Overview of The Athletic Football Show
In this episode, Robert Mays and Dave Helman look at the biggest lingering questions across the NFL after the 2026 draft dust settled. Rather than rehashing the draft itself, they focus on what still feels unresolved: which teams still need veteran help, which rosters were left with obvious holes, and which big-name free agents could still shake up the league. The conversation largely centers on receivers, centers, edge rushers, and a few teams whose offseason plans still feel unfinished.
Biggest Questions Remaining After the Draft
1) Will the Commanders make a move at wide receiver?
Washington is the clearest team to still need more help at receiver.
- The hosts debate whether Brandon Aiyuk is even a realistic option anymore.
- They note the strange situation with Aiyuk and the 49ers, including the possibility that San Francisco would rather keep him than release him for nothing.
- If Washington can’t land Aiyuk, they discuss other veteran possibilities:
- Jauan Jennings
- Stefon Diggs
- DeAndre Hopkins
- Brandon Cooks
Their main point: Washington drafted Antonio Williams in the third round and added Zach Ertz-like pass-catching help via tight end, but that still may not be enough to feel comfortable at receiver.
2) Are the Raiders done adding pass catchers?
The Raiders’ draft raised a bigger roster-building question: are they really comfortable entering the season with the current group around their young quarterback?
- They spent multiple premium picks on other needs.
- They only added a receiver late, which the hosts view as more of a gesture than a solution.
- They discuss whether the Raiders should pursue a veteran like Stefon Diggs or even make a move for another established pass catcher.
The core concern is that the Raiders may still not have done enough to give their quarterback a workable supporting cast.
3) What is the real conclusion of the A.J. Brown situation?
The episode spends a lot of time on the possibility that A.J. Brown could be moved.
- They discuss reports that the Patriots may be the front-runner.
- They wonder whether another team, especially the Rams, should try to beat that price.
- The idea is that if a team already has a long-term answer at quarterback, a future first-round pick becomes more tradable.
They also note:
- The Rams already traded away future firsts.
- NFL teams are increasingly valuing 2027 first-round picks heavily because next year’s draft is viewed so positively.
- They question whether a player like Brown should be treated like a near-lock for New England when other teams could potentially offer more.
4) Do the Dolphins have one of the worst receiving corps in recent memory?
Miami’s roster construction after the draft drew a lot of attention.
- The hosts suggest the Dolphins’ receiver room could be historically thin if the season started today.
- They point out that the team has tried to rebuild around:
- young, cheap players
- a run-heavy offense
- Malik Willis-style mobility and improvisation
- They acknowledge the Dolphins needed help at basically every position, so not landing a receiver in the draft was understandable.
Still, their overall takeaway is that Miami’s passing-game outlook looks very bleak.
5) Who will play center for the Ravens?
Baltimore’s biggest unresolved issue may be at center.
- The Ravens expected one of the top centers to last longer than they did.
- They missed on their preferred draft options, and Tyler Biadasz was already off the board in free agency.
- They discuss possible veteran fallback options like:
- Bradley Bozeman
- Juice Scruggs
- Joe Tippmann via trade
- other affordable veteran centers
The hosts note that this is unusual for Baltimore, a team that usually avoids entering the post-draft phase with such a glaring hole.
6) What is the Giants’ plan without Dexter Lawrence?
The Giants also have a lingering roster concern in the middle of their defense.
- They did not draft a direct Dexter Lawrence replacement.
- They did add Shelby Harris and may still pursue DJ Reader.
- The hosts are comfortable with this as a stopgap plan.
Their bigger point is philosophical: the Giants should not be operating like a team that needs to fix every hole immediately. They are early in a broader rebuild, and it’s acceptable if the 2026 season is more about foundation-setting than contention.
7) Did the Chargers overcomplicate their offensive line plan?
The Chargers’ offensive line approach stood out because of how many resources they used at center and guard.
- They signed Tyler Biadasz to a significant deal.
- Then they drafted Jake Slaughter, a center, and discussed moving him to guard.
- They also added more guard depth later in the draft and free agency.
The hosts aren’t saying the plan won’t work, but they do find it unusual to use so much capital at center while also trying to solve guard with converted centers.
8) Are the Jaguars done adding meaningful starters?
Jacksonville may be the strangest roster-building case in the post-draft league.
- The hosts note that the Jaguars may not have a clear outside addition who is guaranteed to start immediately.
- Their biggest offseason additions are basically:
- Travis Hunter
- the Jacoby Myers trade
- They also point out that many of Jacksonville’s draft picks are more about future potential than immediate impact.
The overall question is whether the Jaguars are comfortable running it back with a mostly familiar roster.
9) Do the Colts still need one more pass rusher?
Indianapolis came close to addressing edge rusher in a major way, but the draft did not fully solve it.
- They were in the Trey Hendrickson conversation.
- They did not add a true high-end pass rusher in the draft.
- The hosts suggest they may still be in the market for a veteran.
Veteran names discussed include:
- Joey Bosa
- Jadeveon Clowney
- Leonard Floyd
- A.J. Epenesa
- Yetur Gross-Matos
- Derek Barnett
- Kyle Van Noy
- Cameron Jordan
- Von Miller
The point isn’t that all of these players are stars anymore — it’s that several teams still have pass-rush needs and a decent veteran market remains.
Key Themes and Takeaways
Teams are still chasing veteran help
A major theme of the episode is that the draft does not finish roster-building. Once the draft ends:
- veteran receivers can finally find homes
- teams can make trades without worrying about compensatory-pick formulas
- roster holes become easier to address with short-term solutions
Some teams were more aggressive than others
The hosts contrast teams that clearly left the draft with unresolved needs versus teams that addressed things in a more proactive way.
- The Ravens and Commanders stand out as teams that still need help in obvious spots.
- The Jaguars and Giants are framed more as teams in a longer-term build, where not every hole has to be filled immediately.
- The Chargers and Raiders are interesting because their draft decisions suggest a specific philosophy, even if the fit is not fully obvious yet.
Draft capital is being valued differently now
They repeatedly come back to the idea that future first-round picks, especially 2027 picks, are becoming increasingly valuable.
- Teams are hoarding them.
- That changes the market for stars like A.J. Brown.
- It also changes how teams think about trading for established players versus waiting for the draft.
Looking Ahead
The episode ends by teeing up the show’s next phase: a series evaluating every NFL team’s offseason and whether each club should be considered a “buy” or a “sell.”
- They’ll split all 32 teams into four episodes.
- The ranking will be based largely on Super Bowl odds.
- The first batch will focus on rebuilding teams.
Bottom Line
This episode is really about the tension between what teams did in the draft and what they still haven’t solved. The draft is over, but several teams — especially the Commanders, Ravens, Raiders, Dolphins, Jaguars, Colts, and Chargers — still have real roster questions. The hosts’ main message: the league is not done yet, and the veteran market could still reshape several rosters before Week 1.