In the midst of the difficult conversations they had to have last week, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah or head coach Kevin O’Connell also got to tell number of players their dreams were coming true.

That wasn’t lost on either of them as they reflected on how many undrafted free agents that made the active roster.

“We talk about a culture built on competitiveness,” Adofo-Mensah said. “That’s always going to be our pitch. You can come here and have a chance. It’s a true meritocracy, and the Vikings will be that as long as we’re here.”

The group of undrafted free agents that made the Vikings this summer comprises former Gophers quarterback Max Brosmer, receiver Myles Price, tight end Ben Yurosek, offensive lineman Joe Huber, defensive lineman Elijah Williams, edge rusher Chaz Chambliss, and linebacker Austin Keys.

Here’s a scouting report on each player:

Max Brosmer

Position: Quarterback

College: Minnesota

Analysis: It was clear Brosmer belonged as soon as he stepped on the field for rookie minicamp. His mental capacity is his superpower. He absorbed the playbook in short order, and that momentum continued in training camp. Not only did Brosmer show command of the offense in his limited reps, he consistently made throws that turned heads. His performances in the exhibition games solidified his spot on the active roster. He’s a future backup quarterback for the Vikings, and perhaps a starter somewhere else later in his career.

Myles Price

Position: Receiver

College: Indiana

Analysis: Unless the Vikings make another move in the very near future, Price is going to be the starting punt returner. He separated himself from some of his peers in the exhibition games by proving how dynamic he can be with the ball in his hands. The key for Price will be ball security; he had his fair share of muffs in training camp. That can’t happen if Price wants to carve out a niche for himself long term.

Ben Yurosek

Position: Tight End

College: Georgia

Analysis: There’s a reason the Vikings guaranteed Yurosek more than $250,000 to sign with them: They believe he can be an impact player as a receiver and run blocker. He proved throughout training camp that he can do both at a high level. Though he won’t see a lot of snaps with star tight end T.J. Hockenson and Josh Oliver shouldering the load, Yurosek will get a chance to prove himself at some point.

Joe Huber

Position: Offensive lineman

College: Wisconsin

Analysis: No depth offensive lineman graded out better than Huber in the exhibition games. That explains how he found his way onto the active roster. It helps that Huber has some positional flexibility, proving himself capable of playing both guard positions — and dabbling at center — throughout camp. If the Vikings need somebody to play in a pinch, Huber could fill a a few different roles.

Elijah Williams

Position: Defensive lineman

College: Morgan State

Analysis: There’s an argument to be made that Williams has the best story all Vikings players. To say he was a long shot to make the active roster would be an understatement. After coming to the Vikings on a tryout in rookie minicamp, he impressed at every turn. Not only did he establish himself as a disruptor on defense, he showcased himself as a willing contributor on special teams. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him make a few splash plays at some point.

Chaz Chambliss

Position: Edge rusher

College: Georgia

Analysis: The Vikings want to improve their special teams, and Chambliss could be a big factor. He lined up all over the field in the exhibition games. That’s why he’s still here. In a perfect world for Chambliss, he will follow in the footsteps of safety Josh Metellus, who started as an ace on special teams before gradually earning more responsibility on defense.

Austin Keys

Position: Linebacker

College: Auburn

Analysis: Another reason the Vikings might improve on special teams. The motor that Keys possesses is undeniable. He goes 100 mph as soon as the ball is snapped. That type of reckless abandon is exactly what special teams coordinator Matt Daniels wants in his players.

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By Anna Claire Vollers, Stateline.org

Babies and children in the United States are nearly twice as likely to die before reaching adulthood compared with their peers in other wealthy countries, according to a new study.

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The health of U.S. children has deteriorated since the early 2000s across a range of measures, researchers from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of California, Los Angeles found. They published their findings last month in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The study compared infant and child deaths in the U.S. with the figures from 18 other high-income nations between 2007 to 2023.

U.S. infants, children and teens were about 1.8 times more likely to die before reaching adulthood compared with young people in peer countries, researchers discovered.

For babies, the two causes of death with the biggest gaps between the U.S. and the other countries were prematurity — being born too early— and sudden unexpected infant death.

For children and teens, the biggest gaps were in firearm-related incidents and car crashes.

Since 2020, gun violence has been the leading cause of death for U.S. children and teens. Firearm death rates among U.S. kids have more than doubled since 2013.

Many of the deaths from prematurity, firearms and sudden unexplained infant death are preventable, three physicians argued in an op-ed published after the new report.

Those three causes of death are up to four times more likely among Black youth than their white counterparts.

The authors estimated the mortality gap between the U.S. and other countries claimed the lives of nearly 316,000 children and teens between 2007 and 2023.

The study also found that rates of chronic conditions including obesity, early puberty, trouble sleeping, limitations in activity, depressive symptoms and loneliness all increased in children during the study period.

Overall, Americans have a lower life expectancy and worse health outcomes than residents of other wealthy countries, even though the U.S. spends nearly twice as much on health care, relative to its gross domestic product.

To improve infant and child health, the authors of the op-ed proposed antipoverty measures such as child tax credits; social media restrictions; broader health insurance coverage; more investment in primary care; and more restrictive firearm laws.

Anna Claire Vollers can be reached at avollers@stateline.org.

©2025 States Newsroom. Visit at stateline.org. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Here is to Minnesota’s workers — native-born and immigrant, rural and urban, white-collar and blue.

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From factories to farms, from production lines to professional offices, Minnesota workers bring a combination of determination, education, and reliability. In our state, hard work is not just expected – it is a badge of honor.

I remember one snowy morning arriving early to shovel the entrance to our building. To my surprise, two co-workers were already there, shoveling quietly. No one asked them to. They were not paid extra. They just saw what needed to be done and did it. That same ethic plays out in every corner of the state, every day.

Business leaders with multi-state operations often say the same thing: “Our Minnesota location just runs better.” Fewer absences. More output and better attitude. That is not a fluke — it is how Minnesotans are wired.

The data confirms it. Minnesota ranks near the top nationally in labor force participation, educational attainment, and productivity. Almost three-fourths of Minnesota adults have pursued education beyond high school. Our workforce is both present and prepared.

Among the most inspiring contributors to this ethic are immigrants — many of whom bring their own traditions of grit, perseverance and diligence. In Minnesota, Latinos (the immigrant group with the most readily available data) have the highest labor force participation rate of any demographic group. Latinas, in particular, have seen real income and educational attainment grow more than twice as fast as their non-Hispanic peers.

But beyond statistics, it is character that counts. Minnesotans believe there is dignity in work — it is how people apply their talents, creativity, and discipline to build a better life and support their families. Work contributes to one’s worth, builds independence, and fosters growth. At the same time, it strengthens communities by creating prosperity, trust and shared purpose.

A society that values and promotes work not only reduces inequality — it unlocks human potential. In this way, work is both a path to personal fulfillment and a cornerstone of the common good.

Whether it is a lifelong Minnesotan showing up early or an immigrant building a new future, the ethic is the same: pride in work, personal responsibility and belief in opportunity.

We are fortunate to be home to such people.

So, here is to the Minnesotans who work hard and get it done. They deserve more than our thanks. They deserve state government that works as hard — and as competently — as they do.

Patrick Knight is a resident of Orono and CEO of a Twin Cities food processing company.

By WAFAA SHURAFA, SAM METZ and FATMA KHALED, Associated Press

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israel began mobilizing tens of thousands of reservists and repeated evacuation warnings on Tuesday as part of its plan to widen its offensive in Gaza City, which has sparked opposition domestically and condemnation abroad.

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The call-up, which was announced last month, comes as ground and air forces press forward and pursue more targets in northern and central Gaza, striking parts of Zeitoun and Shijaiyah — two western Gaza City neighborhoods that Israeli forces have repeatedly invaded during the nearly two-year war against Hamas, which has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, Canada and the European Union.

Zeitoun, once Gaza City’s largest neighborhood with markets, schools and clinics, has been transformed over the past month, with streets being emptied and buildings reduced to rubble as it becomes what Israel’s military last week called a “ dangerous combat zone.”

Israel says Gaza City is still a Hamas stronghold where the fighters have a vast tunnel network, despite multiple incursions throughout the war. It’s also one of the last refuges in northern Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of civilians are sheltering, facing the twin threats of combat and famine.

Some reservists are refusing to serve again, accusing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of prolonging the war for political purposes instead of reaching a hostage deal with Hamas. Netanyahu has said that the war will continue until all the hostages are returned and Hamas surrenders.

“We are facing the decisive stage,” Netanyahu said in a video statement addressed to the troops. “With God’s help, together we will win.”

Deadly strikes in Gaza City

Israel on Tuesday repeated earlier warnings to Palestinians who have remained in Gaza City, unconvinced that another displacement will keep them safe.

Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee warned that combat operations would soon be expanding, and that services would be made available in Muwasi, a makeshift tent camp south of Gaza City.

At least 47 people have been killed across the Gaza Strip since dawn on Tuesday, according to hospitals.

A strike on a residential building in Gaza City’s Tel al-Hawa neighborhood killed 15 people, including at least three children, according to Shifa Hospital.

Rescue workers pulled a bloodied infant alive from beneath rubble, and then placed the dead under white sheets — a scene that captured the dangers facing Gaza City’s exhausted residents, uprooted time and again and uncertain if any place is secure.

“We were sleeping safe and sound in our home, and then we suddenly woke up to the sound of banging and rising smoke,” Sana Drimli, a resident of the building, told The Associated Press. “We woke up to see what happened to us and check in on our children and discovered that everyone around us is dead,” she said.

Further south, Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis and Awda Hospital in Nuseirat said that they received 22 casualties killed by Israeli airstrikes and gunfire near distribution sites and in a corridor frequented by U.N. convoys.

In recent months, more than 2,300 aid seekers have been killed, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

The toll includes Palestinians who have sought aid in areas where U.N. convoys have been overwhelmed by looters and desperate crowds, and where people have been fatally shot while heading to sites run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, or GHF, an Israeli-backed American contractor.

Israel’s military didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment. GHF said that there were no such incidents linked to its sites or on dedicated routes leading to them.

Reservists protest in Tel Aviv

At least 60,000 reservists will be gradually called up, Israel’s military said last month. It will also extend the service of an additional 20,000 reservists already serving.

In Israel, with a population of less than 10 million, most Jewish men complete compulsory military service and remain in the reserves for at least a decade.

But criticism over the war in Gaza is growing. A number of movements are organizing to encourage reservists not to serve, though it’s unclear how many will refuse the latest call-up.

A recently formed group called Soldiers for the Hostages said that it includes more than 365 soldiers who served earlier in the war, but won’t report for duty if called up again.

“Netanyahu’s ongoing war of aggression needlessly puts our own hostages in danger and has wreaked havoc on the fabric of Israeli society, while at the same time killing, maiming and starving an entire population of Gazan civilians,” Max Kresch, a member of the group, told reporters.

Refusing to show up for reserve duty is an offense that can merit prison time, though only a handful of reserve soldiers who have refused to serve have been put in military imprisonment over the course of the war.

Malnutrition and combat tolls grow

Since the world’s leading authority on food crises declared last month that Gaza City was experiencing famine, malnutrition-related deaths have mounted. Gaza’s Health Ministry said on Tuesday that a total of 185 people died of malnutrition in August — marking the highest count in months.

A total of 63,633 Palestinians have been killed in the war, according to the ministry, which says another 160,914 people have been wounded as of Tuesday. The ministry doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count, but says women and children make up around half of the dead.

The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government but staffed by medical professionals. U.N. agencies and many independent experts consider its figures to be the most reliable estimate of war casualties. Israel disputes them, but hasn’t provided its own toll.

The war started when Hamas-led terrorists attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 251 people hostage. Forty-eight hostages are still inside Gaza, around 20 of them believed by Israel to be alive, after most of the rest were released in ceasefires or other deals.

Sam Metz reported from Jerusalem. Fatma Khaled in Cairo, and Melanie Lidman in Jerusalem, contributed to this report.

Follow AP coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war