For the 14th time, I wake up in Indianapolis, Indiana, after the first real day of the NFL combine with a bit of a headache and a lot of things swirling from different conversations, texts, and DMs. For those who are new to my coverage of the event, the NFL combine is one of the few times a year when I get to be face-to-face with a lot of my sources. While those are rare meetings, I am able to bounce around after hours to put pieces of a puzzle together.
To be clear, my sources are not at the level of Cleveland Browns GM Andrew Berry or HC Todd Monken.
The first day of the 2026 combine was different for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to weather impacting a ton of people who are normally front and center when the event starts. Quite a few of us were surprised by just how many people who work in and around the NFL live in the areas impacted by the recent snowstorm.
While there was less information last night than normal, and I was home much earlier than in the past, that doesn’t mean I didn’t bloodhound my way to some information to share with you as rumors and notes. Unlike in the past, I’m going to try to split up some of what I write with my opinion. Some of that is to just provide you with more to chew on. Some of that is to stop people from just screenshotting everything single point and posting it to their social media. Some is always fine, but all is not helpful to me or the site.
- The NFL is even lower on this QB class than the fans and media
- QB Drew Allar is probably going higher than you, and most think
Putting these two together for a bit of juxtaposition. After the first quarterback, Fernando Mendoza, the league, as a whole, is lower on this QB class than last year’s. That doesn’t mean Ty Simpson, for example, will not be a first-round pick, but I had multiple people tell me that if teams are disciplined to their boards, he’s more likely to be selected “mid to late 2 (second round).” While the position is obviously vital, “some teams are just going to waste picks this year just so they can take a quarterback they don’t really like.”
Allar is the outlier with size, athleticism, work ethic, and some built-in James Franklin excuses. Currently, Allar is projected as a fourth-round pick at Mock Draft Database. That is a far drop from many believing he would compete to be the first pick in the draft when he decided to return to school. His injury and struggles on the field are notable, but teams see a quarterback with a lot of upside, moxy, and room to grow.
Barring poor performances before the 2026 NFL draft or bad news on the medical front, I would put the floor on Allar at very high in the third round, with the second round the most likely spot at this point.
- A little more separation of church and state for the Browns GM, HC
We will talk to new Cleveland HC Todd Monken on Wednesday, but it was notable to me how GM Andrew Berry spoke about “Monk.” It wasn’t a big statement or anything, but just a clearer delineation of front office and coaching than we heard from Berry during Kevin Stefanski’s time with the team. A lot less ‘we’ and ‘collaboration’ language and a lot more, seemingly, defined roles between the two.
- Berry continues to A) talk trades with anyone and everyone (but very pinpointed on certain players, not just talking trade to talk trade) and B) continues to be highly respected around the NFL
While fans will talk about results a lot with Berry in Cleveland, the league thinks more about process despite all the “outcome-oriented” lingo thrown around. Berry is well respected for his process, including being very straightforward about his discussion, price points, and desires. He’s also considered persistent and resilient in that he’ll revisit trade ideas from the previous trade deadline just a few months later to see if they can happen again.
- WR Chris Olave is an example of that and is back on the Browns trade radar
- The impact of podcasts is wildly obvious this year, as Radio Row has almost tripled from the last few years
As a medium, writing is still highly valued, but the continued push toward more audio and video content, which can be consumed while also doing a myriad of other things, meant I was highly confused walking into a room that hasn’t changed much in the last, maybe, five years, to see that Radio Row now takes up almost half of it.
It will be interesting to see how many are still in attendance by Friday. My guess is it will be a ghost town.
Did you like how I slipped that Olave note in there and moved on quickly? I’m sure you didn’t miss it.
- I may have called WR Marvin Harrison “the Trent Richardson of receivers” to a few film and scout guys I trust… and didn’t get much push back…
He’s also a player Berry has at least touched base on acquiring to help Cleveland’s issues at the position. Many wonder if he has the physical traits to be the dominant player he was at Ohio State, with almost zero certainty given his lack of predraft testing. There are a lot of questions about his film so far in the NFL, with the “is it the team or the player or both?” question lingering.
- It is “at least” a four-team fight for free agent OL Tyler Linderbaum to see who gets to significantly overpay him
To be clear, that doesn’t mean Linderbaum isn’t worth a huge contract, but the lack of quality free agents, the amount of salary cap space available, and having three teams directly connected to him (Baltimore, Cleveland, New York Giants) sets up a scenario where his contract will be a huge jump from current norms at the position.
The Browns are one of those four teams. The Ravens are reportedly willing to pay him very well but within limits, while the Giants are expected to be a frontrunner “to a point.” I wasn’t able to ascertain the fourth (or more) team that was strongly in on Linderbaum, which means they might actually be the favorite.
- As of now, Cleveland does not see a huge difference if they trade down from like pick 10 to around 20 or so in this year’s draft
Fans hate big moves down but if the Browns have similar/same value on double-digit players because of the quality of the draft class and can get a much bigger haul, moving from 6 to 16 makes a lot of sense. It could also see them pull off a double move down, something that would likely net even bigger rewards.
- Fans and media might be much higher on Indiana Hoosiers WR Elijah Sarratt than the league
- I expect the Browns to acquire an offensive lineman in a trade, maybe a late-round pick for a player who might get cut
Berry mentioned how the Chicago Bears put their new line together through a multitude of ways, from what I am hearing, that is likely to include a trade for an interior offensive lineman, especially if Joel Bitonio does not return.
Bitonio’s delay could mean a lot of things, but it could help Berry have some leverage in free agent and trade talks if teams think Bitonio could return
- With 10 new head coaches this year, a lot of moves and rumors of moves are expected
You can throw a dart at the roster of the teams that changed coaches this year and find a player who is probably available on the trade market. That may not be true for Ravens and Bills, for example, but most of the other teams. We could see a lot more small trades than we are used to.
- WR Jordan Addison is a name that has been at least mentioned that might surprise some
- Same with WR Quentin Johnston
- Everyone expects Monken to be himself and not toe the company line at his press conference today
For years, talking to Berry was talking to Stefanski and vice versa. Monken seems unlikely just to say what he’s told to say. Getting his first shot at a head coaching job in the NFL, “Monk” is going to thrive or fail doing it his way.
Thoughts, questions, comments? Join the conversation in the comment section below
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