The NFL slipped in some changes to the NFL combine process this year, ranging from new drills to tweaking the interview process.
In a move Cincinnati Bengals director of player personnel Duke Tobin has described as “not ideal,” according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com, teams are allowed 15 fewer interviews (45) than usual — but the interview times have been bumped to 18 minutes.
As Hobson pointed out, the Bengals usually end up selecting early-round players they’ve interviewed at the combine. One can see why a shot-caller like Tobin wouldn’t like such a change.
This is an especially noteworthy development this year considering the Bengals pick first in every round. Besides the possibility of Joe Burrow at No 1, the team is also impacted by these changes because they’re a trade-up candidate at the end of the first round. Fewer interviews could mean less information when it comes to potential trades.
The good news? The Bengals aren’t as hurt by this news as they could be thanks to coaching the Senior Bowl. Either way, nothing looms larger than the team’s upcoming interview with Joe Burrow.
