Minnesota
Report: Minnesota Vikings interested in signing RB Aaron Jones
In a joint report, The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman and Dianna Russini claim that former Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones is being shown interest on the open market by one of the Packers’ divisional rivals, the Minnesota Vikings. Based on their reporting, Jones is only a free agent because he and his representation couldn’t see eye-to-eye on compensation.
Apparently, Green Bay asked Jones to take about a 50 percent pay cut to return to the team in 2024. When Rosenhaus Sports, Jones’ representation, declined on Friday, Jones’ fate was sealed: He was going to be let go.
On Monday, the Packers signed former Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs to a four-year, $48 million deal that is essentially a photocopy of the deal that Jones received in 2021. Originally, it appeared that Jacobs and Jones would share the backfield, as was reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. When Jones was let go, though, it was obvious what Green Bay’s intentions were all along.
Since The Athletic’s report, NFL insider Aaron Wilson of KPRC in Houston has also stated that the Vikings have shown real interest in Jones on the first day that he’s been available as a free agent. Minnesota doesn’t have much going on in their backfield right now, as the squad has moved on from Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison over the last calendar year. Currently, the team’s leading returning rusher is Ty Chandler, a 2022 fifth-round pick with 108 career carries under his belt. Chandler is backed up by Cam Akers, who hasn’t looked the same since returning from his Achilles injury, and Kene Nwangwu, best known as a returner.
To say the least, Jones would immediately be the top back in Minnesota. Hopefully, he doesn’t end up staying in the NFC North.
The entirety of the Metro Transit Blue Line and parts of the Green Line will shut down for a few weeks this summer and be replaced by buses as crews work to swap worn track and outdated equipment.
The Blue Line will be offline from June 29 to Aug. 19. The west end of the Green Line — from West Bank to Target Field — will shut down between July 1 and July 26 and again between Aug. 16 and Aug. 19.
Metro Transit says buses will stop at or near the stations every 15 minutes. Some boarding locations will be moved to Hiawatha Avenue, and staff will help guide riders to their bus stops for the construction period.
Nearly every stop along the 22-year-old Blue Line will see improvement, Metro Transit says. The stations will be outfitted with real-time signs and shelter glass.
“We recognize that this needed maintenance work will be disruptive to riders, but once completed, the work we do this summer will help improve the customer experience for years to come,” said General Manager Lesley Kandaras.
The Green Line will be back in service for the beginning of August to accommodate summer events, such as Twins and Lynx games, the WWE Summer Slam at U.S. Bank Stadium and Noah Kahan and Ed Sheeran concerts.
We had another beautiful day across the region. Temperatures were still slightly below average. Winds will continue to be off the lake but our focus for tonight will be the chance for strong to severe thunderstorms across north-central Minnesota. The biggest threats will be hail, gusty winds and lightning.
Additional showers and thunderstorms are expected Wednesday, mainly during the afternoon and early evening.
Strong or severe storms are not currently expected Wednesday. However, some of these pop up storms could produce some damaging winds.
A more summer-like pattern is expected for the end of the week into early next week with increasing moisture and temperatures.
Chances for storms are expected to return on Sunday and continue into the new week.
Tonight
Showers and thunderstorms redevelop later tonight with fog by sunrise, the low will be around 48. East wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.
Wednesday
AM Fog with afternoon showers and thunderstorms with a high near 63. East wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.
Thursday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 69. East wind around 5 mph.
Friday
Partly sunny, with a high near 69. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Saturday
A slight chance of showers after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 69. Breezy, with an east wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Sunday
A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 74. Breezy, with an east wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Monday
A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 81. Southeast wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Tuesday
A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 83. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 15 mph.
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The Portland Trail Blazers picked Minnesota Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori as their next head coach on Tuesday, after making the playoffs for the first time in five years under the direction of interim coach Tiago Splitter.
Nori, who spent the past five seasons with the Timberwolves, has interviewed for multiple head coach vacancies, including the Chicago Bulls earlier this month, the New York Knicks last year, and the Los Angeles Lakers in 2024.
Nori, 52, was the lead assistant under Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch while the club made the playoffs each season, won five series, and reached the Western Conference finals in 2023 and 2024. Nori, who began his NBA career in 1998 as a scout with the Toronto Raptors, has also been an assistant for the Raptors, the Sacramento Kings, the Denver Nuggets, and the Detroit Pistons. His son, Dante, is a minor league baseball player in the Philadelphia Phillies organization.
Splitter, who was hired last week as head coach of the Chicago Bulls, was promoted from assistant to interim coach when then-head coach Chauncey Billups was arrested in October in a federal takedown of a sprawling gambling operation. Billups has pleaded not guilty to charges of wire fraud and money laundering.
The Blazers went 42-40 with a five-game loss to NBA finalist San Antonio in the first round of the playoffs, the first postseason appearance and first time they finished with a winning record in five years.
The news comes a day after the Wolves reportedly traded three-time All-Star Julius Randle to the Brooklyn Nets in a three-team trade that sends Nic Claxton to the Chicago Bulls.
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