Over the course of the coming week in Indianapolis, Tampa Bay Buccaneers General Manager Jason Licht and Head Coach Todd Bowles will be involved in dozens of interviews with prospects for the 2026 NFL Draft. Before they get to ask their questions, however, Licht and Bowles will have the cameras turned on them.
As is tradition at the annual NFL Scouting Combine in Indy, most of the NFL's general managers and head coaches will take a turn at a podium in the press conference room, generally fielding questions for about 15-30 minutes each. Licht will field questions begin at 12:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, followed by Bowles' session beginning at 1:45 p.m. ET.
The press sessions for both Licht and Bowles will be carried live on Buccaneers.com, the Buccaneers app and the team's YouTube channel. For those who can't tune in live, the recorded versions will be posted as well after they are concluded.
Because these will be the first meetings with the media for most general managers and head coaches since their team's respective ends to the 2025 season, the sessions are likely to be lengthy and wide-ranging in terms of topics. In addition to speaking on the draft prospects gathered in Indianapolis for interviews, medical examinations and on-field workouts, Licht and Bowles will likely be questioned about the upcoming start to free agency and the status of the Bucs' own pending free agents, including franchise icons Mike Evans and Lavonte David.
The podium sessions by team executives and coaches is essentially the opening act of the Combine each offseason. Some players also arrive and register on Tuesday, beginning a five day cycle that will progress through team interviews, medical exams, media sessions, on-field workouts and turns at the bench press. Defensive linemen, linebackers and kickers will be the first to take to the field on Thursday, followed by tight ends and defensive backs on Friday; quarterbacks, receivers and running backs on Saturday; and offensive linemen on Sunday. The full schedule and other Combine information can be found here.
A total of 319 players were invited to participate in this year's Combine, including some of the most prominent names likely to make up this year's draft class. That includes Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza from nearby Indiana, as well as wide receivers Carnell Tate (Ohio State), Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State) and Makai Lemon (USC); edge rushers David Bailey (Texas Tech), Rueben Bain (Miami) and Cashius Howell (Texas A&M); the Ohio State linebacker duo of Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles; and defensive backs Caleb Downs (Ohio State), Mansoor Delane (LSU), Jermod McCoy (Tennessee).
The Buccaneers are currently set to pick 15th in the first round of the 2026 draft and have seven selectons overall.
