Matthew Berry shares his fantasy football focuses notes and observations gleaned from the 2022 NFL combine.
"Looks like we are going to hit all 33 floors."
There's a small chuckle from the group in the elevator, a resigned "What are you gonna do?" kind of laugh. The hotel has 33 floors and, apparently, this is only elevator currently working. So every single floor, we are stopping, the doors open, the person sees a large group and slowly walks in, apologetically.
"Sorry. I've been waiting forever for an elevator."
It takes forever, but eventually we make it to the lobby of the downtown Indianapolis hotel. And I will say this: If his calm demeanor and wry smile during a slow, annoying and crowded elevator ride is any indication, new Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell will not panic should a game not go their way this season.
Oh yeah, I was stuck in an elevator with a number of Vikings coaches, their PR guy and O'Connell, because of course I was. Members of the NFL are everywhere. Head coaches and their staff, general managers, front-office folks, scouts, medical personnel, agents, media and everyone else associated with the NFL (or hoping to be) is in Indy during combine week. Walking around, meeting, eating, drinking, networking and trading notes, information and war stories.
With everyone in one place, after the Super Bowl but before the new league year officially starts, and little fan interaction, well, they are about as relaxed and open as they'll be all year. I wasn't there last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, of course, but I've gone for many years previously. And just like I have in previous years, I spent my time in Indy ... listening.
Back in the elevator, I introduced myself to O'Connell and congratulated him on his new job. He said, "Nice to meet you" and "Thank you." That was the extent of our conversation. There were a lot of people around, it was a slow-moving elevator and it felt weird and inappropriate to suddenly ask him about, say, K.J. Osborn.
But everywhere else, that's exactly what I did. In bars, restaurants, hallways and hotel lobbies, I met, networked and asked questions, collecting notes, nuggets and rumors that would affect fantasy football in 2022.
What follows are rumors I heard, my own interpretation of things that were said, some funny things that happened and observations I made over a few days at this year's NFL combine. I will say, over the years my sources and this column have had a pretty decent track record. Among other things, in this column two years ago I was the first national columnist to suggest that not only was Tom Brady leaving New England but that he was likely to sign with Tampa Bay. (At the time -- pre-free agency 2020 -- many thought Brady would return to New England and to my knowledge no one on a national level had suggested Tampa Bay as a likely destination.)
I've written about him before, but one thing I got to do this year was catch up with my friend, the legendary Peter King. Always great spending time with him, so, as a homage to him, here are ...