Kevin O'Connell Reveals How Vikings Will Split Reps Between Kyler Murray and J.J. McCarthy

The starting quarterback audition that will shape this season for the Minnesota Vikings and perhaps define multiple careers is clearly the featured attraction during training camp. For as consequential as this competition will be, Kyler Murray, J.J. McCarthy and their teammates have no interest in intensifying the spotlight or indulging in feelings about the process. The players themselves are trying to keep things as cool as they can. "I’m not really too focused on the long-term vision of it," Murray said Wednesday before the team's first formal practice of camp. "I’m really just focused on process, and that’s day to day, trying to put my best foot forward, and proving to the guys and the coaches what I’m capable of." McCarthy brings a decidedly different resume, style and personality to this derby, but his public stance on his approach to trying to keep the same job he had last year sure sounded similar to Murray's. "It’s just refining every little detail, leaving no stone unturned and just trying to get better in every aspect," said McCarthy, whose injuries have limited him to 10 starts in two seasons since he was drafted with the 10th overall pick in 2024. "That’s a constant battle with yourself every single day until you hang ’em up." Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell was remarkably transparent in his news conference this week about the plan for dividing up drills in practice between the two. Murray went first with the first team Wednesday, but the repetitions were equally split. "It’s going to be more by certain periods," O'Connell said. "Maybe a guy’s gotten a little bit more third down work, so then we’ll make sure we try to even it out, but I will say this, and I told the quarterbacks: ‘We don’t need to make this 50-50.’ It’s going to be that way to start when we’re on a time crunch, but when we get into some longer practices and some move-the-ball periods, there’s some periods where the amount of plays is unknown sometimes as you really start to get into what real football is." Murray, of course, was the most seismic change after McCarthy's rocky debut. As the first overall pick in the 2019 draft with 87 starts and more than 20,000 passing yards in his career, Murray is the clear favorite to win this competition. But O'Connell has committed to opening it up, and McCarthy has said he believes him. "My job’s to make it right for either of them, so that’s kind of all I can focus on," right tackle Brian O'Neill said. "It’s just like any other guy and any other position battle. That’s really what it is from my perspective." Murray mentioned earlier the challenge of mastering a new offense without taking all of the turns with the first team, but he said Wednesday he feels much better about the playbook after going through spring practices and continuing to immerse himself in it over the last six weeks. McCarthy, too, said he has recovered from the time lost and the rhythm interrupted by his late-season injuries. "I felt like I was hitting that upward trajectory, and I’m certain it’s still been going up since then," McCarthy said. Reporting by the Associated Press.

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San Francisco 49ers Over/Under Win Total: Can S.F. Find Its Magic Again?

Since 2019, the 49ers have won 10 games or more five times, reaching the Super Bowl twice and the NFC Championship Game four times in that span. However, the name of the game for San Francisco, for a few consecutive seasons, has been injuries. How healthy will it be going into this season? And if healthy, can it overcome the two juggernauts in-division? Let's check out the 49ers' Over/Under win total odds for the 2026 season. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. San Francisco 49ers Over 9.5: -146 (bet $10 to win $16.85 total)Under 9.5: +120 (bet $10 to win $22 total) What to know: Health. That was the one word that plagued the San Francisco 49ers last season. The Niners led the NFL by losing over $95 million in salary cap value to players on the injured list throughout the year. Remarkably, they still won 12 games in 2025 despite dealing with a plethora of injuries to several key players. Brock Purdy missed eight games, while Fred Warner and Nick Bosa both suffered season-ending injuries. George Kittle, Ricky Pearsall and Talanoa Hufanga also missed a significant portion of the season and Brandon Aiyuk never even saw the field. Even after overcoming those injuries and exceeding expectations, San Francisco’s projected win total has dropped entering 2026. Last year, the Niners won those 12 games in the toughest division in football. The Seahawks won 14 games and beat the Rams, winners of 12 games, in the NFC title game. San Francisco fell to Seattle in the divisional round. Odds: This upcoming season, San Francisco is the +305 third choice to win the NFC West, the +960 sixth choice to win the AFC and the +1900 11th choice to win the Super Bowl.

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Eagles GM Howie Roseman Says LeBron James Has Open Invite To Practice

There was business to discuss as the Philadelphia Eagles opened their sixth training camp under coach Nick Sirianni. They have a new offensive coordinator — yes, another one — and players in new roles and ones playing on hefty new contracts. So Jordan Davis, one of the biggest offseason beneficiaries of a contract extension, cut to the chase Wednesday and got straight to the topic of the day. "I will be asking the questions," Davis said with laugh as he took his seat for a news conference. "How we feeling about LeBron being in town?" Yes, in a sports city that each time this summer turns as green in team colors as the cash spent on Davis and fellow defensive tackle Jalen Carter, the Eagles have been overshadowed by the arrival of the most famous active American athlete in LeBron James. An image of the NBA’s career leading scorer could be seen on the video board outside the Philadelphia 76ers' arena across the street from the Eagles’ practice facility. The newest Sixers superstar had no immediate plans to travel to Philadelphia, but if he does, the Eagles will roll out the red carpet on the green grass for James. "He can come out to practice any time he wants," Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said. The Eagles welcomed him to Philly with arms as wide open as they are for James' pregame chalk toss. Super Bowl MVP-winning quarterback Jalen Hurts and 2,000-yard rusher Saquon Barkley both rank somewhere on the short list of most accomplished and most famous Philadelphia athletes. Even they turned into wide-eyed fans much like the rest of Philadelphia when they found out the 41-year-old James had indeed signed a two-year contract with the Sixers. "I think for what he represents in sports and sports culture," Hurts said, "it’s huge. And I think it’s huge for the city of Philadelphia. It’ll be exciting to have a figure like that in the city. What’s he done. One of the greatest to ever do it. I’m excited to be a part of that." James could do worse than duplicate Barkley's free-agent results when he left the New York Giants after six seasons and signed with the Eagles ahead of the 2024 season. He rushed for a franchise-record 2,005 yards and won a Super Bowl in his first try with the Eagles. Barkley pitched James at his youth football camp earlier this month on the appeal of playing in Philadelphia. "If you want to go out with a bang," Barkley said, "I feel like a great spot would be in Philly, and bringing a championship to Philadelphia, you’d be remembered forever." James already had the "remembered forever" stamp in sports thank to his peerless resume in the NBA. Barkley — who played golf with former President Barack Obama and also invited James on social media to " tee it up " — demurred when pressed on his influence in James signing with the Sixers. Playing with All-Stars Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown surely swayed James more than Barkley. The running back didn't care much how exactly James made his Philly decision, or if James was even aware of his endorsement. He's just thrilled James has joined Philly's star-studded athlete roster. "I think the city of Philadelphia is a super cool place to be for sports, with how involved the fans are," Barkley said at training camp. "Having LeBron here is just great for the culture." Barkley, Hurts and other Eagles players still on the roster from two seasons ago are among the relatively few in Philadelphia sports history with championship rings. The Eagles won their only two Super Bowls in the last 10 years. The Flyers haven't won the Stanley Cup since 1975 and the Phillies since 2008. James joins a 76ers franchise that has not won an NBA title since 1983. He's not here for second place. The Eagles say, go get 'em. "Looks like the Sixers are trying to go win one," said Eagles receiver DeVonta Smith, a Boston Celtics fan. "Can't be mad at that." Reporting by The Associated Press.

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Dallas Cowboys, Jerry Jones Highlight Positive Outlook Ahead Of Training Camp

The Dallas Cowboys typically arrive at training camp with some sort of off-field drama swirling around the team, often in the form of a high-profile contract dispute, but there are no such issues this year going into their traditional Southern California sojourn. It isn’t by design, according to Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones, but the 83-year-old football maverick will take the appearance of calm over the alternative. "I don’t believe it makes one iota worth of difference on whether or not we block the guy or go off tackle, but I do like the perception that we’ve had a quite uneventful offseason, and let’s see how we can work in that," Jones said Tuesday at his annual precamp news conference. Compared with a year ago when the stalemate with standout defensive end Micah Parsons over a contract extension quickly devolved into a contentious hold-in and eventually culminated in his shocking trade to the Green Bay Packers, the Cowboys appear to have no financial concerns threatening to overshadow or undermine their on-field work over the next three-plus weeks. Instead, the main focus will be on shaping an overhauled defensive roster under a new coaching staff into a unit capable of helping head coach Brian Schottenheimer’s dynamic offense. The urgency to address that side of the ball, Jones said, is where the narrative of a calm offseason ends. "We’ve had a lot going on, and we’ve had to really scramble a lot," he said. "The kind of stuff you don’t see, but that should be that way. It’s supposed to be hard." The Cowboys hired Christian Parker from the division rival Philadelphia Eagles in January as their defensive coordinator, tasking the 34-year-old secondary specialist with fixing a defense that gave up the most points in franchise history (511) and ranked last in the NFL in scoring (30.1 points per game) and passing yards allowed (251.5). Dallas also used its first three draft picks on defense, including taking Ohio State safety Caleb Downs with the 11th selection, and worked to address other personnel deficiencies in free agency. "We’ve made that bed when we brought in new scheme, new coaches, new players," Jones said. "We’re going with new right there, so I’ve bought into that." Getting that group up to speed to assist an offense led by the star trio of quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens will be critical for the Cowboys’ hopes of returning to the playoffs for the first time in three seasons. Dallas went 7-9-1 in Schottenheimer’s first year, including a 6-1-1 record when scoring 30 or more points. "All those moves that we made, it was not a quiet offseason for us, and it was a great offseason for us," Schottenheimer said. Prescott seems to be embracing the idea that the Cowboys can put themselves in position to compete at the highest level. He arrived at training camp wearing a Super Bowl championship shirt from the last time Dallas won it all following the 1995 regular season, which was also the last time they reached the NFC title game. "I like the idea, thinking that positive about what we’re going to work for," Jones said. "We’ve got a long way to go, really having started in the spring. But that’s good to me to be positive, especially coming from him." Jones didn’t rule out making further moves to improve the roster on defense, saying he recently was in contact with another NFL owner over a potential trade. He declined to discuss the Cowboys’ possible interest in Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby, citing league rules about tampering. A deal to send Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens in March was scuttled because of a failed physical. It was a rare moment of caution from Jones, who has never shied away from expressing himself in front of the media. When asked if the Cowboys’ low-key offseason was intentional, Jones acknowledged his penchant for drawing out the spotlight. "I’ve never thought there was anything quiet or subdued about the Dallas Cowboys. I never thought of it that way, but I have been guilty of stirring it up. And you guys help me, and we have been a great team — I promise you that — for the last 30-something years," a smiling Jones said. Reporting by The Associated Press.

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NFL Catchup: Extensions Galore, Rodgers Makes Another Statement & Raiders' QB Battle

All 32 teams across the NFL have reported to training camp, and there's already plenty of news breaking around the league. Tuesday saw a pair of record extensions, with two stars resetting the market at the respective positions. Aaron Rodgers made another declaration, and the Las Vegas Raiders made a statement on their quarterback competition entering camp. While Tuesday marked the first day that several teams reported to camp, some other teams have already hit the practice field. Has A.J. Brown formed a connection with Drake Maye yet at New England Patriots camp? Here's what to know from Tuesday around the NFL: Three standout players got a lot richer on Tuesday. The Cleveland Browns might have traded All-Pro edge rusher Myles Garrett this offseason, but five-time Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward isn’t going anywhere. The Browns and Ward have agreed on a two-year, $62.2 million extension, per NFL Network. The extension will make Ward the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL for the second time in his career. The deal includes $52.3 million guaranteed, which now ranks just outside the top 10 in cornerback guaranteed money. The Philadelphia Eagles also finalized an extension on Tuesday with star defensive tackle Jalen Carter. The extension is a four-year, $152 million deal that could reach $160 million in value and includes $106 million guaranteed, per ESPN. This deal is the richest for a defensive tackle in NFL history. Carter passed Tennessee Titans star defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons for the highest average annual value at the position in league history ($35.3 million). Meanwhile, the Minnesota Vikings are solidifying the right side of their offensive line by locking up tackle Brian O'Neill. The two sides agreed to a four-year, $96 million contract extension, per ESPN. O'Neill, 30, is entering his ninth NFL season with the Vikings. He’s a two-time Pro Bowl selection and has been an everyday starter for the franchise since he was drafted in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft out of Pittsburgh. Aaron Rodgers reported to his 22nd NFL training camp on Tuesday and confirmed that the 2026 season will be his last. He added there is "zero debate" about the possibility of playing another season after this one. The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback added that he contemplated retirement following last season prior to the team hiring head coach Mike McCarthy. "I thought last year might be it," Rodgers said. "And then Mike got hired, and I talked to the wife and she said, 'You can do one more year.' I said, 'Well, we'll see if it works out.' And then it kind of all came together." The Fernando Mendoza era in Las Vegas may have to wait. Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak announced that veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins will open training camp as the team’s starting quarterback on Tuesday. "When we go out to practice tomorrow, Kirk Cousins is the starting quarterback," Kubiak said. "He's the guy, and he deserves it because he's played really good football." Cousins, 37, enters his 14th NFL season having spent time with the Washington Commanders, Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons and now the Raiders. Across 174 career games, he has completed 66.7% of his passes for 44,700 yards, 298 touchdowns, and 131 interceptions. Ever since selecting the Indiana standout No. 1 overall in this year’s draft, the Raiders have indicated a clear desire to let Mendoza sit and develop. Naming Cousins as the training camp starter only reinforces that long-term blueprint. The connection between quarterback Drake Maye and A.J. Brown is taking time to settle during New England Patriots training camp. Through four days of practices, Maye is 1-for-7 with an interception when targeting Brown in team drills, per the Boston Herald. The two are reportedly struggling to connect on deeper routes. It's early in the process, but it looks like the pair will need more time and reps to gel before the regular season. Brown, a three-time Pro Bowler, was traded to New England for a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick in April. As NFL training camps open across the league, the Green Bay Packers will begin their summer without edge rusher Micah Parsons on the field. The team officially placed Parsons on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. Parsons starting on the PUP list isn't a surprise as he continues to recover from a torn ACL and meniscus damage suffered last December against the Denver Broncos. The injury occurred on a non-contact play while pursuing quarterback Bo Nix and required surgery later that month, putting him on track to miss the start of the regular season. If Parsons is on the PUP list to start the regular season, he'll miss a minimum of four games. Under league rules, any player placed on the reserve PUP list for the regular season must sit out at least four games before becoming eligible to return to practice or game play.

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Who Are The NFL's Highest-Paid Players at Each Position?

In the NFL, the bar is always rising. Each offseason, superstars reset the market, altering the salaries that the best players at each respective position expect to receive. Well, as we approach the start of the 2026 NFL season, deals are still being made that are setting the bar at positions around the league. Philadelphia Eagles star Jalen Carter and Cleveland Browns Pro Bowler Denzel Ward became the latest players to receive a record-setting contract. Carter agreed to a deal that made him the highest-paid defensive tackle in the league, while Ward agreed to an extension that made him the highest-paid cornerback in the league. Carter and Ward join an illustrious list of players to be the highest-paid player at their respective position. So, who does he join on the All-Highest-Paid-Player-Per-Position Team?  Here are the NFL's highest-paid players at each position, per average annual value (AAV), via Spotrac: Mahomes is the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL again. He usurped Dak Prescott for the honor after he signed a two-year extension in June, bringing the total value of his deal to $504.75 million. Prescott had been the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL for nearly two years before that, signing an extension in September 2024 that pays him $60 million per year. The value of running backs is constantly being disputed and Barkley did a lot to help his peers, and himself, out. Barkley was rewarded with a two-year, $41 million extension after winning NFL Offensive Player of the Year in his first year with the Eagles. The New York Giants didn't want to pay Barkley after six seasons with the team, so the Eagles took advantage of that, scooping him up in free agency in 2024. Cincinnati Bengals star Ja'Marr Chase held the honor of being the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history for roughly a year, thanks to a contract that paid him just north of $40 million per season. But Smith-Njigba's memorable 2025 campaign helped him usurp Chase for that honor. Smith-Njigba has reportedly agreed to a four-year, $168.6 million extension with the Seahawks. Smith-Njigba won Offensive Player of the Year in 2025, leading the league in receiving yards (1,793). His dominant regular season preceded Seattle's run to a Super Bowl title, which saw Smith-Njigba put up a 153-yard performance in the NFC title game. A few days after the 2025 NFL Draft ended, Kittle agreed to a four-year, $76.4 million extension with the 49ers. His new deal is worth an average of $19.1 million, surpassing the contract Trey McBride ($19M AAV) signed with the Arizona Cardinals earlier in April of that year. However, Kittle might be facing his toughest test yet following another injury-plagued season in 2025. He missed time due to a hamstring tear before tearing his Achilles in the playoffs. Tunsil agreed to a two-year, $60.2 million extension at the start of the 2026 offseason that made him the highest-paid offensive tackle. The 31-year-old took that honor from Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs, who signed a five-year, $140.6 million extension in 2024. Tunsil has been one of the game's top offensive tackles since he entered the league in 2016. He's been named a Pro Bowler five times, and was graded as Pro Football Focus' sixth-best offensive tackle in 2025. Smith, a three-time Pro Bowler in his first four years in the league, became the highest-paid guard in the NFL in September when he agreed to a four-year, $96 million extension. He did play at left tackle for a bit, though, in 2025. Linderbaum became the NFL's highest-paid center in March after signing a three-year, $81 million deal to join the Las Vegas Raiders. He passed Chiefs center Creed Humphrey for the honor, as Humphrey signed a four-year, $72 million extension ($18 million AAV) in August 2024. Carter became the NFL's highest-paid tackle when he agreed to a four-year, $152 million extension with $106 million guaranteed. He received the contract after earning his second Pro Bowl nod in 2025 as he was also a key part of the Eagles' Super Bowl team in 2024. Carter usurped Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones for the honor, as Jones is getting paid $31.75 million per year on a five-year, $158.75 million deal. Anderson only needed three seasons to earn a contract that made him the highest-paid edge rusher in the NFL. He signed a three-year, $150 million extension with the Texans, which included just over $100 million guaranteed. Packers star Micah Parsons was previously the highest-paid edge rusher, signing a four-year, $186 million extension ($46.5 million AAV) in August 2025. Of the defensive positions, inside linebacker has the cheapest average annual value contract leader. Still, Warner is making a pretty penny. He reached a three-year, $63 million extension ($56 million guaranteed) when he re-signed with the 49ers in May 2025. Warner is one of the longest-tenured 49ers, having played seven seasons with the team since he was drafted in 2018. He is arguably the NFL's best inside linebacker, and if not, he's at least the most consistent. He had been named to three consecutive All-Pro teams before an injury cut his 2025 campaign short. Warner was also the engine of San Francisco's defense during its run to Super Bowl LVIII. He had recorded at least 118 total tackles in each season of his career prior to his injury-shortened 2025 season. Ward became the other player to set the standard at his position on Tuesday. He agreed to a two-year, $62.2 million deal with the Browns, making him the league's highest-paid cornerback. Prior to Tuesday, Trent McDuffie was the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL. He agreed to a four-year, $124 million extension with the Rams shortly after Los Angeles traded for him, giving him $31 million per year. In a good deal of contract maneuvering, James slightly beat out Ravens' star Kyle Hamilton to become the NFL's highest-paid safety. The Chargers' star signed a three-year, $75.6 million extension in May after earning his sixth All-Pro nod in 2025. There are two kickers who can claim to be the highest-paid player at the position. Both Aubrey and Boswell are making $7 million per year, as both players are also on a four-year, $28 million pact. Aubrey is receiving more guaranteed money, though, as his contract has $15 million guaranteed to Boswell's $10.5 million guaranteed. Stout was one of a few members of the Ravens' organization to follow head coach John Harbaugh to the Giants, and he was paid handsomely for doing so. Stout received a three-year, $12.3 million deal at the onset of free agency this offseason. Stout was named first-team All-Pro in 2025, with his 44.9 average net yards per punt leading the league.

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Philadelphia Eagles Sign Jalen Carter To Historic Contract Extension

Jalen Carter isn't going anywhere! The Philadelphia Eagles announced on Tuesday that they've signed the star defensive tackle to a four-year extension, which keeps him under contract through 2031. The extension is a four-year, $152 million deal that could reach $160 million in value and includes $106 million guaranteed, per ESPN. This deal is the richest for a defensive tackle in NFL history. Carter passed Tennessee Titans star defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons for the highest average annual value at the position in league history ($35.3 million). Moreover, Carter's $38 million AAV is second in Eagles history, with quarterback Jalen Hurts' $51 million AAV (five-year, $255 million deal) first in franchise history. Carter, a Pro Bowler in two of his three seasons in the sport (2024 and 2025), totaled three sacks, seven passes defended and 33 combined tackles across 11 regular-season games last year (2025); he missed six games due to heel, shoulder and hip issues. Carter was second in the sport with six batted passes, according to Pro Football Focus. Philadelphia selected Carter with the No. 9 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, with the defensive tackle tallying two forced fumbles in 2023 and 2024, earning second-team All-Pro honors in his second year. Earlier this offseason, the Eagles extended fellow defensive tackle Jordan Davis to a three-year, $78 million deal. Last month, they traded wide receiver and three-time Pro Bowler A.J. Brown to the New England Patriots for a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder. The Eagles are coming off an 11-6 season that saw them lose to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC wild-card round.

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