Overview of Who is the best true utility player in the NFL?
This episode of The Athletic Football Show is a Mailbag Monday edition centered on roster-building, coaching uncertainty, positional value, and identifying the league’s best true utility player. Robert Mays and Derek classically bounce between serious football analysis and playful hypotheticals, with the clearest consensus coming on Jacoby Myers as the NFL’s best true utility receiver and Quentin Lake as a strong defensive utility candidate.
Mailbag Topics Covered
Trade and cut candidates to watch
The hosts discussed which names could become interesting trade or cut candidates as June 1 approaches. A few names they circled:
- Brandon Aiyuk as the biggest obvious name
- Anthony Richardson and Spencer Rattler as young quarterbacks who could be in shifting situations
- Keon Coleman as a possible shake-up candidate if Buffalo’s offensive direction changes
- Walker Little as a potential swing-tackle trade piece
- Daron Payne as a possible in-season trade candidate if Washington’s season goes sideways
Coaches and quarterbacks who could be on the hot seat
They considered which coach-quarterback situations could unexpectedly collapse or change by season’s end.
- Matt LaFleur and Kevin O’Connell were the main coach names discussed, mostly because of division pressure and roster volatility
- Sean Payton was floated in a more speculative “vibes go bad” scenario
- At quarterback, they mentioned:
- Jalen Hurts
- Baker Mayfield
- Jared Goff as a theoretical trade candidate if things ever went badly enough, though they emphasized that this is highly unlikely
Best slot/nickel player in a hypothetical modern defense
In a discussion about building an ideal defense from scratch, they debated whether the “slot” player should be:
- a safety,
- a nickel corner who can kick outside,
- or a more box-oriented hybrid.
Their conclusion leaned toward a safety/nickel hybrid, with the best traits coming from players who can handle both roles cleanly.
If every starter had to be a different age
One of the most unhinged but fun questions asked them to assign every starting player an age from 20 to 41. Their takeaways included:
- Younger players are ideal at speed/space positions like running back, nickel, and edge
- Older players fit better along the interior line and at center
- Quarterback likely peaks somewhere in the late 30s in this exercise
- Offensive tackle, safety, linebacker, and corner ended up in the middle-to-late 20s/early 30s range depending on role
They eventually landed on a complete age distribution that prioritized:
- youth at high-speed positions,
- experience at quarterback, center, and some defensive interior spots,
- and a mix of mid-career players at the more physically demanding but less explosive positions.
Best True Utility Player in the NFL
Offensive answer: Jacoby Myers
Both hosts landed on Jacoby Myers as the clearest example of a true utility player on offense.
Why he stands out:
- Can play X, Z, and slot
- Performs consistently across alignments
- Doesn’t drop off much depending on role
- Isn’t a superstar, but is highly valuable because of his versatility and reliability
Defensive answer: Quentin Lake
On defense, Quentin Lake was the strongest utility-style answer.
Why he fits:
- Can play nickel and safety
- Has enough versatility to move around without the defense changing its identity
- Represents the kind of “C+ at multiple spots” player teams can really use
Other utility candidates mentioned
- Andrew Van Ginkel: a linebacker/edge hybrid who can be deployed in multiple ways
- Leo Chenal: another multi-use linebacker/edge type
- Kobe Bryant: brought up as a defensive back with some versatility, though possibly too good to count as a true utility guy in the purest sense
Coaching uncertainty and “leader of men” debate
The hosts pushed back on the idea that we can reliably identify head coaches based on charisma or “leader of men” traits alone.
Key points:
- First-time head coaching hires are inherently uncertain
- Scheme, player development, and tangible impact matter more than vibes
- The modern NFL requires coaches to demonstrably make players better
- Buy-in is more likely to come from confidence and results than from old-school authority
They were especially skeptical of overvaluing “presence” without proof of on-field improvement.
Rookie impact and contender boosts
They also discussed which rookies from the 2025 draft could have the kind of immediate impact that helps push a team into contender status, pointing to past examples like:
- Tristan Wirfs / Antoine Winfield Jr. with the Buccaneers
- Trent McDuffie / Rashee Rice with the Chiefs
- Quinyon Mitchell / Cooper DeJean with the Eagles
- Zabel for Seattle as a stabilizing rookie lineman
Teams/rookie combos they thought could have that kind of effect:
- Dallas: if Caleb Downs and Malachi Lawrence hit, it could radically improve the roster
- Houston: if Keilan Rutledge and Cade McDonald become immediate contributors, that roster could leap forward
- Baltimore: if Vega Ioane becomes a difference-making offensive lineman, it could unlock the offense
- Kansas City: their defensive rookies could be the kind of final piece that sustains a contender
Matthew Golden and the Packers’ receiver development track record
The final major topic was whether Matthew Golden could have a second-year breakout for Green Bay.
The hosts agreed that:
- Golden’s rookie year was underwhelming in raw production
- But that does not mean he’s doomed
- The Packers have a strong history of developing receivers over time:
- Jordy Nelson
- Davante Adams
- Romeo Doubs
- Christian Watson
Their conclusion: Golden may not become a superstar, but he could still become a very good player, and Green Bay’s receiver room/context may have already reduced the urgency for him to produce immediately.
Main Takeaways
- Jacoby Myers is the best example of a true utility offensive player
- Quentin Lake is the strongest defensive utility answer
- Coaches should be evaluated with more humility because first-time head coach success is highly uncertain
- The modern NFL rewards coaches who clearly improve players, not just those with “leader of men” charisma
- Some rookies can still meaningfully move a team from good to great, especially on already strong rosters
- Matthew Golden shouldn’t be written off after one season; Green Bay has a real history of patient receiver development