Nfl Combine 2026 week arrives with Lamar Jackson’s cap clock, Kelce’s future and dozens of storylines
nfl combine 2026 opens Feb. 23 through March 2 in Indianapolis, with on-field workouts set for Feb. 26 through March 1 at Lucas Oil Stadium and coverage on NFL Network — and already the headlines center on contract puzzles and team futures, from Lamar Jackson’s cap figure to Travis Kelce’s undetermined future in Kansas City.
Nfl Combine 2026: schedule, site and what’s being televised
The event runs Feb. 23 through March 2 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis; on-field workouts will take place Feb. 26 through March 1, and the TV channel listed is NFL Network. Coverage notes that prospects will take part in interviews and on-field drills with the aim of convincing teams they are worth draft picks, and that a few players could see their draft status rise after standout physical displays.
Quarterback contracts and the Ravens’ cap pressure
Lamar Jackson’s contract status is described as hovering over the Ravens’ offseason: his salary cap number is $74. 5 million, and the team’s general manager Eric DeCosta would lack flexibility to add or retain key players if that number is not lowered significantly. Owner Steve Bisciotti made clear last month that the Ravens will either extend Jackson or add void years to his deal to lower his 2026 cap number, and observers say the clock is ticking for the two sides to find a resolution.
Team hot topics: Arizona’s overhaul, Atlanta’s QB questions
One roundup of team storylines highlights Arizona general manager Monti Ossenfort, who was hired in 2023 and over the past year steadily overhauled the roster while avoiding overspending on flashy free agents and building through the draft; that account says everything fell apart last season, with injuries and a jarring lack of depth, and notes that Ossenfort survived while coach Jonathan Gannon did not. The same team brief says Ossenfort must figure out the quarterback situation, identify an immediate difference-maker with the draft’s No. 3 pick and find a way to keep Arizona competitive in what it called the NFL’s toughest division.
Another team focus centers on Atlanta and the quarterback questions: Kirk Cousins is expected to be released before March 13 but could re-sign with the Falcons if he doesn’t find a better option elsewhere or if his affinity for Kevin Stefanski tempts him to give the team another chance. The piece also raises the long-term question of Michael Penix Jr., who is expected to return from an ACL tear suffered last year in Week 11; it says coach Kevin Stefanski and new general manager Ian Cunningham will face those questions at the combine and will likely offer answers that avoid commitment.
Kelce’s future, the Bills’ identity and coaching shakeups
Travis Kelce’s future is still undetermined in Kansas City, a headline item listed among the league’s hot topics. Separately, the Buffalo Bills’ identity beyond quarterback Josh Allen is in flux after the team fired coach Sean McDermott, who holds the club’s win-percentage record. The assessment says fans probably won’t learn much about the Bills’ new identity in Indianapolis and that it will likely begin to materialize in free agency when football boss Brandon Beane chooses how to wield his consolidated power after years of emphasizing cap control and perennial Super Bowl contention over going for broke. The account ends mid-sentence in the provided context: "Once the Bills make actual roster moves, we’ll also get the most con" — unclear in the provided context.
Player news arriving at the combine and offseason roster moves
Several concrete player updates accompany the combine coverage. Center Bradley Bozeman announced his retirement after eight NFL seasons; he began his career in 2018 as a sixth-round draft pick for the Baltimore Ravens, played four years with the Ravens, two with the Carolina Panthers and his final two seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers, and spent six of his eight NFL seasons playing for John and Jim Harbaugh. The New England Patriots released running back Antonio Gibson; Gibson, 27, signed with the Patriots as a free agent in 2024, was limited over two seasons, tallied 744 yards from scrimmage and one touchdown in 17 games as a reserve in 2024, and suffered a season-ending torn ACL in Week 5 last season after posting 112 yards from scrimmage and one touchdown prior to the injury. Buffalo re-signed offensive lineman Alec Anderson and defensive tackle Phidarian Anderson Mathis to one-year deals; Anderson just finished his second year as an undrafted free agent, and Mathis will be heading into his fifth NFL season and his second with Buffalo after being selected in the second round of the draft by the Washington Commanders. The Kansas City Chiefs released defensive end Mike Danna. A separate item carried the title "429 Too Many Requests" from CBS Sports in the provided context.
The combine’s interviews and on-field drills are expected to give teams and fans an early glimpse of prospects — for example, whether a quarterback prospect has a cannon for an arm or whether a wide receiver is as fast as advertised — but many of the larger roster answers teased here will arrive in free agency and the draft. The confirmed next events are the on-field workouts at Lucas Oil Stadium from Feb. 26 through March 1 and the broader combine schedule running Feb. 23 through March 2, with television coverage on NFL Network.
