INDIANAPOLIS — Free agency doesn’t begin on March 9 with the legal tampering period. It begins in the Starbucks at the JW Marriott. It begins at Prime 47 Steakhouse and Cafe Patachou. It begins in the shadows of a city teeming with football personnel itching to make deals.
This year is no different from any other, with hundreds of agents roaming the streets and buildings of Naptown, trying to gauge the market for star clients and lesser-known names. Meanwhile, general managers are ripping through 20-minute interviews with the upcoming rookie class while ducking out here and there to take a call, set up a meeting and eventually sit down in a few.
Throughout a week’s worth of conversations in Indianapolis at the NFL combine, the typical rumors are flying, along with kernels of truth to be had. The key is figuring out which is which, the conundrum everyone covering the league faces between now and the announcement of Mr. Irrelevant come April.
Below are six storylines worth monitoring as the next few weeks unfold.
Don’t be surprised if teams are focusing on the 2027 draft
While there’s talent to be had in April’s draft, the 2027 class is seen as one of the strongest in some time, particularly for quarterbacks.
Things can and will change over the next 13 months. Still, there’s a general thought in NFL circles that we could have a half dozen quarterbacks go in the top 20 picks next year, including Arch Manning (Texas), LaNorris Sellers (South Carolina), Julian Sayin (Ohio State), Dante Moore (Oregon), Jayden Maiava (USC) and others.
With that in mind—and with this rookie crop having Fernando Mendoza and little else in the way of top-end quarterbacks—don’t be surprised if teams trade veterans for 2027 capital instead of a pick in the upcoming draft. Additionally, we could see teams trading out of selections in April for future choices, giving them more ammunition to move up a year from now.
General managers are always thinking about the future, but especially in this case.
It would be a true stunner if the Raiders didn’t select Fernando Mendoza
We often talk about a player being a lock to go to a certain team. If that’s ever been the case, Mendoza donning the Silver & Black next season seems a prime example.
Talking to people around Indianapolis, there hasn’t been a single dissenting voice saying that the Raiders will or should go another direction. That’s not typical, as usually there’s at least one other prospect or a potential trade-down scenario that gets some run.
In this case, everyone believes Las Vegas could turn the card in tonight.
With free agency barren for quarterbacks outside of Malik Willis and a host of older options, the Raiders aren’t likely to go that route. Holding the No. 1 pick, Mendoza checks the boxes of a quarterback. He has a good arm, mobility, clean character and is a player the Raiders can build around, which the franchise hasn’t had at the position since Ken Stabler in the 1970s.
At Indiana, Mendoza led the Hoosiers to their first national championship in 2026, throwing for 3,535 yards and a nation-high 41 touchdowns. At 6′ 5″ and 225 pounds, he also has ideal size at the next level. It’s exceedingly difficult to see Raiders general manager John Spytek going any other direction.
Should Tyler Linderbaum hit free agency, he is likely to have a range of potential suitors. | Scott Galvin-Imagn Images
Tyler Linderbaum has a significant market waiting if he leaves Baltimore
When the legal tampering period begins on March 9, there will be plenty of agents fielding phone calls about certain clients. Perhaps none will be busier than Neil Cornrich, who represents Linderbaum.
On Tuesday, Baltimore general manager Eric DeCosta spoke to the media during his availability. He stated the team has offered a market-setting contract to its star, but he remains unsigned. Here in Indianapolis, the buzz has been that should Linderbaum hit free agency, he might receive similar, if not even larger, offers from teams such as the Giants and Chargers.
The Lions and Titans also make sense, though Detroit has defensive issues with Al-Quadin Muhammad, Alex Anzalone and D.J. Reader going to free agency, while Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph are recovering from serious lower-body injuries. As for Tennessee, general manager Mike Borgonzi is a believer in building through the trenches. After cutting veteran center Lloyd Cushenberry III on Wednesday night, don’t be surprised if the Titans, who have a league-high $110 million in cap space, get involved.
While Baltimore still has time to get a deal done, it knew this was a potential consequence of declining Linderbaum’s fifth-year option last spring. If the Ravens lose him in free agency, it would be a setback for new coach Jesse Minter and his program.
Are the Chargers going to spend?
Last offseason, the Chargers sat on a pile of money. They were coming off a one-and-done playoff appearance. General manager Joe Hortiz elected not to spend aggressively, instead giving running back Najee Harris, corner Ben St-Juste and receiver Keenan Allen one-year deals, while signing guard Mekhi Becton and corner Donte Jackson to two-year contracts. None were worth more than $20 million total.
Fast forward to the present, and there’s a thought that the Chargers can’t be so frugal again. Los Angeles ranks fourth in approximate cap space at $81.8 million, making it one of only two playoff teams with more than $50 million in cap space.
While Los Angeles has rarely been a big spender in free agency, it may be time to push a bit. The Chargers are betting favorites to win the AFC West, but they face serious competition from the 14-win Broncos and the Chiefs, who are revamping. They also have a star quarterback, Justin Herbert, entering his age-28 season, who is still without a playoff win.
Hortiz would be smart to think about re-signing Odafe Oweh to a long-term deal as a replacement for Khalil Mack, who is slated for free agency. Oweh, 27, had 10 sacks in 2024 and then 7.5 sacks in 12 games for the Chargers in ’25. While Hortiz said he’s unlikely to use the franchise tag on Oweh, losing him would be disastrous. If he gets to the open market, he could command the biggest deal for an edge rusher alongside the Bengals’ Trey Hendrickson.
But Hortiz should also be looking to add a playmaker at receiver opposite Ladd McConkey, along with interior offensive line help. To that point, Hortiz was in Baltimore’s front office when it drafted Linderbaum in 2022, making that a connection to watch in the coming days, especially after the retirement of Bradley Bozeman.
Finally, there are looming extensions for defensive back Derwin James Jr. and edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu, who each have one year remaining on their respective deals. Time is on Hortiz’s side here, but both are priorities.
Malik Willis to the Cardinals makes too much sense
Perhaps no name is hotter than Willis’s, who stands to be the most intriguing quarterback on this year’s market.
Willis, 26, has started three games over the past two years, throwing 89 passes. The Titans selected him in the third round in 2022, before he flamed out, throwing zero touchdowns and three interceptions, and was dealt to the Packers. In Green Bay, he seemingly blossomed under coach Matt LaFleur as a backup to Jordan Love, completing 78.7% of his 89 attempts, while averaging 10.9 yards per attempt.
Going into free agency, the Browns, Jets, Dolphins and Cardinals all need quarterbacks, with Arizona and Miami open to trading Kyler Murray and Tua Tagovailoa, respectively. The Vikings also need competition for J.J. McCarthy, although a more proven veteran option might be the play for Minnesota.
If the Cardinals can move Murray on his palatable deal of three years and $76 million with no guarantees remaining, the connecting dots are all there. General manager Monti Ossenfort worked in Tennessee’s front office when the Titans drafted Willis. New coach Mike LaFleur is the younger brother of Matt, who has coached Willis for the past two seasons.
Willis would have the best situation in Arizona. The Cardinals have 1,000-yard weapons in tight end Trey McBride and receiver Michael Wilson. They also employ 2024 first-round receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., who, despite his periodic struggles, has 1,493 yards and 12 touchdowns over his first two seasons. With the No. 3 pick, Arizona could also beef up the offensive line with a tackle such as Francis Mauigoa or Spencer Fano.
While Willis will have multiple suitors, none make more sense than the Cardinals.
Chiefs’ top priority this offseason is finding a real run game
Speaking to sources dating back to December, the Chiefs have been fixated on drastically improving their run game for 2026 by finding more explosiveness. On Tuesday, general manager Brett Veach reiterated that stance in his presser.
How dire is the need? Last season, the Chiefs had three runs of over 20 yards. Two were by Patrick Mahomes and the other was from Xavier Worthy.
However, with the Cowboys re-signing Javonte Williams and the Jets proclaiming that Breece Hall will either be signed or tagged, free-agent options are already dwindling for Kansas City. If the Chiefs are going to make a high-priced splash, their best bet is Travis Etienne Jr., who notched three 1,000-yard seasons with the Jaguars on his rookie deal, while catching 168 passes. At 27 years old, he and Kenneth Walker III are the top free-agent options.
If Etienne signs elsewhere, and Walker ends up back with the Seahawks, as many expect, Veach may need to pivot by signing a second-tier option, such as Tyler Allgeier or Kenneth Gainwell before focusing on Notre Dame superstar Jeremiyah Love with the No. 9 pick. The problem? There’s no guarantee Love will be available at that spot, especially with the class being so weak at running back.
Finally, the Chiefs have other pressing needs at edge rusher and receiver. Ideally, they could sign Etienne and then use their first-rounder on one of those other areas, but Kansas City might have little choice. It’s a tricky spot for the Chiefs, who are still searching for their first 1,000-yard back since Mahomes became the starting quarterback in 2018.
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