The 2026 Scheme Change All-Stars

Summary of The 2026 Scheme Change All-Stars

by The Athletic

57m•July 22, 2026
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Overview of The Athletic Football Show — “The 2026 Scheme Change All-Stars”

Robert Mays, Dave, and Derek spend this episode identifying players whose 2026 season could look dramatically different because of a new team, a new coach, or a new system. The core idea: in the NFL, scheme and usage can be a force multiplier — for better or worse — and a player’s environment often determines whether you see the best version of them.

They focus mostly on players whose roles should shift in ways that unlock more value, with examples from both offense and defense.

Main Takeaways

  • Scheme matters as much as talent. A player can look ordinary in one system and thrive in another if the role fits better.
  • Offensive ecosystem is huge. Several picks were tied to better line play, better run-game structure, or more motion/spacing.
  • Defensive role changes can be just as important. A few selections centered on players being moved around the formation to maximize versatility.
  • The hosts were intentionally avoiding obvious chalk picks like Chargers-related examples because those conversations are already dominating football media.

Offensive Players Poised for a Leap

Ashton Jeanty — Raiders

  • The clearest “bounce-back” offensive pick.
  • The Raiders’ new setup under Clint Kubiak and a better center/line environment should suit Jeanty’s skill set far better than last year’s offense.
  • The expectation is more wide-zone/outside-zone running, where Jeanty already showed strong success even in a bad environment.
  • Bottom line: the situation should make him look much more like the explosive prospect people expected.

Jack Bech — Raiders

  • Projected into a Cooper Kupp-type role in Kubiak’s offense.
  • The argument: the Raiders misused him as a rookie, sticking him outside in ways that didn’t match his strengths.
  • Bech should be far more effective in the slot, condensed sets, and over-the-middle zone-beating roles.
  • He’s viewed as a player whose production should jump just from being used correctly.

Mike Evans — 49ers archetype / fit discussion

  • The hosts use Evans as the prototype for what the 49ers have lacked: a true outside X receiver who can win without needing manufactured space.
  • The key point is that San Francisco has long built spacing for collective advantage, but a player like Evans changes the geometry of the offense by forcing defenses to respect the boundary.
  • This would let the 49ers play more outside-in instead of always having to live inside-out.

Marvin Harrison Jr. — Cardinals

  • The Cardinals are expected to move toward a more motion-heavy, condensed, Rams-adjacent offense under Mike LaFleur.
  • That should give Harrison more opportunities on in-breaking intermediate routes, which the hosts think fits him better than constant isolation work outside.
  • They noted that Kyler Murray’s height and launch point made some of those throws less accessible, while a different quarterback structure could open them up.
  • The hope is that Year 3 gives Harrison a much better chance to show his full route-running value.

Chris Rodriguez — Jaguars

  • A very role-specific pick: the Jaguars brought in a runner Liam Coen already knows from Kentucky.
  • Rodriguez is seen as the steady, downhill, “get what’s blocked” back the Jaguars lacked.
  • He fits as the early-down and goal-line option, complementing more explosive or passing-down backs.
  • The idea is less splash and more stability and efficiency.

Defensive Players Poised for a Role Shift

Jalen Thompson — Cowboys

  • A versatile safety/nickel type who should be a major piece of Christian Parker’s new secondary structure.
  • Thompson’s value is in his flexibility: he can play free safety, slot, and box roles.
  • The Cowboys’ new defensive identity should feature a more cohesive, disguise-heavy two-high look, and Thompson is central to that transition.
  • The discussion also tied this to the Cowboys’ broader shift away from the Dan Quinn and Matt Eberflus versions of the defense.

Jalen Ramsey — Steelers

  • The hosts are fascinated by how Patrick Graham might deploy him.
  • One possibility discussed: Ramsey as a big nickel / Charles Woodson-style chess piece, especially given his size and physicality.
  • Another possibility is that he becomes a hybrid piece rotating between safety and nickel depending on personnel.
  • The big takeaway is that Ramsey’s versatility could unlock a very different Steelers back end.

Logan Hall — Texans

  • This was framed as the cleanest example of a pure scheme change helping a player.
  • Hall was discussed as a better fit in a defense that lets him pin his ears back and rush rather than constantly ask him to fit into a blitz-heavy, role-heavy structure.
  • The Houston environment should give him more straightforward pass-rush opportunities than Tampa’s system did.
  • The hosts see him as an interesting bet on role clarity and usage.

A’Shawn Robinson — Buccaneers

  • The flip side of the Logan Hall discussion: Tampa Bay is reshaping its defensive front to be more run-stopping and physical.
  • Robinson is the kind of body who helps the Bucs become more of a first-down defense that can force second-and-long and unleash pressure packages.
  • The Bucs want to be stronger at holding the point of attack before turning up the aggression.

Biggest Conceptual Theme

The NFL is an environment league

  • The episode repeatedly returns to one central belief: the right system can make a player look 1.5x as good, and the wrong one can make him look 0.75x as good.
  • That’s especially true for:
    • receivers who need motion/spacing,
    • running backs who need better line structure,
    • and defensive players whose value depends on whether they’re asked to attack or occupy.

Housekeeping / Community Notes

  • The show also promoted:
    • a live episode in Chicago at Lincoln Hall on September 1
    • tickets going on sale July 27
    • and the Athletic Football Show Discord, which they said is a major hub for updates, win pools, and community discussion.

Bottom Line

This episode is essentially a case study in how scheme changes and coaching changes can reshape player outcomes. The hosts highlight a mix of big names and deeper cuts, but the throughline is the same: the best NFL players aren’t just talented — they’re often the ones who land in the right ecosystem.