The NFL Scouting Combine has largely become synonymous with two things: gathering more information about the upcoming draft prospects and gaining intel on what NFL teams plan to do with their rosters over the coming months.
Whether you were in Indianapolis or watching at home, there was a lot of information to take in from last week's combine. It was an especially interesting week for AFC teams, specifically the Raiders, who in addition to owning the No. 1 overall pick have faced questions about the future of their best player, perennial All-Pro pass rusher Maxx Crosby.
In case you missed anything, we've compiled the biggest thing we learned about every AFC team during the combine. Among the main storylines is Sean Payton's surprising decision to give up play-calling, the Steelers' soft deadline for Aaron Rodgers, and which team is reportedly interested in Eagles receiver A.J. Brown's services.
During the combine, new Ravens coach Jesse Minter and general manager Eric DeCosta didn't hide their offseason intentions to beef up the Ravens' offensive and defensive lines. Specifically, it appears that their main offseason priorities include re-signing Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum to a "market-setting" offer and potentially using a high draft pick on a defensive lineman.
"I think we've always been a team that has valued the importance of 'the trenches' and being up front," DeCosta said. "[That is] just one of the reasons why we want to bring Tyler back, if we can. Certainly a focus for us."
"I think if we have the chance to draft a great defensive tackle, of course we will. It is one of the most important positions in football," DeCosta said.
While they were No. 2 in the NFL in rushing yards last season, the Ravens weren't as prolific running the ball in 2025 as they were in 2024, when Derrick Henry ran for more yards (1,921) in league history for a player over 30. On defense, the Ravens were a very uncharacteristic 20th in the NFL in rushing yards allowed.
With 11 picks in this year's draft, Minter feels that the Ravens have the necessary resources to have a formidable defensive line in 2026. Helping matters will be the return of two-time Pro Bowl defensive end Nnamdi Madubuike, who suffered a season-ending injury in Week 2 of the 2025 season.
The Bills are still trying to figure out how Taron Johnson and Greg Rousseau will fit inside new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard's scheme. When asked about both players, general manager Brandon Beane hasn't ruled out moving Johnson from safety to cornerback and said that Rousseau will continue to be a "valuable piece" of the defense regardless of how the veteran defensive end is deployed.
Beane also provided an update on veteran tight end Dawson Knox, who currently holds a $17.86 million cap hit for the 2026 season. While they'd save cap space by releasing him, Knox is a valued veteran and close friend of quarterback Josh Allen.
"We know we're down to a couple weeks to make those and so there's no answer," Beane said when asked about Knox's future status with the team. "There's no resolution in the next 24 hours, or anything like that. But the discussions have happened and they'll continue."
Another year, another uncertain offseason for Trey Hendrickson, who held out last summer before the Bengals gave him a raise prior to the start of the regular season. Hendrickson, a four-time Pro Bowl pass rusher, is slated to enter free agency on March 11 unless the Bengals franchise tag him prior to 4 p.m. on March 3.
Bengals general manager Duke Tobin wouldn't say whether he would apply the tag on Hendrickson, which would give them the ability to trade Hendrickson for possible draft capital. He did, however, allude to the challenges associated with trading Hendrickson.
"All trades are difficult," Tobin said. "You got to find a partner and you have to find somebody that you have to have some cooperation with your players that you're talking about this with. Trades can be complicated and that hypothetical scenario would be very complicated."
Based on Tobin's comments, it appears that if the Bengals do tag Hendrickson, it will be with the intention of keeping him unless someone makes them an offer they can't refuse. Hendrickson would make $30.2 million if he is tagged.
It appears that Todd Monken's first season as the Browns' coach will include a quarterback battle between Sheduer Sanders and Deshaun Watson.
Sanders, a 2025 fifth-round pick, made seven starts last season after starting the year behind Joe Flacco and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel on the depth chart. While his numbers were underwhelming, Sanders did lead the Browns to three of their five wins and was selected to the Pro Bowl as an alternate.
Watson, a three-time Pro Bowler with the Texans, is entering the final year of his record-setting five-year, fully-guaranteed $230 million contract. Since coming to Cleveland in 2022, Watson has played in just 17 games. He missed the entire 2024 season after suffering multiple injuries to his Achilles.
When he has been on the field, Watson hasn't been the same player that he was in Houston. He's thrown just 19 touchdowns against 12 interceptions and has completed a pedestrian 61.2% of his passes. Ironically, Watson's best game as a Brown came in a come-from-behind win over the Ravens where Watson completed each of his 14 pass attempts in the second half despite playing with a severe shoulder injury that proved to be season-ending.
Sanders' potential and Watson's recent history would suggest that the former has the upper hand. Monken, however, said that what happens on the field is what will ultimately make the decision for him.
"Now you're going to have some preconceived notions, obviously, because we have prior evidence, but I don't decide who plays," he said. "The players decide who plays."
Sean Payton's success as an NFL coach has coincided with him being one of the league's most successful play-callers. That won't be the case in 2026, though, as Payton has given play-calling duties to Davis Webb, a 31-year-old, former NFL coach who is entering his first season as the Broncos' offensive coordinator.
While the switch was surprising to most, Payton had been considering it for quite some time.
"It was something I kind of knew during the year," Payton said. "He and I visited on a handful of occasions. He's extremely talented. With regards to play-calling, I think he'll be really good at it."
It'll obviously be interesting to see how the change impacts the Broncos' offense and specifically quarterback Bo Nix, who played well in 2025 but failed to take the leap that many expected following his impressive rookie season. It will also be interesting to see how the change impacts Payton, who is trying to become the first coach to lead multiple franchises to Super Bowl wins.
If there was any questions regarding C.J. Stroud's future in Houston, Texans general manager Nick Caserio emphatically answered them in Indianapolis.
"He's our quarterback," Caserio said of Stroud. "He ain't going anywhere. We have a lot of confidence, a lot of belief. The philosophy DeMeco [Ryans] and I have, we're going to support our players and do everything we can to help them."
The unfounded rumors regarding Stroud's future in Houston have stemmed from his inconsistent play since his historic rookie season back in 2023. While he helped lead the Texans to playoff wins in each of his first three seasons, Stroud's lack of consistency has led to some questioning whether he can take Houston to the next level.
There's also the question of his contract, as Stroud is entering the final year of his rookie deal. Given how the last two years have gone, it appears that both Stroud and the Texans are willing to see how this year goes before potentially coming to terms on a new deal.
The Colts and quarterback Anthony Richardson has mutually agreed to pursue a trade. A former No. 4 overall pick, Richardson's time with the Colts has been mired with injuries and inconsistent play. Despite those obstacles, Richardson does have a winning record (8-7) as the Colts' starting quarterback.
Speculation has already started regarding where Richardson will end up next. While the Vikings are more of an obvious possibility, it's also possible that Richardson spends a year as a backup behind an established starter, which is what Sam Darnold did for one year before he helped lead Seattle to a Super Bowl win.
There are two notable, albeit vastly different, stories surrounding Jaguars.
The first is Liam Coen's excitement in having each of his coordinators -- offensive coordinator Grant Udinski, defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile and special teams coordinator Heath Farwell -- in tact for the 2026 season. Udinski's return is especially significant in that he and Trevor Lawrence will be able to build off of the success they had in 2025, their first season together.
"He made a huge impact – just the amount of work he puts in, how smart he is," Lawrence recently said of Udinski, who had interviewed for the Browns and Bills' head coaching vacancies. "He just brings a standard to the room. He never misses an opportunity to coach. He takes away a lot of the gray on Sunday and reduces the unknowns."
The other story are rumblings regarding a potential trade involving receiver Brian Thomas Jr. Thomas has specifically been linked to the Steelers, who have been trying to strengthen their receiving corps for several years. As this point, there is no substantial evidence that that Jaguars are indeed thinking of dealing Thomas, who is just two years removed from being named to the Pro Bowl. The rumblings, however, may suggest that something could indeed happen if someone makes the Jaguars the right offer.
While we know that Eric Bieniemy is reprising his role as the Chiefs' offensive coordinator, will Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill also be back in Kansas City for the 2026 season? Chiefs coach Andy Reid was asked about both players.
Regarding Hill, Reid said that "there's nothing happening there" while acknowledging that Hill is still working his way back from his gruesome, season-ending knee injury. Hill became available after the Dolphins released him earlier this offseason. Now 32, Hill's last great season took place back in 2023, when he led the NFL with 1,799 yards and 13 touchdown catches.
When asked about Kelce, Reid said that there has continued to be communication between the two sides. Kelce, 36, was named to his 11th consecutive Pro Bowl in 2025 after catching 76 passes for 851 yards and five touchdowns. A future Hall of Famer, Kelce has not publicly stated whether he will return for a 14th season.
"I've said this before: As long as there's communication, I'm good," Reid said. "That means people want to move forward. I think that's where Trav is. I'm not trying to put words in his mouth at all and I try to give him some space here.
"He's been doing this a long time and he can sort all that out going forward. But we're proceeding with that and there is communication going on."
