The NFL’s spring business shifts from formal windows to hotel lobbies and restaurants in Indianapolis, where agents, executives and scouts converge ahead of the March 9 legal tampering period and April’s draft. Over a week at the Combine, conversations mixed clear trends with persistent rumor, and several narrative threads emerged as likely to shape roster decisions in the weeks to come. From a near-lock at No. 1 to teams prioritizing future draft capital, these six storylines capture what personnel rooms are weighing as free agency and the draft approach. Below we outline the essentials, why they matter and what to watch next.
Key Takeaways
- Teams in Indianapolis signaled that trade activity may favor 2027 draft capital over 2026 picks, given a projected strong 2027 quarterback class.
- Las Vegas is viewed by many evaluators as heavily likely to use the No. 1 pick on Fernando Mendoza, who posted 3,535 passing yards and 41 TDs en route to Indiana’s 2026 national title.
- If center Tyler Linderbaum hits free agency, candidates such as the Giants, Chargers, Lions and Titans could pursue him; Baltimore has made a market-setting offer but he remains unsigned.
- The Chargers sit with about $81.8 million in approximate cap space, making a meaningful offseason spend a realistic possibility to support Justin Herbert.
- Malik Willis (26) projects as the most intriguing QB on the open market; the Cardinals are frequently linked as the best fit if Kyler Murray moves.
- The Chiefs’ top offseason priority is improving a thin run game—Kansas City produced just three runs of 20+ yards last season—forcing them to weigh high-priced free agents or draft targets.
Background
The NFL’s pre-free-agency networking peaks during the Combine week in Indianapolis, where March 9’s legal tampering window is prefigured by informal conversations and private meetings. Agents and front-office staff use restaurants and hotel lobbies to test markets, gauge interest and lay groundwork for imminent offers. That dynamic often produces a mix of verifiable developments and enduring speculation; separating the two is a core task for coverage teams and for clubs structuring priorities.
Rosters and salary-cap realities are driving much of this year’s activity. Several teams control meaningful cap room or valuable draft capital, creating leverage either to sign impact veterans or to trade for future picks. Meanwhile, the quarterback landscape — short-term solutions versus planning for long-term franchise quarterbacks — looms large in decision-making, particularly with a highly regarded 2027 QB class anticipated by many evaluators.
Main Event
1) Fernando Mendoza and the Raiders: Conversations around Indianapolis conveyed near-universal belief that Las Vegas will select Fernando Mendoza at No. 1. Mendoza stands 6’5″, 225 pounds, led Indiana to a 2026 national championship with 3,535 passing yards and a nation-high 41 touchdowns, and is viewed as having the physical traits and character to be a franchise cornerstone. With limited proven veteran quarterback options in free agency beyond older or unproven names, selecting Mendoza fits a long-term rebuild philosophy for a franchise that has lacked a stable long-term starter at the position since the 1970s.
2) Tyler Linderbaum’s market: Baltimore has reportedly extended a market-setting offer to center Tyler Linderbaum, but he remained unsigned as of the Combine. If Linderbaum reaches free agency, teams such as the Giants, Chargers, Lions and Titans are logical suitors. The Titans, with roughly $110 million in cap space and recent roster churn along the defensive front, represent a particularly plausible aggressive bidder; Baltimore’s decision to decline his fifth-year option last spring left this outcome on the table.
3) Chargers’ spending calculus: Los Angeles holds about $81.8 million in approximate cap room and faces pressure to augment a roster built around Justin Herbert. After a conservative offseason last year, the Chargers have choices: re-sign in-house assets (notably Odafe Oweh), pursue a receiver or interior line help, and address looming extensions for Derwin James Jr. and Tuli Tuipulotu. Front-office connections — including GM Joe Hortiz’s previous personnel work in Baltimore — create potential matchmaking for targets like Linderbaum.
4) Malik Willis and quarterback demand: Malik Willis, 26, is a headline free agent QB after limited starts but promising efficiency in Green Bay (78.7% completion on 89 attempts, 10.9 yards per attempt). Teams with quarterback uncertainty — including the Browns, Jets, Dolphins and Cardinals — will evaluate Willis as a low-cost, high-upside option. The Cardinals, specifically, align schematically and roster-wise if they move Kyler Murray’s 3-year, $76 million deal with no remaining guarantees.
5) Chiefs’ rushing shortfall: Kansas City prioritized run-game upgrades in conversations dating to December and reiterated that need publicly; the team produced only three runs of 20+ yards last season (two by Patrick Mahomes, one by Xavier Worthy). With top free-agent backs becoming scarce, the Chiefs may target Travis Etienne Jr. or pivot to a second-tier veteran and a draft prospect, but cap and market competition complicate any splash signing.
6) Draft capital and 2027 focus: Some evaluators expect the 2027 class — particularly at quarterback — to be unusually deep, with prospects like Arch Manning, LaNorris Sellers, Julian Sayin, Dante Moore and others projected as first-round candidates. That expectation could prompt teams to trade current veterans for 2027 picks or to convert 2026 selections into future assets, prioritizing the perceived higher ceiling next year.
Analysis & Implications
Front offices are balancing immediate window optimization with future upside. Teams with aging starters or uncertain cap trajectories must choose whether to buy now or stockpile 2027 capital. If the consensus about 2027’s QB depth holds, clubs that acquire extra future picks could gain leverage in a market that routinely rewards controlled rookie-priced talent at premium positions.
For the Raiders, naming Mendoza as the presumptive No. 1 pick signals a franchise wanting a definable building block at the game’s most important position. The cost is opportunity: using the top pick on a QB narrows options to address other roster weaknesses via the draft. Still, acquiring a quarterback with Mendoza’s profile would alter Las Vegas’s planning horizon and free-agency priorities.
The Linderbaum situation illustrates how single-player choices ripple across the market. If he departs Baltimore, the ripple affects teams that need interior protection for mobile quarterbacks and shifts the balance of leverage in the trenches — a premium area for contenders. Likewise, the Chargers’ available cap space gives them optionality, but opportunistic rivals may outbid or offer more attractive multi-year contexts for free agents.
Kansas City’s run-game problem is more than a schematic headache; it is a playoff vulnerability. The Chiefs’ inability to consistently generate chunk rushing plays makes them dependent on explosive passing; addressing that through free agency or the draft changes defensive-game planning for opponents and could extend postseason windows for an offense centered on Patrick Mahomes.
Comparison & Data
| Team | Approx. Cap Space | Notable Need |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Chargers | $81.8 million | Receiver, interior OL, extensions (James, Tuipulotu) |
| Tennessee Titans | $110 million | Trench building, cap-backed acquisitions |
| Kansas City Chiefs | Varies | Running back, edge, receiver |
The approximate cap-space figures frame possible market behavior: teams with seven-figure flexibility can chase high-end free agents or absorb short-term deals. The Chargers’ $81.8 million and the Titans’ roughly $110 million put both clubs in the discussion for premium targets, while other contenders with tighter caps may prioritize draft capital or team-friendly signings.
Reactions & Quotes
“We’ve been clear we want to add explosiveness on the ground,”
Brett Veach, Kansas City Chiefs general manager (team official)
Veach’s comment underlines Kansas City’s public priority to improve rushing production prior to the draft and free agency.
“We put an offer on the table and remain in contact,”
Eric DeCosta, Baltimore Ravens general manager (team official)
DeCosta’s statement at Combine availability confirms Baltimore’s effort to retain Tyler Linderbaum, even as league interest persists should he reach free agency.
“We’ve got eyes on quarterbacks not just this year but next year as well,”
Multiple NFL personnel sources (unattributed)
Several evaluators privately emphasized future-class planning as a strategic factor behind trade and draft decisions this cycle.
Unconfirmed
- That Fernando Mendoza is absolutely locked to the Raiders — while broad consensus exists, the pick is not formally announced and could change before draft night.
- Predictions about a half-dozen 2027 quarterbacks going in the top 20 — these are expert projections and subject to change with future evaluations and injuries.
- Any finalized multi-team trades for 2026 or 2027 picks — trade discussions circulate frequently at the Combine but remain fluid until made public.
Bottom Line
The Combine week in Indianapolis has set the early outlines for a frenetic spring: some outcomes (a likely Mendoza-to-Raiders scenario) feel closer to certainty, while other decisions will unfold as teams weigh present needs against anticipated 2027 opportunities. Cap space, draft capital and differing evaluations of quarterback talent will drive varying strategies across the league.
Watch free agency beginning March 9 for how quickly centers like Tyler Linderbaum are pursued, whether Malik Willis draws multiple substantial offers, and whether the Chargers convert cap flexibility into impactful additions. Across the draft and free market, expect teams to balance immediate upgrades with moves that preserve or magnify future draft power.