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Vikings final 2024 53-man roster projection: Will rebuilt cornerback corps hold up?

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Vikings final 2024 53-man roster projection: Will rebuilt cornerback corps hold up?


The Minnesota Vikings open the 2024 NFL regular season at the New York Giants on Sept. 8 at MetLife Stadium.

At some positions, their core roster looks much different than it did when training camp began. The Vikings have overhauled the cornerback position, most notably by signing veteran Stephon Gilmore. Rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy, meanwhile, was lost for the season after just one preseason appearance because of a torn meniscus in his right knee.

The roster will be cut to 53 players by 4 p.m. ET Tuesday. Here is a projection for the Vikings:

QUARTERBACKS (3): Sam Darnold, Nick Mullens, Jaren Hall

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Teams no longer need to keep a third quarterback on the 53-man roster to use them as the emergency quarterback on game day. And while there might not be a high risk in losing Hall on the waiver wire, should the Vikings try get him onto the practice squad, the Vikings probably won’t take that chance after having already lost McCarthy to injury. Last season’s quarterback carousel remains fresh on their minds. With McCarthy out for the season, Mullens moves from insurance policy to likely No. 2 behind Darnold.


RUNNING BACKS (3): Aaron Jones, Ty Chandler, Kene Nwangwu

Jones and Chandler are expected to shoulder most of the load at the position. The Vikings could probably get both Myles Gaskin and DeWayne McBride on the practice squad to maintain depth. Nwangwu is expected to be the primary kickoff returner.


FULLBACK (1): C.J. Ham

Vikings coaches have once again spoken glowingly this summer about Ham and their hope to find more ways to use him on offense. He played 19.4% of offensive snaps in 2023 after getting on the field for 14.7% of them in 2022.

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WIDE RECEIVERS (6): Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Jalen Nailor, Brandon Powell, Trishton Jackson, Trent Sherfield Sr.

The Vikings hope that Addison’s ankle injury, suffered Aug. 14 in joint practices with the Browns, has healed in time to pair him with Jefferson for Week 1. Nailor and Jackson had two of the most impressive camps among Vikings players this summer, locking them into the third and, possibly fourth receiver roles, respectively. Powell has special teams value, and Sherfield has $1 million fully guaranteed coming his way, whether he makes the team or not.


TIGHT ENDS (3): Johnny Mundt, Josh Oliver, Nick Muse

This is the group the Vikings will move forward with until T.J. Hockenson is ready to return from a torn ACL and MCL in his right knee. Mundt got the vast majority of targets with the first team during training camp, as he did at the end of last season after Hockenson’s injury. Veteran Robert Tonyan was slowed by a back injury during camp.


OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (10): Christian Darrisaw, Blake Brandel, Garrett Bradbury, Ed Ingram, Brian O’Neill, Dalton Risner, David Quessenberry, Walter Rouse, Dan Feeney, Michael Jurgens

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An expected three-way competition at guard between Brandel, Ingram and Risner never materialized, largely due to an undisclosed injury that limited Risner’s availability. Brandel and Ingram took essentially all of the first team-reps, but it’s hard to imagine the Vikings parting ways with Risner altogether, assuming he is healthy. Jurgens struggled during preseason games and could probably make it to the practice squad if the Vikings need his roster spot elsewhere.


DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (5): Harrison Phillips, Jonathan Bullard, Jerry Tillery, Jonah Williams, Levi Drake Rodriguez

Five might ultimately be too low a number for this group. That would be especially true if defensive coordinator Brian Flores finds himself in more base situations than he did in 2023, when the Vikings used historically high rates of one- and two-man defensive lines. Rodriguez had a strong preseason, demonstrating good quickness at the snap, and has a chance to be part of the rotation.


LINEBACKERS (9): Jonathan Greenard, Blake Cashman, Andrew Van Ginkel, Dallas Turner, Pat Jones II, Ivan Pacie Jr., Kamu Grugier-Hill, Jihad Ward, Gabriel Murphy

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This group would seem to be the key to Flores’ ability to mix and match personnel based on matchups; most of these players can hold their own inside or outside or in other combinations. It might be tough for the Vikings to keep Grugier-Hill, Ward and Murphy, as well as 2022 third-round pick Brian Asamoah II. Murphy has missed extended time during camp due to injuries, making him a little more difficult to project.


CORNERBACKS (5): Stephon Gilmore, Shaquill Griffin, Byron Murphy Jr., Akayleb Evans, Fabian Moreau

It’s pretty wild that two of these five players — Gilmore and Moreau — were signed during training camp as the Vikings have worked to overhaul the position in real time. It’s assumed that Gilmore and Murphy will be the top two corners. Griffin missed most of camp because of a hamstring injury but will likely work on the outside, with Murphy in the slot for nickel formations. Moreau beats out rookie Dwight McGlothern, who would be a prime candidate for the practice squad.


SAFETIES (5): Harrison Smith, Camryn Bynum, Josh Metellus, Theo Jackson, Jay Ward

Smith, Bynum and Metellus will likely be part of the Vikings’ top 11 defenders, with Metellus resuming his multi-positional role. Jackson got off to a tremendous start in training camp and could force his way onto the field in some packages, while Ward moved between safety and cornerback and has value in that flexibility.

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SPECIALISTS (3): Will Reichard, Ryan Wright, Andrew DePaola

Reichard and Wright each won training camp competitions, although Reichard — a sixth-round draft pick — was always a heavy favorite to be the kicker. Coverage specialist NaJee Thompson has dealt with a knee injury all summer and might not be ready for the regular season.



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Pacers vs Timberwolves Game Loses Minnesota All-Star with Concerning Injury

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Pacers vs Timberwolves Game Loses Minnesota All-Star with Concerning Injury


The Indiana Pacers, who are missing a whopping seven guards in their ongoing Sunday tilt against the Minnesota Timberwolves, got a bit of injury luck when Minnesota’s best player was ruled out for good in the first quarter of the action.

More news: Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton Provides New Injury Update on Himself

Per Chris Haynes of Amazon Prime and NBA TV, All-Star shooting guard Anthony Edwards has been ruled out for the rest of the contest with right hamstring tightness.

At the end of the first frame, the game is knotted up at 28-28.

More news: Pacers Cut Ties with Key Guard Despite Major Injury Issues at the Position

This story will be updated…

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For more news and notes on the Indiana Pacers, visit Indiana Pacers on SI.





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How to watch Minnesota Timberwolves vs Indiana Pacers NBA game: Live stream, TV channel, and start time | Goal.com

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How to watch Minnesota Timberwolves vs Indiana Pacers NBA game: Live stream, TV channel, and start time | Goal.com


The Indiana Pacers head to Target Center on Sunday to take on the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Indiana will be on tired legs, wrapping up the second game of a back-to-back after squaring off with the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday night. The Pacers are still searching for their first win after a wild season opener that saw them fall 141–135 in double overtime to the Oklahoma City Thunder. 

Minnesota, meanwhile, has had a mixed start to the campaign, splitting its first two outings with a victory over Portland followed by a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch Minnesota Timberwolves vs Indiana Pacers NBA game, plus plenty more.

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Minnesota Timberwolves vs Indiana Pacers: Date and tip-off time

The Timberwolves will face off against the Pacers in an exciting NBA game on Sunday, October 26, 2025, at 7:00 pm ET/4:00 pm PT at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota .

Date Sunday, October 26, 2025
Tip-off Time 7:00 pm ET/4:00 pm PT
Venue Target Center
Location Minneapolis, Minnesota

How to watch Minnesota Timberwolves vs Indiana Pacers on TV & stream live online

Fans in the USA can catch all the action between the Timberwolves and the Pacers live on Fubo (in-market).

Streaming the game with a VPN

Unable to watch this game due to broadcast restrictions? A VPN could be the answer to your problems.

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When it comes to streaming live sports, NordVPN is our pick for the best VPN service in 2025. You can even try NordVPN risk-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

If you aren’t sure how to use a VPN, check out our guide on how to set up and stream sports from any country with a VPN.

Minnesota Timberwolves team news

For the Timberwolves, Anthony Edwards has been on fire to start the year, averaging 36 points per game while knocking down over 53% of his shots and an impressive 50% from beyond the arc. Julius Randle has been a steady complement inside, putting up 22.5 points and eight rebounds per game, forming a potent inside-out pairing with Edwards. Jaden McDaniels has chipped in 14 points a night while maintaining his reputation as a defensive stopper.

Anchoring the interior, Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid have been a force, combining to help Minnesota average a whopping 10 blocks per game. The Wolves’ main focus will be to dictate tempo and keep the Pacers from turning the game into a track meet, limiting transition chances and open-floor scoring will be key to containing Indiana’s fast-paced attack.

Indiana Pacers team news

Indiana’s season opener offered a glimpse of just how explosive this offense can be. Bennedict Mathurin erupted for 36 points on 9-of-19 shooting, including three triples, while Pascal Siakam made a statement in his Pacers debut with 32 points, 15 rebounds, and four assists. Obi Toppin added 20 points and five boards, and rookie Jarace Walker chipped in 13 off the bench. Despite the offensive fireworks, the Pacers struggled with consistency from deep, connecting on just 13 of 43 attempts (30%) while shooting 44% overall from the floor.

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Defensively, however, Indiana had a tough night, surrendering 141 points and 55 rebounds. The team allowed too many clean looks and failed to finish defensive possessions, giving up several costly second-chance opportunities. With Andrew Nembhard and T.J. McConnell sidelined, the Pacers’ backcourt depth remains thin, a challenge that forces others to step up. To hang with Minnesota, Indiana must tighten up its interior defense and stay locked in on assignments.

Minnesota Timberwolves and Indiana Pacers head-to-head record

Date Competition Home Team Away Team Score
08.10.25 NBA Minnesota Timberwolves Indiana Pacers 134 – 135
25.03.25 NBA Indiana Pacers Minnesota Timberwolves 119 – 103
18.03.25 NBA Minnesota Timberwolves Indiana Pacers 130 – 132
15.07.24 LVSL Indiana Pacers Minnesota Timberwolves 94 – 105
08.03.24 NBA Indiana Pacers Minnesota Timberwolves 111 – 113

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Cryptocurrency ATMs in gas stations, grocery stores are magnets for fraud

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Cryptocurrency ATMs in gas stations, grocery stores are magnets for fraud


McKie thought the process for reclaiming her lost money was too much to handle. A friend at work helped her set up an online fundraiser last year to raise the $2,000 she lost.

Though state law establishes that a Minnesotan considered a “new customer” is entitled to a full refund when swindled at a cryptocurrency kiosk, local authorities who spoke to the Minnesota Star Tribune said cryptocurrency kiosk operators are exploiting a loophole to avoid paying refunds. Because scammers typically send victims information, like a QR code, to access a scammers’ account directly, many victims do not set up accounts and are therefore not considered “new customers.”

One Minnesotan, who spoke to the Star Tribune on the condition of anonymity for fear of becoming a scam victim again, received refunds from Athena Bitcoin and another operator called RockItCoin. He said Athena Bitcoin at first told him he was out of luck but later made him whole. Meticulous record keeping likely helped his case, he said.

Some authorities allege cryptocurrency operators intentionally make their fees difficult to understand. Earlier this year, Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird sued Bitcoin Depot and CoinFlip, accusing the companies of introducing several confusing steps a customer needs to follow to learn how much a kiosk operator charges.

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For example, to calculate Bitcoin Depot’s take, a user needs to multiply the market price of Bitcoin by the amount of cryptocurrency sent to determine its cash value; subtract that figure from the total amount of cash put into the machine; and figure in a nominal $3 flat fee. In the case of an $8,800 transaction, the Iowa attorney general calculated a $2,038.27 fee.

A scammer posing as law enforcement convinced Mellissa McKie that she would go to jail if she did not send thousands of dollars via cryptocurrency kiosks. (Alex Kormann/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

McKie recognizes in hindsight she could have escaped the ordeal quickly and without financial loss. Had her husband been home, she said, he would have convinced her the call was a con. Today, she is more cautious about answering her phone and just recently hung up on a scammer who tried to run a different scheme on her.



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