Dart throws from the 2026 NFL Draft that will actually make a difference

As we get closer to June 1 and the true beginning of the summer, the earliest thought embers of what we think about the 2026 season are beginning to glow. However, as those beliefs take shape, we fully understand that optimism doesn't automatically translate into results. Derrik Klassen welcomes Dan Pizzuta of FTN onto this episode of The Athletic Football Show to share with one another the beliefs they hold with eyes wide open on how they could take a turn for the worse.Host: Derrik KlassenWith: Dan PizzutaExecutive Producer: Michael BellerSenior Producer: Katy DuffySocial Producer: Scott KrinchFollow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.socialFollow Dave on Bluesky: @davehelman.bsky.socialFollow Dave on X: @DaveHelman_Theme song: HauntedWritten by Dylan Slocum, Trevor Dietrich, Ruben Duarte, Kyle McAulay, and Meredith VanWoert / Performed by Spanish Love SongsCourtesy of Pure Noise / By arrangement with Bank Robber Music, LLC Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Let's be honest, a lot of sixth and seventh round NFL Draft picks never come back into our consciousness after draft night...but a few are primed to actually make a difference for their teams in the 2027 season. Dave Helman and Derrik Klassen discuss the picks that could see the field and make an impact on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.Timestamps are approximate:0:00 Welcome to the show3:11 Bryce Boettcher8:35 George Gumbs Jr9:18 Caden Curry11:21 Deion Burks13:33 Demond Claiborne17:00 Merch design contest18:24 Kaleb Elarms-Orr21:43 Aiden Fisher25:45 Kamari Ramsey31:57 Malik Benson36:28 Joshua Josephs40:10 Taylen Green45:47 Kage Casey50:37 Justin Joly & Dallen Bentley54:51 Tanner KoziolCo-Hosts: Derrik Klassen and Dave HelmanExecutive Producer: Michael BellerSenior Producer: Katy DuffySocial Producer: Scott KrinchFollow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.socialFollow Dave on Bluesky: @davehelman.bsky.socialFollow Dave on X: @DaveHelman_Theme song: HauntedWritten by Dylan Slocum, Trevor Dietrich, Ruben Duarte, Kyle McAulay, and Meredith VanWoert / Performed by Spanish Love SongsCourtesy of Pure Noise / By arrangement with Bank Robber Music, LLC Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cognitive dissonance in the way we talk about Mike Tomlin and Nick Sirianni? Top-five football heartbreaks? The worst QB the Raiders would've been willing to acquire in exchange for this year's number one pick? Yup, it's another edition of The Athletic Football Show's mailbag. Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen tackle those questions, and more, on this episode.Host: Robert MaysCo-Host: Derrik KlassenExecutive Producer: Michael BellerSenior Producer: Katy DuffySocial Producer: Scott KrinchFollow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.socialFollow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.socialFollow Robert on X: @RobertMaysTheme song: HauntedWritten by Dylan Slocum, Trevor Dietrich, Ruben Duarte, Kyle McAulay, and Meredith VanWoert / Performed by Spanish Love SongsCourtesy of Pure Noise / By arrangement with Bank Robber Music, LLC Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our Buy or Sell Their Offseasons series wraps up, as it always does, with The Contenders. You could fairly quibble with one or two of the teams we have among this octet, but you cannot argue with the idea that each of these eight teams clearly has what it takes to make a deep playoff run. Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen make buy-or-sell calls on the offseasons of the 49ers, Chiefs, Chargers, Patriots, Bills, Ravens, Seahawks and Rams on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.Host: Robert MaysCo-Hosts: Derrik KlassenExecutive Producer: Michael BellerSenior Producer: Katy DuffySocial Producer: Scott KrinchFollow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.socialFollow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.socialFollow Robert on X: @RobertMaysTheme song: HauntedWritten by Dylan Slocum, Trevor Dietrich, Ruben Duarte, Kyle McAulay, and Meredith VanWoert / Performed by Spanish Love SongsCourtesy of Pure Noise / By arrangement with Bank Robber Music, LLC Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From genuine interest in the Steelers offense to enduring power of the league's evolutionary instincts, Robert Mays and Derrik Klassen find themselves thinking certain things in mid-May that they didn't necessarily anticipate. They dig into all those things on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.Host: Robert MaysCo-Hosts: Derrik KlassenExecutive Producer: Michael BellerSenior Producer: Katy DuffySocial Producer: Scott KrinchFollow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.socialFollow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.socialFollow Robert on X: @RobertMaysTheme song: HauntedWritten by Dylan Slocum, Trevor Dietrich, Ruben Duarte, Kyle McAulay, and Meredith VanWoert / Performed by Spanish Love SongsCourtesy of Pure Noise / By arrangement with Bank Robber Music, LLC Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Opening up the mailbag this week felt like opening up Pandora's Box. But, you know, the NFL version of Pandora's Box. In this case, it was filled with questions about Baker Mayfield, fullbacks vs tight ends in 13 personnel, Dave Canales and Brad Idzik, and a theoretical draft including NFL head coaches. Robert Mays, Derrik Klassen, and Dave Helman follow in Pandora's footsteps on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.Host: Robert MaysCo-Hosts: Derrik Klassen and Dave HelmanExecutive Producer: Michael BellerSenior Producer: Katy DuffySocial Producer: Scott KrinchFollow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.socialFollow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.socialFollow Dave on Bluesky: @davehelman.bsky.socialFollow Robert on X: @RobertMaysFollow Dave on X: @DaveHelman_Theme song: HauntedWritten by Dylan Slocum, Trevor Dietrich, Ruben Duarte, Kyle McAulay, and Meredith VanWoert / Performed by Spanish Love SongsCourtesy of Pure Noise / By arrangement with Bank Robber Music, LLC Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

OK, this is where the Buy or Sell Their Offseasons series gets really good. We've reached the portion of the proceedings where every team in an episode enters the 2026 season harboring real playoff hopes. The eight teams in this episode aren't the upper-crust Super Bowl contenders, but that doesn't mean that one of them can't punch through and put find themselves in Los Angeles next February. These teams, then, are what we're calling Playoff Fodder. As it stands in mid-May, they're teams that have every right to believe they'll be in the postseason, but remain a step or two away from the Lombardi Trophy. Those teams are the...Bears, Jaguars, Cowboys, Texans, Broncos, Lions, Packers and Eagles.Host: Robert MaysCo-Hosts: Derrik Klassen and Dave HelmanExecutive Producer: Michael BellerSenior Producer: Katy DuffySocial Producer: Scott KrinchFollow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.socialFollow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.socialFollow Dave on Bluesky: @davehelman.bsky.socialFollow Robert on X: @RobertMaysFollow Dave on X: @DaveHelman_Theme song: HauntedWritten by Dylan Slocum, Trevor Dietrich, Ruben Duarte, Kyle McAulay, and Meredith VanWoert / Performed by Spanish Love SongsCourtesy of Pure Noise / By arrangement with Bank Robber Music, LLC Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sure, Dexter Lawrence got traded to the Cincinnati Bengals. Yeah, Kenneth Walker III signed with the Kansas City Chiefs. Okay, Mike Evans left the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the San Francisco 49ers. Who the hell cares?! We’re getting into the sneaky additions that will shape the upcoming NFL season on today’s episode of The Athletic Football Show.Host: Robert MaysCo-Hosts: Derrik Klassen and Dave HelmanExecutive Producer: Michael BellerSenior Producer: Katy DuffySocial Producer: Scott KrinchFollow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.socialFollow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.socialFollow Dave on Bluesky: @davehelman.bsky.socialFollow Robert on X: @RobertMaysFollow Dave on X: @DaveHelman_Theme song: HauntedWritten by Dylan Slocum, Trevor Dietrich, Ruben Duarte, Kyle McAulay, and Meredith VanWoert / Performed by Spanish Love SongsCourtesy of Pure Noise / By arrangement with Bank Robber Music, LLC Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a league with as much turnover as the NFL, teams are always going to look different from season to season. What's striking, though, is when a team completely remakes a single position group in one offseason. Robert Mays, Derrik Klassen and Dave Helman dive into those rooms on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.Host: Robert MaysCo-Hosts: Derrik Klassen and Dave HelmanExecutive Producer: Michael BellerSenior Producer: Katy DuffySocial Producer: Scott KrinchFollow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.socialFollow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.socialFollow Dave on Bluesky: @davehelman.bsky.socialFollow Robert on X: @RobertMaysFollow Dave on X: @DaveHelman_Theme song: HauntedWritten by Dylan Slocum, Trevor Dietrich, Ruben Duarte, Kyle McAulay, and Meredith VanWoert / Performed by Spanish Love SongsCourtesy of Pure Noise / By arrangement with Bank Robber Music, LLC Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's Mailbag Monday, we're in May, and the questions are only getting goofier. This week, the guys discuss which divisions have the best of each position group, ask themselves how we should think about o-line prospects, whether the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets have a chance at a title, and much more. Robert Mays, Derrik Klassen, and Dave Helman answer all your questions.Host: Robert MaysCo-Hosts: Derrik Klassen and Dave HelmanExecutive Producer: Michael BellerSenior Producer: Katy DuffySocial Producer: Scott KrinchFollow Robert on Bluesky: @robertmays.bsky.socialFollow Derrik on Bluesky: @qbklass.bsky.socialFollow Dave on Bluesky: @davehelman.bsky.socialFollow Robert on X: @RobertMaysFollow Dave on X: @DaveHelman_Theme song: HauntedWritten by Dylan Slocum, Trevor Dietrich, Ruben Duarte, Kyle McAulay, and Meredith VanWoert / Performed by Spanish Love SongsCourtesy of Pure Noise / By arrangement with Bank Robber Music, LLC Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.