The NFL 2026 Combine starts in 11 days!
2026 NFL Combine Key Dates (Tentative):
Feb 23-25: Prospect Arrival, Interviews, Medical Exams
Feb 26 (Thu): DL, LB, K (On-field workouts)
Feb 27 (Fri): DB, TE (On-field workouts)
Feb 28 (Sat): QB, RB, WR (On-field workouts)
Mar 1 (Sun): OL (On-field workouts)
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Which NFL Draft prospects are headed to Indy? Here’s the full 2026 combine list
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Biggest snub from the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine at each position
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Biggest 2026 NFL Combine Snubs: 10 Draft Prospects Who Deserved an Invite to Indianapolis
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2026 NFL Draft: 8 Biggest NFL Combine Snubs
Top snubs from the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine
James Brockermeyer, Center, Miami
Brockermeyer, 23, started out as a four-star recruit at Alabama, developing in one of the country’s top offensive line groups. He transferred to TCU in 2024 and started all 12 games, then moved to the Miami Hurricanes, where he had his best season in 2025.
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He earned first-team All-American and third-team All-ACC honors as Miami’s starting center. The center brings plenty of experience and has shown his ability to play in multiple football systems. He also comes from a family with a strong football background as the son of former NFL lineman Blake Brockermeyer.
I cannot say who got snubbed. I think that will not be a big topic of conversation. We still be tenderizing that horse! Gittyup!
Minnesota Vikings News and Links
Who Will Be the Vikings’ QB in 2026? Here Are 10 Options
Kyler Murray
Maybe I’m a bit hyped on Murray just because I saw a former NFL quarterback (Kurt Benkert) suggest that he would be awesome with the Vikings, but there’s a bit more to it than that.
The Vikings might be able to get Murray for a Day 3 pick, according to ESPN’s Benjamin Solak. That’s a no-brainer until you see his contract and Minnesota’s cap situation. That’s why the Vikings, and every other team in the league, would be wise to wait until the Cardinals are forced to consider releasing Murray and eating a plateful of dead money.
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Murray is fascinating because he’s a 28-year-old former No. 1 pick who made two Pro Bowls early in his career but has only been healthy for a full season once in the last four years. He’s talented, but does he fit what O’Connell is looking for in a QB?
Aaron Rodgers
When Jefferson says it would be a “dream” to play with Rodgers, and Aaron Jones says he’d like to see Rodgers in Minnesota next season, you absolutely have to revisit the fact that Rodgers was in Minnesota’s lap a year ago before he signed with the Steelers.
Was it a joint decision by O’Connell and former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to pass on Rodgers, or was it the GM who had final say? If it’s the latter, then O’Connell might be in a position to reach out to Rodgers and reconnect. Unfortunately, Steelers legend Terry Bradshaw has heard that Rodgers told new Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy that he’ll return to Pittsburgh in 2026 if McCarthy wants him back.
Vikings’ JJ McCarthy Gets Bad News, as ‘Excellent’ Young QB on Trade Radar
Ben Solak of ESPN wrote on Tuesday, February 10 that the Vikings profile as a team that could make a “surprise” trade for a young quarterback looking for his first real shot in the league, or perhaps a talented one in need of a second chance.
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“[Kirk] Cousins is the obvious choice because he has scheme familiarity from his time in Minnesota as coach Kevin O’Connell’s starter,” Solak wrote. “But O’Connell is a big believer in quarterback development, and I would not be surprised if he wants to go for a younger player to challenge McCarthy’s seat not just in 2026 but also beyond. Every toolsy young passer who can operate from the pocket (Tanner McKee, Anthony Richardson, Will Levis, etc.) is on my radar for a surprise Vikings trade.”
Tanner McKee Not Yet as Well Known as Players Like Anthony Richardson, Will Levis
Not everyone will necessarily know about McKee, the backup QB for the Philadelphia Eagles who has played behind Jalen Hurts for the past three years. Philly drafted McKee in the sixth round out of Stanford in 2023, but with just one year left on his rookie contract and heading toward his age-26 campaign, the pure pocket-passer may be about to explode onto the NFL scene.
Vikings legend speaks about J.J. McCarthy and his potential
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The recently inducted Jared Allen spoke with Kay Adams on her show recently and discussed what concerned him most with McCarthy.
He shared, “Can the kid (McCarthy) stay healthy? If you’re waiting for J.J. to mature by year 5, 6, 7…all of a sudden Justin Jefferson is 10-12 years in… If you can’t stay healthy, you can’t stay the starter.”
“My biggest question is can [J.J. McCarthy] stay healthy… If you can’t stay healthy you can’t stay the starter.”
Signing Kirk Cousins would give the Minnesota Vikings something no other quarterback will be willing to
Kirk Cousins can give them a Russell Wilson type benefit
With the guarantees that Cousins is set to get from the Falcons, there is likely offset language in the contract similar to what Russell Wilson had when he signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers ahead of the 2024 season. Wilson signed for the league minimum, and the Denver Broncos paid the rest of his salary.
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This could be where the Vikings can take advantage. If nobody is willing to offer Cousins more than the $10 million he is already guaranteed, the Vikings can sign him to the league minimum and give the quarterback room a much-needed boost.
Knowing what we know about Cousins and his contracts, he is likely going to try and get a bigger contract, which is certainly possible in this free agency class. However, given his age and recent play, that feels less likely to happen. That’s where O’Connell and interim general manager Rob Brzezinski can hard-press him to return to Minnesota, mentor McCarthy, and potentially get some serious playing time.
It’s far from a perfect solution, but it makes financial and football sense.
Vikings Predicted to Take Part in Massive QB Swap
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Moton predicted a major swap at QB between the Arizona Cardinals and Minnesota Vikings.
While a simulated trade package wasn’t provided, Moton justified the deal from the Cardinals‘ side. Moton also added that Arizona could add Kirk Cousins to round out their QB room.
“Because of the perceived gap between Fernando Mendoza and the other quarterback prospects in the 2026 draft class, the Cardinals are unlikely to add a signal-caller with the No. 3 pick.
Instead, they can develop McCarthy, who’s only 23, and have him battle Cousins for the lead job. If Arizona doesn’t think the former is ready to play, the latter can run the offense as the unquestioned starter for at least a year.”
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Moton also justified it from Minnesota’s side, touching on the sketchy cap situation in the Twin Cities.
“An undersized, mobile quarterback, Murray would benefit from playing indoors, as he did in Arizona. Because of his deep-ball accuracy, the dynamic signal-caller can maximize the Vikings’ talented pass-catching group, which includes Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson in addition to Jefferson.
The Vikings are $40.2 million over the cap threshold. So they would likely prefer that the Cardinals release Murray. In a trade scenario, Minnesota can restructure deals, including the quarterback’s contract, and cut veterans like Javon Hargrave, Ryan Kelly, and Aaron Jones to create space for him.”
The Vikings Are Too Far Down the McCarthy Path To Hit Reverse
Saints Mock Trade: Vikings Land Veteran QB for 3rd Round Pick
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“Last offseason, Carr made the decision to retire due to a shoulder injury that significantly limited his ability to throw the football,” Loffrendo wrote. “At the time, the injury appeared to be a long-term concern. However, recent reports suggest Carr’s shoulder has healed to the point where he can perform the functional movements required to throw, sparking renewed interest from teams around the league.
“With several franchises still searching for stability under center, a potential Carr trade has quietly become one of the more intriguing storylines of the offseason. Still relatively young at 34, Carr could offer a steady presence for a team that believes it is ready to win now. As teams begin to explore the possibility of adding Derek Carr, the Saints also gain an opportunity to evaluate what kind of compensation they could receive in return.”
The Vikings have JJ McCarthy at quarterback and he could be their franchise starter, but he’s struggled enough that the team may want to invest in a veteran backup just in case.
Carr could compete for the starting job over McCarthy and potentially earn the job down the road.
Vikings Receive Strong Message on Chiefs’ Jaylen Watson
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As a result, CBS Sports’ Ryan Wilson believes that Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Jaylen Watson would be an ideal landing spot for the Vikings to bolster their secondary.
“[Watson] is long, he is physical, he can play outside, and there is going to be a real market for him, and it may price him out of returning to Kansas City,” Wilson said during a Feb. 9 appearance on CBS Sports HQ.
“Teams that certainly need cornerback help and will be sniffing around if their salary cap allows it: The Miami Dolphins, the Rams have a ton of needs, and they have a ton of guys up contract‑wise. So they could be in the market.
“Then I love the idea of Brian Flores getting his hands on Jaylen Watson in Minnesota. So there will be competition, and that will only drive his price up, and I suspect he is going to make a pretty penny by the time he puts pen to paper in the next few months or so.”
Cap Stuff
Action Type : Key Moves : 2026 Cap Savings
Veteran Cuts : Ryan Kelly ($12.1M), Javon Hargrave ($11M), Aaron Jones ($7.2M) : $30.3M
Extensions : Van Ginkel (2yr/$45M), Cashman (2yr), O’Neill, Brandel (Market Rate) : $32.5M
Restructures : Jefferson ($18.4M), Darrisaw ($14.5M), Greenard ($12.0M) : $44.9M
Specialists : Andrew DePaola & Ryan Wright Extensions : $2.5M
TOTAL RELIEF : $110.2M
NET USABLE SPACE (After clearing ~$45M deficit) : $65.2M
Free agent signings
Position : Player : Requested Terms : 2026 Cap Hit : 2027 Cap Hit
OC : Connor McGovern : 3 yrs / $48M ($16M APY) : $5.2M : $16.5M
FS : Jalen Thompson : 3 yrs / $36M ($12M APY) : $3.8M : $12.0M
DT : Jalen Redmond : 3 yrs / $36M ($12M APY) : $3.5M : $12.5M
RB : Travis Etienne : 3 yrs / $36M ($12M APY) : $3.8M : $16.1M
DT : Levi Onwuzurike : 1 yr / $6M : $6.0M : $0.0M
ILB : Micah McFadden : 2 yrs / $10M ($5M APY) : $2.2M : $7.8M
OL : Blake Brandel : 3 yrs, $12M ($4M APY) : $1.8M : $4.5M
NCB : Kader Kohou : 2 yrs / $6M ($3M APY) : $1.8M : $4.2M
TOTAL COST : $28.1M : $73.7M
Roster Impact: We got a Top-10 Safety (Jalen Thompson), a Pro Bowl-caliber Center (Connor McGovern), and an explosive RB (Travis Etienne) while staying nearly $30M under the cap. We have enough cap space to pursue any QB that is likely to be available which does NOT include Burrow or Jackson.
Yore Mock
Trade Partner: Eagles
Sent: 1.18, 3.82
Received: 1.23, 3.68, 4.122
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Trade Partner: Commandos
Sent: 3.68
Received: 3.71, 6.186
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Pick 23 EDGE T.J. Parker Clemson | 6’3.5″ 263
Pick 49 S AJ Haulcy LSU | 6’0″ 222
Pick 71 DL Domonique Orange Iowa State | 6’4″ 325
Pick 97 CB Will Lee III Texas A&M | 6’1″ 189
Pick 122 OT Dametrious Crownover Texas A&M | 6’6.7″ 331
Pick 161 DL Zane Durant Penn State | 6’1″ 290
Pick 186 WR Caleb Douglas Texas Tech | 6’3.2″ 198
Pick 195 LB Bryce Boettcher Oregon | 6’1″ 227
Pick 234 TE Riley Nowakowski Indiana | 6’2″ 249
Pick 240 RB J’Mari Taylor Virginia | 5’9.1″ 205
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