Overview of The Athletic Football Show episode
Robert Mays and Derek Kramer kick off their “lingering questions” offseason series by evaluating the 2025 rookie seasons of four quarterbacks who logged meaningful snaps: Cam Ward, Jackson Dart, Tyler Shuck, and Shedeur Sanders. The main goal is to answer a simple but important 2026 question: which second-year QB showed the most promise entering next season?
Their broad conclusion is nuanced: Tyler Shuck looked like the most structurally ready quarterback, Cam Ward still has the highest raw ceiling, Jackson Dart flashed real starting traits but needs refinement, and Shedeur Sanders is the furthest away from being a viable starter.
The big picture
How they frame the class
- The show focuses on quarterbacks who played roughly 250+ snaps in 2025.
- The discussion balances:
- stats
- film
- supporting cast/scheme
- future development path
The central theme: rookie QB production is often distorted by circumstance, and the real question is whether each player’s traits can survive and improve in a better environment.
Cam Ward: worst numbers, still worth betting on
Why the rookie year looked so bad
- Statistically, Ward had one of the worst rookie seasons for a QB in recent years.
- His efficiency metrics and success rate were near the bottom of the league.
- He also took a lot of sacks, with some coming from:
- bad offensive line play
- broken protection
- poor surrounding talent
- scheme that didn’t give him much help
Why they’re still optimistic
- Ward’s appeal is still his arm talent, quick release, and playmaking ability.
- He can throw from different platforms and create outside structure.
- He’s especially good in the quick game and can react fast to what he sees.
- His best throws often came on corner, pylon, and sideline-deep routes where his ball placement could shine.
Main concern
- He sometimes holds the ball too long while hunting big plays.
- His “clock” doesn’t seem broken, but he may be overly aggressive by choice.
- The key question: are the high-end flashes enough to justify the sack burden and inconsistency?
Jackson Dart: efficient, athletic, but still limited
What stood out positively
- Dart is a good athlete and a strong designed runner.
- He’s willing to:
- take hits
- throw with confidence
- attack tight windows
- improvise outside the pocket
- He was also more accurate than expected, especially when clean and on schedule.
What still worries them
- His processing and timing are still pretty raw.
- He often plays in a very “see it, throw it” way rather than anticipating windows.
- His pocket movement can be erratic:
- sometimes too static
- sometimes too jumpy
- He struggled badly in the red zone, where the field shrinks and anticipation matters more.
Overall read
- Dart showed enough to be encouraged, but not enough to be fully bought into as a long-term starter yet.
- He feels like a quarterback with a path to success, but not a sure thing.
Tyler Shuck: the most polished rookie and the best bet to start
Why he impressed them most
- Shuck’s rookie tape was the most pro-ready of the group.
- He consistently:
- got through progressions
- accessed the middle of the field
- took checkdowns
- threw with anticipation
- stayed on schedule
- He looked especially strong on quick-game concepts and timing throws.
What the Saints’ offense did well
- The offense was designed to make life easier for the quarterback:
- lots of motion
- clear reads
- defined structure
- fast release points
- The team also addressed several weak points in the offense with offseason additions.
The biggest concern
- Shuck’s play changes significantly under pressure.
- When clean, he looked sharp and accurate.
- When pressured, his accuracy fell off sharply.
- The panel sees pressure handling as the main limit on his ceiling.
Bottom line on Shuck
- They were surprisingly impressed by how complete he already looks.
- Even though he’s older, they think he has a real chance to be a solid second-contract starter.
- If the question is “who looked most ready to function as an NFL quarterback right now?” the answer leans Tyler Shuck.
Shedeur Sanders: backup traits, not starter traits yet
Main concerns
- Sanders has the most troubling profile of the group.
- He:
- holds the ball too long
- looks uncomfortable in the pocket
- can get skittish or panicky
- doesn’t have enough athletic or throwing upside to justify that style
What he does bring
- He is accurate enough in some areas.
- He can make some throws over the middle.
- He has enough functional ability to stick around as a backup.
Overall verdict
- The panel doesn’t see a clear path to him becoming a dependable NFL starter.
- His best realistic projection is a long-term, valuable backup.
Main takeaway: who showed the most promise entering 2026?
Their implicit ranking
- Tyler Shuck — best blend of readiness, timing, anticipation, and offensive fit
- Cam Ward — highest ceiling, but the most volatile and hardest to project
- Jackson Dart — real starting traits, but still needs major refinement
- Shedeur Sanders — backup profile, not starter-ready
Final read
If the question is who showed the most promise as a 2026 quarterback, the strongest case from the episode is Tyler Shuck, because he already looks like a functional NFL starter with a clear developmental path.
If the question is who has the most upside, that remains Cam Ward. But if the question is who looked most trustworthy entering year two, the answer is Shuck.
Notable themes and insights
- Context matters a lot: bad lines, bad receivers, and poor scheme can make rookies look worse than they are.
- Traits vs. production: Ward’s and Dart’s flashes may matter more than their raw rookie stats.
- Pressure handling is a separator: Shuck’s biggest swing skill, Ward’s biggest calibration issue, and Sanders’ biggest flaw.
- Red zone performance reveals a lot: Dart’s limitations showed up sharply when the field shrank.
- Age can cut both ways: Shuck’s polish is impressive, but he’s also older, so his ceiling may be lower than the raw tools suggest.