The dust has settled from Super Bowl LVIII, but the NFL action never stops. This week, the league takes over Indianapolis for the annual scouting combine.
Roughly 320 of the country’s top NFL prospects will be in town for the event. Teams have all of the game film necessary for evaluations, but the combine gives them the opportunity to meet with athletes in a formal setting, conduct medical examinations and also run players through a series of on-field and weight-room evaluations. It’s all about gaining as clear a picture as possible about potential franchise cornerstones as teams put the finishing touches on their boards ahead of the NFL Draft, which is April 25-27 in Detroit.
Plenty of other action will take place during combine week, however. It’s the one place where every meaningful NFL figure — owners, team presidents, general managers and assistants, scouts, coaches, trainers and agents — gathers to conduct football business.
Here are five leading storylines to follow this week in Indianapolis:
1. Introductions and franchise updates
The week will kick off with news conferences by NFL head coaches and general managers, with most talking Tuesday and Wednesday. The majority of the two leading voices of each franchise will take questions, offering — or avoiding, in some cases — updates on roster needs, personnel decisions, draft philosophies and more.
Four new general managers and eight head coaches were hired this offseason. This week will be the first time new GMs Adam Peters (Washington), Tom Telesco (Las Vegas), Dan Morgan (Carolina) and Joe Hortiz (Chargers) address the national media. The same applies for new coaches Dan Quinn (Washington), Brian Callahan (Tennessee), Dave Canales (Carolina) and Raheem Morris (Atlanta). Jim Harbaugh (Chargers), Mike Macdonald (Seattle), Jerod Mayo (New England) and Antonio Pierce (Las Vegas) are not scheduled to speak in Indianapolis.
2. Players under the microscope
This is one of the biggest weeks in the lives of the 300-plus prospects attending the combine. During meetings with teams, they’ll have their games, bodies and personal lives dissected. Some, though not all, will take cognitive tests to showcase their decision-making strengths. Some will participate in on-field workouts, displaying their athleticism, strength and speed. Others will wait until their schools’ pro days to perform, and stick entirely to team interviews and medical exams while at the combine.
Each day, position groups also will meet with the media, which will offer glimpses into their mental makeups, outlooks on the draft and the next chapters of their careers. Expect USC’s Caleb Williams, and fellow quarterbacks Drake Maye (North Carolina) and Jayden Daniels (LSU), to draw the biggest crowds. Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and Alabama pass rusher Dallas Turner will also be popular with reporters. They all will field numerous questions about their football journeys to date, how many teams they’ve met with and their goals for the future.
3. The Bears’ plans at No. 1
Chicago general manager Ryan Poles and coach Matt Eberflus will field dozens of questions in Indianapolis about their plans for the top pick in the draft. (Poles does not have a podium session scheduled, but Eberflus is supposed to meet with the media Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. ET.) Will they keep it, draft Williams and trade fourth-year quarterback Justin Fields, who has experienced ups and downs? Will they keep Fields and use the pick on another position, perhaps a game-changing wideout like Harrison? Will they trade down from No. 1 and stockpile picks?
Poles and Eberflus will, of course, play it close to the vest and declare that they are exploring all options while speaking highly of both Fields and Williams. Behind the scenes, Poles is likely to have plenty of conversations with counterparts eager to swing a deal, whether for that No. 1 selection or for Fields. If the Bears arrive in Indianapolis still uncertain of what they will do with that pick or with Fields, they should come away from this week with a clear understanding of the value teams see in both. They aren’t the only team open for business.
Front-office members and player agents will also convene in Indy to lay the groundwork for new contracts for players and potential trade and free agency decisions.
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4. Competition committee movement
While teams evaluate draft prospects, meetings between some of the most powerful people in the league also will occur. The NFL’s competition committee will continue discussions on how to improve officiating and if and how they should modify kickoffs in hopes of further eliminating concussions. They also will discuss other measures intended to make the game safer.
The committee is expected to take a deep dive into the XFL’s version of the kickoff, and discuss whether that format — which calls for members of the kicking team to line up 5 yards apart from the blockers on the receiving team — would work in the NFL. Discussions about an alternative to the onside kick also will take place.
The hip-drop tackle has raised concerns for some league officials because of the injuries it is believed to cause. Players, however, oppose the elimination of the technique, which they describe as simply a football play. It’s unclear if that opinion, voiced by members of the NFLPA’s leadership board, will sway competition committee members.
5. NFLPA report cards
Last year, the NFL Players Association released at the combine its first-ever player team report cards. Players graded their teams on everything from training staffs, to the quality of facilities, travel arrangements and even the food offered in team cafeterias. The findings from a new player survey are expected to be released this week. Last year’s report-card release took NFL leaders by surprise, but the findings did wind up prompting some teams to improve the quality of care offered to players. It’ll be interesting to see how teams rate a year later, and the kind of impact a new round of report cards could have.
(Top photos of Justin Fields and Caleb Williams: Sean M. Haffey and Patrick McDermott / Getty Images)
