Minnesota Professional Athletes

Blake Cashman Is the Story — With an Asterisk

Minnesota linebacker Blake Cashman was one of the defining players of the Vikings' Week 1 comeback win over the Packers, and now his availability for a marquee NFC North rematch in Chicago is in question.

Cashman was instrumental in the Vikings' 39-22 victory at U.S. Bank Stadium — a win that looked anything but inevitable for three quarters. With starting quarterback Kyler Murray sidelined by a concussion and the Packers threatening to run away with the game, Minnesota's defense needed to hold the line. Cashman did exactly that, helping stabilize a unit that ultimately turned the game around. The former Gopher has carved out a starting role in Minnesota's linebacker corps, and his Week 1 performance was a reminder of why.

That makes his name on the Week 2 injury report all the more significant. Cashman is among five starters listed as the Vikings travel to Chicago to face the Bears on Sunday. The division stakes are high and Minnesota's injury situation bears watching — Murray's concussion status is the headliner, but Cashman's health matters just as much for a defense that will need to be sharp against a Bears offense playing at home.

Brosmer on Standby

While Cashman's situation dominates the injury conversation, fellow Gopher Max Brosmer is generating buzz of a different kind. The Vikings' practice squad quarterback is a genuine candidate for a Week 2 elevation, per reports — and given Murray's concussion and the uncertainty at the position, that's not just a paper possibility. Brosmer hasn't appeared in regular-season action yet, but the situation in Minnesota could move quickly if the QB depth chart requires it.

Around the League

Beyond the Vikings' storylines, it was a solid opening week for several Gophers alumni across the NFL.

Boye Mafe, now with the Cincinnati Bengals after signing as a marquee free agent, recorded a sack in Cincinnati's 33-27 win over Tampa Bay. The former Minnesota pass rusher has been described as a key piece of what the Bengals are trying to build defensively — a "wingman mentality" player whose role extends beyond raw production.

In Baltimore, Rashod Bateman finds himself in a position to expand his role as Ravens receiver depth takes on water from injury. Bateman caught passes in the Ravens' 41-23 win over Indianapolis and is reportedly ready to step up as opportunities increase. Meanwhile, Colts cornerback Justin Walley had a difficult debut, drawing attention for his struggles in coverage against Ravens wideout Zay Flowers in that same game.

On the NFC side, Benjamin St-Juste — who was on the losing end of the Packers-Vikings opener — is now with Green Bay and is dealing with a hamstring issue ahead of the Packers' Week 2 game against the Jets. He was listed as questionable but the team received an encouraging update on his status heading into the weekend.

The Gophers have no shortage of NFL representation, and with Cashman's health and Brosmer's potential elevation, Week 2 could bring Minnesota alumni right back to center stage — on the same sideline, in the same building, in a division game with real stakes.

Max Brosmer's Roster Rollercoaster

No Minnesota alum had a wilder final week of August than Max Brosmer — and he ended it right where he started: with the Vikings.

Brosmer was waived on cut-down day as Minnesota trimmed to its 53-man roster, a move that briefly left the undrafted signal-caller's NFL future in limbo. But the Vikings weren't done with him. He was quickly claimed back onto the practice squad, keeping him inside the building and, more importantly, within arm's reach of the starting conversation.

That proximity matters because the QB room remains unsettled. J.J. McCarthy's injury status continues to hover over the franchise, and with Brosmer now ensconced on the practice squad, he's positioned as an insurance policy with real organizational trust behind him. The Vikings had kept both McCarthy and Brosmer on the 53-man roster heading into cut-down day before ultimately moving Brosmer down — a sequence that underscores how seriously Minnesota has evaluated the former Golden Gopher. For a quarterback who wasn't drafted, surviving cut week and landing on the practice squad of his home-state team is no small thing.

Bateman's Off-Field Cloud Lingers in Baltimore

On the other side of the ledger, former Gopher wide receiver Rashod Bateman is navigating a situation with no clean resolution in sight. The Ravens wide receiver was arrested in June after an allegedly breaking the windshield and windows of a car with his child and the child's mother inside. Baltimore did not place him on paid leave ahead of the 53-man cutdown, meaning he made the roster — but the NFL's investigation is ongoing and the timeline remains opaque.

Ravens GM Eric DeCosta said publicly there is "no indication" of how long the league's review will take, while also acknowledging the organization was disappointed by the off-field situation. DeCosta did note that the team has been encouraged by the development of younger receivers, a comment that adds a layer of uncertainty to Bateman's long-term standing in Baltimore regardless of how the investigation concludes. For now, Bateman remains on the roster and eligible to play, but the situation is one that warrants watching as the regular season opens.

Mafe Finds a New Home in Cincinnati

Rounding out the notable alumni activity, Boye Mafe made the move to Cincinnati after signing with the Bengals in free agency. The pass rusher arrives as part of a deliberate effort by Cincinnati to shore up edge pressure — a weakness that was exposed during the 2025 season when the team struggled to generate a consistent rush without Trey Hendrickson. Mafe's addition was a calculated one, and he enters Week 1 with a defined role and real opportunity to make an impact in a defensive front looking to re-establish itself.

Three Gophers, three distinct storylines — and the one with the most upside heading into the season may well be the quarterback who just survived getting cut.

Two Minnesota alumni are at the center of one of the NFL's most compelling preseason receiver stories — and they happen to be on the same team.

Ja'Kobi Lane's Emergence

The Ravens rookie wideout has turned heads in Baltimore fast enough that CBS Sports is already floating him as a potential WR2 alongside Lamar Jackson. Lane, a mid-round pick out of Minnesota, has reportedly earned a starting role in three-receiver sets during training camp and the preseason — a rapid ascent for a rookie receiver on a roster with veterans competing for targets. The ceiling on that opportunity, CBS Sports notes, gets even higher depending on what happens to the man across the locker room.

Rashod Bateman's Uncertain Future

Bateman remains a Raven for now, but his status heading into final roster cuts is anything but settled. According to Yahoo Sports, the Houston Texans explored a trade for the former first-round pick — a significant signal that Baltimore may be open to moving on from the 24-year-old entering a pivotal contract year. The intrigue cuts both ways: Bateman also flashed at joint practice against the Commanders this week, where he reportedly torched Washington's cornerbacks. A player drawing trade calls while simultaneously winning individual reps in practice is a genuinely complicated roster puzzle for Baltimore's front office to solve.

That tension — Bateman proving he can still play at a high level while a rookie from his own alma mater potentially eats into his role — makes the Ravens' wide receiver room one of the more watchable storylines ahead of the August 26 cutdown deadline.

Also Worth Watching

Back in Minnesota, Gophers QB Max Brosmer is getting a long look in the Vikings' preseason finale against the Broncos in Denver. With J.J. McCarthy's availability uncertain due to an ankle injury, Brosmer has had extra opportunities to build tape, and Yahoo Sports reports his film has been a central topic heading into the final exhibition. Brosmer isn't fighting for a starting job, but a strong showing could cement his spot on the 53-man roster or practice squad as the Vikings finalize their depth chart.

The Ravens' receiver situation will resolve itself by the time the regular season kicks off — but whether that resolution includes both Lane and Bateman, or just one of them, is a question Minnesota fans have a unique rooting interest in watching unfold.