26. This was confirmed by Hage himself in an interview with Marco D’Amico, who shared this information a few minutes after completing the interview. There is no more ambiguity or room for debate, it’s decided and set in stone. He wants to win the championship, he said. Hage’s season, as a rookie in the Big Ten, came to an end when Cornell won its game against Quinnipiac to secure a spot in the Frozen Four at the expense of Michigan. Michigan head coach Brandon Naurato said in February that Hage needs to remain in college for another season. "How would I answer that? I would say 150 percent, he'll need another season with us (Michigan). He still has to learn how to play against players who are his size, but often 20 or 30 pounds heavier. He'll need to dominate here in the NCAA before making the jump to the pros in Montreal. It takes time. We want him to improve." The year of the big leap, for him, should theoretically be 2026-27. We’ll see where he’ll be in his development at that time, but the trajectory of his young career suggests that he could possibly be the eventual second-line center sought by the Habs. At just 18 years old, the right-handed center drafted 21st overall has scored 13 goals and 21 assists, for 34 points in 33 games.
Rafael Nadal Sends Message To Miami Open Wild Card Amid Historic Run
Tennis legend Rafael Nadal had a heartfelt message for Alex Eala after the young Filipina pulled off a stunning upset at the 2025 Miami Open, defeating world No. 2 and five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek in the quarterfinals. Eala, a 19-year-old wild card entrant, made history by securing her place in the tournament’s semifinals. She stunned Swiatek with a composed yet aggressive performance, winning 6-2, 7-5. The victory marked her third consecutive win over a Grand Slam champion, having previously taken down Jelena Ostapenko and Australian Open winner Madison Keys. Following Eala’s incredible achievement, Nadal took to Instagram to share his admiration and encouragement. “Congratulations, Alex! Let’s keep dreaming!” the Spanish tennis icon wrote, along with a clip of Eala’s match-winning moment. Eala’s journey is deeply connected to Nadal, as she trained at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Spain. Throughout her development, she has credited the academy for shaping her game and mindset. Per The Athletic, Nadal’s uncle and renowned coach, Toni Nadal, was present in Eala’s box during her match against Swiatek. As Eala prepares for her semifinal match, she carries the pride of the Philippines and the admiration of fans worldwide. With Nadal’s encouragement and her remarkable form, the rising star continues to prove that she belongs among the best in the sport. Her journey is far from over, but one thing is sure—Alex Eala is making history, one match at a time.
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