Jacksonville Jaguars general manager James Gladstone and head coach Liam Coen will _not_ be attending this week’s 2026 NFL Combine. The team will still send several scouts, coaches, and other representatives to the annual Indianapolis-based event… but they have zero interest in conducting any prospect interviews (including “Top 30” visits). This strategy is meant to remove bias and is sourced from the Rams. Let us know how you feel in the comments!
Now, for the full roundup.
_Study up before your next trip to the watercooler._
> There are many factors to consider here, but if we could only use one to determine the “best team,” it’d probably be roster starpower, right? The 1999 squad was indeed the greatest if we’re looking at it through an awards lens.
> We’re in that slow period between the Super Bowl and the new league year, when it sometimes feels like the NFL world has ground to a halt. And that makes it a perfect time to ask: Where in the world are our Big Cat Country readers?
> The Rams maintain that the most valuable element of the combine is the medical testing. … But it appears neither team plans to put much weight behind the actual testing of the prospects. We know the Rams use this as a reference point but prioritize GPS data from games and practices as a true measure of athleticism. Years of game tape outweigh the importance of one great time in the 40-yard dash, at least from the Rams’ perspective.
> The various events of the Underwear Olympics are taped and can be reviewed whenever, wherever. The biggest sacrifice is the direct access to players, primarily through the 15-minute speed-round sessions at night.
> The Jaguars attended last year’s combine, which Gladstone noted was his first trip to the combine since 2019. And while the Jaguars went through the standard combine practice last season, there is little to suggest that significant value can be found from a handful of minutes with tired athletes who have been poked, prodded, and coached to answer interview questions.
> In 18 games last season, the Jacksonville Jaguars received only eight sacks from the defensive tackle position, fueling justified chatter that improving the interior pass rush will be a priority. Two problems: The pickings are slim in free agency and the draft.
> The Williams contract gives other teams a data point that will become relevant to their negotiations with running backs. The other players who’ll be trying to get paid (Kenneth Walker III, Breece Hall, Travis Etienne, Rico Dowdle, Rachaad White, Isiah Pacheco, JK Dobbins) will have to deal with the argument that a guy who rushed for 1,200 yards in 2025 got only $8 million per year.
> According to the NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Las Vegas Raiders are hiring Mario Jeberaeel as their offensive run game coordinator under new head coach Klint Kubiak.
> After finishing third in the short program, Alysa Liu completed her comeback with a gold in women’s figure skating. Liu’s free program was enough to finish ahead of the Japanese pair of Kaori Sakamoto and Ami Nakai.
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