Twins – Page 2 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Ryan Tannehill May Still Wait in Wings for Vikings QB Job

Posted on May 5, 2025May 5, 2025 by David Shama

Concerns about 22-year-old J.J. McCarthy and whether he can pull his weight this fall in his first year as an NFL starting quarterback won’t be answered until at least after the first several games of the regular season. Even if he delivers, injuries could sideline him from leading an offense that is a vital part of a Minnesota Super Bowl contender.

Doubts are present now and could increase about whether newly acquired 24-year-old Sam Howell can be a quality replacement for McCarthy if needed. Before completing a deal with the Seahawks for Howell in April, the Vikings reportedly had conversations with 36-year-old Ryan Tannehill who sat out last season but is a former Pro Bowler.

A former front office executive with NFL clubs, speaking on condition of anonymity, offered perspective on Howell and Tannehill. “I thought they’d sign Tannehill who is more accomplished than Howell, but there’s a big cap savings as Howell costs $1.1 million this season. And Tannehill would’ve been at least at the $10 million they paid (Sam) Darnold last year.

“And they can perhaps put this cap savings toward re-signing Stephon Gilmore or another quality corner which would help the corner situation that wasn’t addressed in the draft, or a good vet safety to compete with Theo Jackson, with Cam Bynum gone.

“Howell at least is a decent and somewhat experienced QB with 18 starts in Washington in two years (2022-2023). In 2023 (17 starts) he threw 21 TD passes but also led the league with 21 interceptions. Also had five rushing TDs that season so he can run a bit.

Kevin O’Connell image courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings

“Kevin O’Connell will coach up Howell to be more careful with his throws. They only invested a swap of fifth round spots to get Howell so if he doesn’t perform well enough in training camp and preseason games, or if McCarthy gets re-injured or isn’t where they want him to be, they could still try to sign Tannehill during training camp or in regular season.”

Tannehill expressed desire last season to play for an NFL team but was selective about the opportunity that he would welcome. The Vikings, during the summer or season, with their loaded roster and superb coaching, might well be of interest to the veteran who last played for the Titans. But Minnesota could also need to be convinced he is the right guy to ride in on the white horse wearing a white hat.

It’s believed Aaron Rodgers and Kirk Cousins like horses, too.

Worth Noting

The prediction here is the Timberwolves will win their best of seven Western Conference semifinal playoff series against the Warriors in six games. The Wolves have more length, depth and a better blend of youth and experience. The Warriors are uber dependent on Steph Curry, 37, and 35-year-olds Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green.

Warrior fans should jump off the Golden Gate Bridge if any of three are injured and sidelined in the series that begins tomorrow night at Target Center.

The Wild need to extend star forward Kirill Kaprizov’s contract this offseason or the next. How important is the assignment?

“Oh (blank),” Lou Nanne told Sports Headliners. “It’s the franchise. How important is it to be in the league?”

The team’s offseason to-do list should also include adding two or three quality forwards, Nanne said. He believes the roster has a good core but can improve with help at the wing and center spots. The defense can get a boost too if young defenders David Jiricek and Zeev Buium come through, he added.

Nanne, the state of Minnesota hockey legend who turns 84 next month, predicts the Panthers and Stars will play in the 2025 Stanley Cup finals. The healthier team will win, he believes. “It should be a big series between those two, I would think.”

No doubt Twins fans are frustrated after last season’s 12-27 finish to the schedule and this year’s 15-20 start. Dave Mona, for example, posted this on Facebook recently: “I’ve been a Twins fan since they moved here in 1961, but it’s getting harder and harder. (Edouardo) Julien is a liability at second base. (Jorge) Alcala is (a) disaster in the bullpen. The offense is loaded with guys who can’t hit. …Their best prospects can’t seem to recover from sprained ankles and pulled hamstrings. Hard to watch.”

Don’t be surprised if the Vikings and the Minnesota Sports and Events group bring the NFL Draft to Minneapolis for the first time ever, perhaps in 2029. The host cities have been announced for the next two drafts, Pittsburgh in 2026 and Washington D.C. in 2027. The draft drew a record breaking 775,000 fans in Detroit about a year ago.

Congratulations to Sam Bruggers from Champlin Park for his film work on winning the annual Bob Marcus Award from the Football Film Federation. High school football film is a backbone of success for prep programs. The Marcus award is named after the successful former Gopher and Viking video expert.

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Sam Howell Acquisition Likely Ends Vikings QB Room Drama

Posted on April 30, 2025April 30, 2025 by David Shama

The Vikings were headed for controversy if they had added either Aaron Rodgers or Kirk Cousins to their quarterback room this offseason.

The ultra ego Rodgers would have landed here surrounded by paparazzi, with immediate expectations to replace 22-year-old J.J. McCarthy as the 2025 season starter. Cousins would have likely been willing to be McCarthy’s backup but as soon as the inexperienced QB had a difficult stretch, fans would have been in revolt and chanting Kirk’s name.

The Vikings saved millions of dollars in payroll by not pursuing the two veterans. They also negated the potential soap opera of having a former star quarterback either replacing or at least looking over McCarthy’s shoulder. In a worst-case scenario, the tumult could have even disrupted the kumbaya in the locker room.

Instead, the Vikings made a trade last week with the Seahawks for 24-year-old Sam Howell, a rather obscure NFL player who has played in 20 games in three years, including two last season. He could walk through the airport here and no one would recognize him. And in a sense, that’s the point.

Howell is clearly arriving at TCO Performance Center to be a reserve, a guy with limited starting experience to back up McCarthy. Howell was a 2022 fifth round draft choice of the Commanders. He started one game his rookie season, then 17 in 2023 throwing 21 touchdown passes and 21 picks. He led the league in passing attempts, interceptions and sacks (65).

Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell and QB coach Josh McCown excel in developing quarterbacks. Just ask Sam Darnold, the journeyman who had the best NFL season of his life leading the 2024 Vikings. Now the prime students are McCarthy and Howell who played in one game for the Seahawks last season.

McCarthy’s skills have intrigued the Vikings since before they selected him No. 10 overall in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Injured all of last season, he’s destined to start his first NFL games in September and to do it without a marquee name drawing attention away from him.

Howell’s career is in need of rehab. The former North Carolina QB was traded by the Commanders last year and played in two games, attempting 14 passes. With “Doctor” O’Connell, he will no doubt get a thorough evaluation from arm angle on his throws to his progressions as plays develop.

Worth Noting

The Wild lost a second consecutive overtime game to the Golden Knights last evening in Las Vegas. It looked like Minnesota would win 3-2 with a goal late in the third period only to have a video replay negate the score by Ryan Hartman. Teammate Gustav Nyquist was offside on the play.

Minnesota icon Lou Nanne was prophetic talking to Sports Headliners about the importance of “little things” prior to the game where the Wild was trying to go ahead 3-2 in the best of seven playoff series. “You gotta be sharp all the time. You gotta be thinking every time you’re on the ice. You gotta be aware of what’s going on.”

The Wild had to play the third period and overtime with Marc-Andre Fleury, the backup to Filip Gustavsson who had to leave the game because of illness. Nanne labeled Gustavsson the best goalie in the series and Kirill Kaprizov, with five goals in five games, the “best player on either team.”

Asked to compare the rosters of Vegas and Minnesota, he said the Knights are deeper and then added: “Pretty well balanced. It’s just that they are bigger and they are stronger. But I think it’s a good match for us. We have as much opportunity to win as they do.”

To win the series, the Wild will need to rally with victories Thursday night in the Twin Cities and Saturday in Las Vegas.

The Timberwolves, leading 3-1 in their playoff series against the Lakers, are about five-point underdogs tonight in Los Angeles. Worry if you wish about the Wolves blowing the series, but the NBA began in 1947 and only 13 teams have ever come back from a 3-1 deficit to win a seven-game series.

There are fans who think the Lakers, with their storied championship legacy and huge TV market, will be given preferential calls by the officials tonight because the NBA wants the Lakers to extend the series. This kind of conspiracy has been present for decades but it’s rubbish because the NBA powers would be foolish to issue edicts about who should win games and thereby destroy the league’s credibility.

Minnesota native Ken Mauer, who refereed in the league for 37 years, told Sports Headliners yesterday “it’s make believe” to think the refs will favor the Lakers.

The officials also have a reputation to maintain. And, BTW, the NBA has admitted the officials missed a late game call in Sunday’s Minnesota win that hurt the Lakers.

Sunday’s game on ABC peaked with 10,274,000 viewers, according to Nielsen, and was the most watched NBA game of that day and evening.

Dating back to the regular season, the Wolves are 20-5 in their last 25 games.

Last week’s three-day NFL Draft from Green Bay was viewed by an average audience of 7.5 million people across ESPN, ABC, NFL Network, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and digital channels. It is the second most-watched NFL draft ever, behind only 2020 and up 27% from last year.

Top Twins prospect outfielder Walker Jenkins hasn’t played in a minor league game for Double -A Wichita since early April because of an ankle injury.

Ex-Twin Tyler Mahle is probably the biggest pitching surprise in MLB this spring. He is 3-0 for the Rangers with a gaudy 1.14 ERA, second best among starters.

The Twins traded for Mahle during the 2022 season and injuries limited his availability during parts of two seasons. In December of 2023 he signed as a free agent with the Rangers and has worked his way back from Tommy John surgery to stardom.

The Rangers signed him to a two-year $22 million contract that pays him $16.5 million this season, per MLB.com.

The college football transfer portal is closed and for a second consecutive season the Gophers have retained most of their core players. Offensive linemen Phillip Daniels and Martes Lewis could be significant transfer losses.

247Sports ranks the Minnesota transfer class as seventh best in the Big Ten. The website lists 22 incoming and 20 outgoing transfers with the program.

The Big Ten announced men’s basketball opponents yesterday for the 18 league teams for the 2025-2026 season. Each team will play 20 league games, facing 14 opponents only once. Dates and times announced later. Below is the Golden Gophers list of opponents.

Home: Iowa, Maryland, Michigan State, Nebraska, Rutgers, UCLA, USC.

Away: Illinois, Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Purdue, Washington.

Home/Away: Indiana, Northwestern, Wisconsin.

Tempting for this writer: A Kentucky Derby bet Saturday on a horse named Journalism, a bay colt with $600,000 in career earnings who has emerged as a Derby favorite.

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Vikings Remain on Clear Path to Build Support for J.J.

Posted on April 25, 2025April 25, 2025 by David Shama

Updated at 4:03 p.m. April 25, 2025

Enjoy a Friday notes column.

A former NFL team executive who follows the Vikings closely texted Sports Headliners with the following evaluation about Minnesota’s decision to use the No. 24 spot in the first round of last night’s NFL Draft to take an offensive lineman. (The authority asked that his name not be published).

“The Vikings selection of Ohio State guard Donovan Jackson is all about J.J. McCarthy and giving him great protection along with establishing a dominant running game to support him.

“After the interior O-line’s struggles against the Lions and Rams late last season, the Vikings were determined to upgrade this area, and they have in free agency with center Ryan Kelly and guard Will Fries, and now with Jackson who is a solid pick as a fine pass protector and excellent run blocker.

“There were defensive backs who surely tempted them at No. 24, and I expect them to pick a corner or safety in round 3, and probably try to obtain another pick or two via trades beyond the three remaining picks they have in this draft.”

The Vikings have a league low four total selections in the draft which continues with rounds two and three today, followed by four through seven on Saturday. Their three remaining draft spots are in the third, fifth and sixth rounds.

McCarthy has yet to play a snap in an NFL regular season game after getting hurt as a rookie in preseason in 2024. It’s evident head coach Kevin O’Connell wants to give McCarthy the strongest supporting cast possible. Jackson could start as a rookie in place of veteran Blake Brandel at left guard.

It’s to Jackson’s advantage that his teammates on the offensive line are gifted and experienced. Left tackle Christian Darrisaw has played four NFL seasons, Kelly nine, Fries four, and right tackle Brian O’Neill seven. They block for a roster of skilled playmakers including wide receivers Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison and running back Aaron Jones. The Vikings are loaded on offense but won’t reach their potential if McCarthy is mediocre or worse.

The Vikings wouldn’t have selected Jackson if they didn’t believe his character and talent met their standards. His evaluation on NFL/prospects.com this winter predicted the 6-4, 315-pound lineman “will eventually be (a) plus starter.”

In mock drafts this month Chad Reuter of NFL.com had the Chiefs selecting Gopher offensive tackle Aireontae Ersery in the first round. Ersery wasn’t picked by any team on opening night of the draft but still figures to be the first of several Gophers with draft hopes to be selected.

The 2025 NFL Draft should have an economic impact of $20 million for Brown County and $90 million for the state of Wisconsin, per an Associated Press story earlier this week that sourced information from Beth Jones Schnese, Greater Green Bay Chamber vice president of marketing/member engagement. The article said that equates to the amount generated by three consecutive Packer home-game weekends.

The NFL, honoring the tradition of pro football in Green Bay, awarded the draft to the area knowing it had logistical challenges with direct flights and number of hotel rooms. The 2025 draft is a driving destination for many fans who are travelling from places like Milwaukee and Madison, two hours or so away.

For those who follow the Golden Gophers football team to road games, the 2025 away schedule is the most intriguing in memory. All five destinations are attractive including West Coast trips to the Bay Area (Cal) and Eugene (first time at Oregon), plus border rival Iowa, Northwestern (at Wrigley Field) and defending national champion Ohio State. Creative Charters, the Stillwater-based company, has been serving roadies since 1993 and has details on 2025 packages.

Derek Burns, president of Dinkytown Athletes, texted that a recent matching campaign hit $400,000 to benefit Gopher men’s basketball NIL (name, image and likeness).

The Timberwolves will enter tonight’s Game Three against the Lakers favored by a couple of points by oddsmakers. The opinion here is the Wolves should be favored by five points or more in their first home game in the best of seven playoff series. The Wolves have the better overall roster talent and depth.

A couple of things to watch: In splitting the first two games in Los Angeles, the Wolves were behind after one quarter both times so a better start will be an improvement. Also, the Lakers, lacking depth and relying on 40-year-old LeBron James, looked fatigued and just able to hang on to a big fourth quarter lead Tuesday night. Lacking depth, and relying on a Big Three of James, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves playing extensive minutes, the Lakers could be gassed late in all remaining games.

The Athletics’ NBA player survey came out Tuesday and the Wolves’ Anthony Edwards finished second in voting (13.8 percent) to the Spurs Victor Wembanyama (54.3) on the question of who will be the face of the league five years from now.

In the annual poll where players can answer questions anonymously, Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert was second at 10 percent behind the Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton, 14.4, for most overrated.

The Wild’s Kirill Kaprizov is now only two behind Zach Parise’s franchise record of 16 playoff goals. Last night Kaprizov scored two goals to help the Wild win 5-2 in Game 3 of their best of seven opening playoff series against the Golden Knights.

The Wild, leading 2-1 in the series and hosting Game 4 Saturday afternoon, hasn’t advanced past the opening series in the playoffs since 2015.

If reserve Marc-Andre Fleury of the Wild plays in the Stanley Cup Playoffs this spring it will be for an 18th postseason. That would break a tie with Martin Brodeur and Patrick Roy (17 postseasons) for most total playoff years among NHL goalies.

The Twins Byron Buxton is 31 and has fought off injuries for years, but he still has his speed. Twins media notes recently said his 30.2 miles per hour speed leads all MLB players.

Gopher basketball coach Dawn Plitzuweit, whose team recently won the Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament title in her second season, will speak to the Capital Club breakfast group May 1 at Mendakota Country Club. Another program will feature Minnesota sports columnists Chip Scoggins, LaVelle E. Neal and Charley Walters on May 14. More information about the Capital Club is available from Patrick Klinger, patrick@agilemarketingco.com.

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