The NFL scouting combine returns to Indianapolis this week after a year off because of COVID-19.
New Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles and coach Matt Eberflus will be among the executives, coaches, agents, media and more than 300 prospects on hand as teams dive deeper into their offseason plans for the draft and free agency.
Here’s what to know about the event, including a brief controversy, what should be on the Bears leaders’ minds and the schedule.
The return
The NFL canceled the scouting combine last year because of COVID-19, and teams instead conducted virtual interviews, put their focus on college pro days and relied on regional medical assessments.
This year, they’re back to doing the interviews and assessments in person at the Indiana Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium.
The NFL caused a stir less than two weeks before the start of the combine when it sent a memo to prospects informing them they would be restricted to a bubble environment during their time at the combine as a COVID-19 precaution. Only one medical support person would be allowed with them in the bubble.
The request was viewed as problematic for some athletes who have teams of agents, trainers and physical therapists working with them on their preparation, and agents representing more than 150 athletes reportedly set out to organize a boycott of on-field testing.
At the suggestion of a boycott, the NFL promptly lifted the players’ bubble restrictions, and plans for the event marched on.
The combine’s return to Indianapolis, where it was first hosted 35 years ago, might also be its last year there.
Last summer, the NFL told teams that it would accept bids to host the combine starting in 2023. Indianapolis, Los Angeles and Dallas were in the running for next year, NFL Network reported in the fall.
Bears priorities
Poles and Eberflus have a long list of decisions to make regarding their first Bears roster, which has more than two dozen players — many of them key contributors — set to become free agents in March.
Decisions regarding the offensive line loom large, including evaluating where second-year tackles Teven Jenkins and Larry Borom fit, determining whether to re-sign guard James Daniels and deciding what to do at center.
Darnell Mooney is seemingly the only sure thing at wide receiver, with Allen Robinson likely set to hit free agency after playing last season on the franchise tag.
On defense, the Bears have major needs at cornerback and nickel to go with starter Jaylon Johnson, at linebacker — where only Roquan Smith is a certain returning starter — and at safety opposite Eddie Jackson.
Poles, Eberflus and their staffs will be evaluating prospects this week to see who might be able to help them plug the holes and fill out the roster. The Bears don’t have a first-round draft pick this year because of former GM Ryan Pace’s trade up for quarterback Justin Fields last year, and they have just five picks overall, starting with the No. 39 overall pick in the second round.
Poles, of course, views building through the draft as essential to getting the Bears back on track.
“At the end of the day, we want to create this core of guys that we drafted,” Poles said. “They know how to operate. We know everything about them. Because once you go outside the building over and over again (in free agency), you don’t have all of the answers. This is not like college scouting. You don’t know what they’re all about. You can’t just call up their old team because maybe they want to keep them. So there’s a little bit more mystery when you use free agency consistently.”
The Bears’ decisions in free agency aren’t far off either.
After the combine wraps up, teams have a quick one-week turnaround this year to free agency, which begins with the legal tampering period starting March 14.
Top prospects
Mock draft season is fully underway, and the latest for ESPN’s Todd McShay and NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah align through the first four spots.
Alabama offensive tackle Evan Neal to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Michigan edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson to the Detroit Lions
Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton to the Houston Texans
North Carolina State offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu to the New York Jets
The top-ranked quarterbacks in this class, in varying order depending on the analyst, are Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett, Liberty’s Malik Willis, Mississippi’s Matt Corral, Cincinnati’s Desmond Ridder and North Carolina’s Sam Howell.
Among the wide receiver prospects projected to potentially go in the first round are USC’s Drake London, Ohio State’s Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson, Arkansas’ Treylon Burks and Alabama’s Jameson Williams.
Local prospects
Five athletes from Notre Dame and four from Illinois were invited to the combine.
Along with Hamilton, Notre Dame wide receiver Kevin Austin Jr., quarterback Jack Coan, defensive lineman Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa and running back Kyren Williams were invited.
Linebacker Jake Hansen, punter Blake Hayes, safety Kerby Joseph and offensive lineman Vederian Lowe are the Illinois representatives.
Wisconsin linebacker Jack Sanborn, who played at Lake Zurich in high school, also was invited.
The schedule
Prospect workouts run Thursday through Sunday, and NFL Network will air more than 50 hours of coverage.
Quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends will be featured Thursday, running backs and offensive linemen are Friday, defensive linemen and linebackers are Saturday and defensive backs are Sunday. Coverage starts at 3 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.
Meanwhile, GMs and coaches meet with the media Tuesday and Wednesday, with Poles and Eberflus scheduled for interview sessions Tuesday.