Which NFL division has the best quarterbacks in 2026?

0:00Robert Mays: Right now, you're probably listening to this podcast on a wireless network. The same wireless network you swipe, scroll, and hopefully download the latest episode of the Athletic Football Show on. But if you're a first responder, you shouldn't have to compete with my voice to get a clear signal. That's why there's FirstNet, a clear wireless lane built with and for first responders. So in an emergency, first responders get there first. Because a network that's not just for anyone helps everyone. To learn more, go to firstnet.com or visit an AT &T store for details.

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1:42Robert Mays: Welcome to The Athletic Football Show. I'm Robert Mays. It's another Mailbag Monday here on The Athletic Football Show feed. We are deep into the offseason now, and the questions reflect that, and I mean that in a very positive way. We had a couple really fun Fun ones to chew on as part of this, like picking the best position groups from each division, which we spent a long time doing. That was a great question, but a lot of good ones. Thank you to everyone who spent the time to send in the questions. We do this in part because the quality of the questions is so good every single week. So let's get to it with me, Dave, Derek, and our producer, Katie, right now.

2:24Robert Mays: it's another mailbag monday here on the athletic football show very excited to get back to these we've got a really good collection of questions sincerely appreciate everyone who spent who spent the time to send them in beller is out today so katie our producer is going to be reading the questions. I honestly think you have the biggest shoes to fill of anybody that could be missing on this show right now, just because of the dulcet tones that Beller brings to this process every week. I know. I thought about doing an impression of his voice, but I really don't think that would go well. So we're just kind of, I kind of wish you would.

2:59Robert Mays: I would kind of see what that sounds like. It's not going to go well. Got some good ones today. We are deep in the off season now. And some of these questions reflect that. I mean, that as a compliment. These are like some deep offseason questions. There's some really fun ones in here that some like actually spent took a lot of time and some prep and some real thinking. And I really am excited to get to a couple of those. But let's kick this off, Katie. What's our first one? First one is from Discord. Single T says, pure offseason question. What players from the pre-HGTV era of football would you most enjoy having today's level of access of film and analytics to study?

3:34What does a Barry Sanders run from the All-22 with the AI trail line and advanced stats look like? what does a Reggie White bull rush look like from the end zone cam? Things like that. Robert, go ahead and take this one.

3:46Robert Mays: I'll throw out two, and they're kind of connected. My answer to this is pretty consistently like Dan Marino. Like I would love to go back and watch like 80s Dan Marino from the All-22 and see what it actually looked like. And one of the game I would really love to watch, and this kind of takes me into the second part of the thing, is in 85 when Dan Marino was the only quarterback who could beat the 85 Bears. I would also love to go back, especially on the heels of what the Seahawks were last year and the fact that defense is really back in the NFL and we have these really, really good defenses.

4:17Robert Mays: What did the great defenses of previous eras feel like? Like when you watch the Texans and you watch the Seahawks on all 22 now and you get a sense for, I don't know, kind of like the visceral elements of what it's like to watch a unit like that. Did other defenses from other eras, did they feel similar to that when you watch them? Then they feel different. So going back and watching like great defenses and getting a sense of that. And then also just getting back and going to watch what Dan Marino was in the 80s. Like those are my two answers. That 85 Bears game, obviously it's not in HD, but that game is on YouTube for like people who have not seen it.

4:50Like you can find the full game and it's I watch it like once a year. That game is amazing.

4:55Derrik Klassen: I feel like Dan Marino is a consistent through line for questions like these, which completely makes sense. I've said it before when we've answered questions like this. I'm always in these hypotheticals going to go back and try to get my hands around old, old Titans of the league. Just guys that played in an era where anything more. Okay. I'm not going all the way back to Jim Thorpe this time.

5:21Robert Mays: No, no, no. I thought you were, I thought you were, I thought you literally meant old Titans. It's just like, Hey George, I really got to go back and watch Kyle Vandenbosch. Like that's really what I'm into here.

5:31Derrik Klassen: Titans of the game, not Tennessee Titans. No, I mean, And Tennessee Titans haven't even been around that long. No, I specifically would love to go back and watch a guy like Deacon Jones. He's responsible for the term sack. He had three different 20 plus sack seasons during the course of his career. I just love to see what that looks like. I mean, we know the name and you've probably seen grainy highlights at one point or another during your life, but I'd love to see how dominant a guy like that looked like, you You know, how different does he look against that caliber of NFL competition? Night Train Lane's another one, one of the greatest DBs of all time.

6:13Derrik Klassen: He had a 14-pick season and a 10-pick season in pretty quick succession during his career. Obviously, this was in like the 50s. So I expect you're going against bricklayers and guys who have day jobs and shit like that. But just what does that level of athleticism look like? and how, you know, somebody that was that dominant, like a Deacon Jones, like how similar to a modern NFL player does a guy who's that good look? I would love to be able to watch stuff like that.

6:46Robert Mays: That brings me to just like the interception totals. It's just like I would love to get my hands on like some mid-2000s Ravens, all 22, and just like watch what the game was like from Ed Reed's perspective. like when he so by the time my first year watching like all 22 of nfl games was 2012 i want to say which this is a whole different rabbit hole but the the nfl game pass like interface in 2012 was phenomenal like watching all 22 through the nfl's product was actually very easy and very good and so that year like was the first year i think i had access to it because it was the first year i was doing football full-time and that was the last he was 34 years old at that point so never while I was doing this job was Ed Reed like the player he was at his peak 2010 he had eight picks and was first team all pro I was not watching football from that angle in 2010 so that's another one I would really like the game player really was actually good then it's better now that it's NFL pro but there was like a 10-year stretch there where it somehow got work because I started in 2013 like the year after and like it was pretty good back then and the filters were incredible back then like you get down distance situation like I it was very good and very granular, but that again, it was like, that was in 2012.

7:56Robert Mays: And so a couple of years before that, I wasn't seeing what I wanted to. The last thing I'll say about this, and I probably shouldn't say this, but I'm going to anyway, I, this idea of going back and watching small players doing some stuff with it. I'm we're circling it a little bit. We'll see if we can try to do something that is involves this line of thinking at some point this off season, because I think it would be very fun. So I'll just, I'll just say that and leave it there. Hell of a tease. Katie, what's the next one? Babbling Bill on Discord. Hey, Tafts crew, I've been thinking about how we categorize O-line prospects.

8:32We often label guys as either dominant run blockers who need pass pro work or polished pass protectors who lack a run blocking punch. In a league that is more pass heavy than ever, why does it feel like the NFL still values the mauler run blocker as the higher end prospect? Is it a belief that you can't teach the size and violence required to move bodies whereas pass protection is a technical curriculum you can coach up? If you had to choose between a prospect who is elite in one and mediocre in the other, which are teams actually prioritizing in 2026? Is it the road grader, still the gold standard because they provide a physical floor slash anchor that finesse players lack?

9:11Or are we just collectively addicted to the highlights of linemen burying people? Derek, let's toss this one to you. I think I'll start with like what are teams doing? And I think it like genuinely just depends on the team. Like Paris Johnson was a prospect who came out where it was like, he's a phenomenal pass protector. Same thing, I think, with Olufoshanu. But it was like, what are you really going to get out of him physically in the run game? And sometimes that's what teams are targeting. I think sometimes you get the other end where like Armand Membu was a good pass protector, but you were drafting him because he was an absolute demon in the run game.

9:43And like, I think Kelvin Banks was a little bit of that. Like Monroe Freeling, I think this year, like physically is a guy who like you draft him because of what he can do in the run game. And so I think that part kind of just depends on the team a little bit. I do think this actually got me thinking a little bit because I do kind of subscribe to the general wisdom that like violence and then even strength after a certain age is kind of harder to add on than it is just like, can we teach this guy where to put his hands and pass pro and all that. But then I was thinking about it a little bit more because to me, that's like the natural skill in the run game, so to say.

10:16But I do think with pass protection, there is like a natural hand-eye coordination and just feet movement coordination that like you sometimes just can't teach that to guys. And some guys do just have that natural ability. But where I ended up ultimately back at the end is like, if you are a really good run blocker in college, that does suggest to me that you are coordinated and you can track movement and you can do all of these things. you just haven't done it quite as well moving backwards yet and you maybe need a little bit more teaching there whereas on the flip side where it's like if you're a great pass protector and like you know how to stay in front of guys your technique is really good but you just don't show this oomph in the run game I just there are not that many examples where I feel like guys learn how to be violent like you kind of just are I think explosiveness is like a key part to being

11:04Robert Mays: an elite lineman and if you're not explosive like I think a couple different things I'd put a push back on the question a bit just because I don't necessarily think those are the buckets like I don't think you prospects fall into one or the other like in this draft if you had to kind of drop a player into each of those categories probably like Caden Proctor and Caleb Lomu right those are the two guys that you would put in something like that like if and again I don't even think that's perfect but I think when I look at guys like that I don't think even really captures it i'll say this even in like a pass happy pass happy world strength and power are still like a necessary part of playing offensive line and so if you have like the strength and explosiveness to be a dominant run blocker i do think that that potentially translates to explosiveness overall and so i think that sticks out like just because a guy is a refined pass protector if he's not an explosive player i still think that you're gonna be lacking in other areas And I also think that having like the requisite anchor to play offensive line and offensive tackle in the NFL, that's necessary.

12:08Robert Mays: Like you can't just be like this fleet of foot athlete. You still have to have like a requisite amount of power. And so I think that the lines between those two archetypes of players are more blurred than the question suggests.

12:20Derrik Klassen: Also think my my main issue with the question was I would just argue as fun as maulers and road graders are. and you're right, Robert, like strength and explosiveness and anchor are very important. But if you're talking about a guy with a certain amount of baseline ability, the length and reflexes to make a guy a great pass protector, even if it's just a projection, I still think that is massively valuable. And I think NFL teams would rather take a chance on a gazelle type athlete who can wipe out angles and get out in space and stuff like that. I think they'll take a chance on a guy like that all day, even if he's not as physically dominant as you might prefer.

13:05Derrik Klassen: Having said that, I think people are drawn to Maulers because it's just less guesswork about the type of player that you are. And if you can see a guy finishing blocks and putting people on the ground and playing to the whistle and being an asshole, that's a hell of a lot easier than being like, OK, you weigh this much, you move like this. Why don't I see it? Like, why aren't you violent? Why aren't you more explosive? Do I have to coach that into you? Can I coach that into you? Are you wired the way that I want you to be? I mean, the trope is that offensive linemen are gritty, grimy guys who, you know, mix it up and play to the whistle, but not all players are wired the same.

13:47Derrik Klassen: And I think if you see evidence of that on a guy's tape at that level, it's just less projection about who he is as a guy once he gets into your room and i think that that gets people excited because it's less guesswork armand membu is a good example but like you wouldn't know why

14:04Robert Mays: now watched him at missouri derek and just like going into last year's draft the run blocking stuff was obviously that was sort of some of the most tantalizing moments that you saw but that explosiveness that showed up as a pass protector as well like and so i think that explosiveness overall often manifests watching people move guys off the ball in the run game. But that same pop and explosiveness often also creates a theoretical upside as a pass protector that you wouldn't have if you were a less explosive player. I think he's a good example of that. He is. And I almost think that like this argument that we're having is actually better suited for like if we're talking about third or fourth round prospects, because it's kind of like if you are a mediocre, like truly mediocre at one or the other, you're just not going in the first round.

14:49Like, like you're just not going to go that high in the draft. And so this probably is like a better argument for like, what are the types of guys you want to take swings on in the third and fourth round? Or I guess even the second round.

14:59Derrik Klassen: I would argue mediocre without crazy traits that. Yes. People project. Right. Yes. Because you can get drafted in the first round being mediocre on tape. But if you've got crazy traits, people will will hand wave it away. That's correct. Yeah.

15:14Robert Mays: Yeah. Like Jalen Guyton is a good example of this. Right. Like Jalen Guyton, I like it's, he wasn't great at anything, but you watch the way that he moves just like, yeah, we'll take that guy in the first round. I'm almost at taking that guy in the first round. Tyler Guyton. That's what I meant. Yes.

15:27Derrik Klassen: I just, I'm laughing. Cause Jalen Guyton was the speed demon receiver who wound up in LA.

15:32Robert Mays: Jalen Guyton. The game I remember from Jalen Guyton is a, the huge touchdown he had in that Justin Herbert game against the bucks. And like the first Justin Herbert run where we were just like, yeah, that's that, that's the Jalen Guyton stretch that I remember the most. I did not anticipate mentioning Jalen Guyton on the podcast today, but Tyler Guyton is the player I was referring to, yes. Before we move on, we're going to take our first quick break. Look, I'm a sports media guy, and so that means I've got, I don't know, 20, 30 hoodies in my closet. They all serve a purpose, but I want that one that I'm just going to live in, really live in, on the couch, on a plane, out for a hike, playing with my kids, whatever the case might be, that's the one that I'm looking for, and I finally found one with PACA.

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20:07Robert Mays: All right, let's get to the next one, Katie. This one's from Nick W. Inspired by the who is coaching the Jets and Browns next season discussion on the podcast, who do you have your eyes on as the next hot name head coaching candidates? Specifically thinking about young offensive minds and play callers to pair with the promising crop of QBs. Anyone that should be on our radar? Dave, you got any names here?

20:30Derrik Klassen: I mean, I feel like Robert is the assistant coach whisperer. But if you're I mean, if you're talking about guys that are like on on the come up on specifically on the offensive side of the ball. And ironically, some of them aren't even play callers because so many aren't. Yeah, that's the issue, right? Right. Exactly. So, I mean, like Nate Sheelhaus for the Rams. I don't think if you listen to this show, you don't need a big primer on Nate Sheelhaus moving into the offensive coordinator job for the Rams. Now that Michael Fleur is off to Arizona. Uh, Clayton Adams in Dallas, also not a play caller, but just seems to be a rising star on that side of the ball.

21:11Derrik Klassen: Even bigger name would obviously be Davis Webb, who did get the play calling duties from Sean Payton in Denver. I mean, he, he was as far as guys who like, didn't get a head coaching job in this cycle. It seems like he's, um, he's like the biggest name in that group of players. I've, I've got a few others, but I'll throw it to y 'all.

21:31Robert Mays: I think a lot of those names are absolutely worth mentioning. Webb is one that I probably should have had closer to the top of my list, but didn't, especially because he is calling plays this year. You mentioned Shieldhouse. Clayton Adams, I think, should be more in consideration than he has been. Like, I don't think he got a single head coaching interview last spring. And I think that's a mistake based on with the information we have now about these guys, because almost none of them have called plays yet. And neither has Adams, to be fair. But just based on the work he's done with two offensive lines so far and how good those units have looked, at least in the case of Arizona, better than they should have been.

22:08And then last year's, I thought Dallas kind of kicked ass. He's the guy I would be circling. And now maybe one of these guys, once they start calling plays, really looks like one of those guys. But based on what we know now, I like Adams.

22:18Robert Mays: Yeah, I think he should be in there. The young guys are going to be really interesting. Like Declan Doyle is somebody that at the end of this year, if it goes well with the Ravens, he absolutely is going to be a guy that is in consideration for one of these jobs. And I honestly think he should be like those two guys, Declan Doyle and Grant Udinski, both of those guys are immensely impressive and just everything that I have heard about the way that they think and the way that they work and how organized they are. It's that job is, it's a really interesting job. And I, and I think that for those two guys specifically, it, the, when you're the offensive coordinator, even if you're not calling plays as a 28 29 year old guy it's a very good kind of proving ground when it comes to like interpersonal dynamics because even if you're not the person who's calling plays as the offensive coordinator you are in charge of the offensive staff like that period from Sunday night when the game ends and even beyond that even like into Thursday Friday Saturday when a lot of the assistant position coaches and some of the QCs are getting ahead on game planning stuff, you oversee what that process looks like and kind of how that information is incorporated into the game plan.

23:28Robert Mays: And so from the time that look-ahead stuff starts late in the week to what happens early in the week from Sunday night when the game ends to Tuesday night when the game plan is put to bed, you're overseeing a lot of that, and you're in charge of making sure that the coaches are being incorporated into that process in the right way. And so even if you're not calling plays, for a guy like a Grant Udinski or somebody like a Declan Doyle who's really young and in that role for the first time, it is a very good experience when it comes to just having a ton more oversight than you would otherwise. And so even, and I think that's true for all offensive coordinators, but especially for guys like that, because I think that's the biggest change.

24:08Robert Mays: When you're a manager at age 29, it's a very, very different job than being an ideas guy when you're 27. And so for those guys specifically, I'll be curious what they do. A couple of others I'd throw out that are just a huge unknowns this year, but there's a lot of variants. I'll be very curious to see what happens with Sean Mannion and David Blau this year, like what those offenses look like. It could go a bunch of different ways. Dan Pitcher from the Bengals is somebody that I think is interesting. I think that he probably deserves at least some conversations about being a head coach. That job is just a lot different than a lot of other offensive coordinator jobs.

24:44Robert Mays: Their staff is bigger than it used to be, but it used to be a very small staff. And then two other guys I'd throw in there, Brad Edzig, who we'll talk about again later on the show is calling plays for the first time in Carolina this year. And I'll be curious to see what Tommy Reese does in Atlanta with the offensive talent that they have in Atlanta, because it's just a very different situation than it was with the Browns over the last couple of years when he was calling plays. So that, those are the names I would throw out there. Yeah. As far as the offensive guys go, I think that that is kind of the list.

25:11And again, we talked about it like almost none of these guys have called plays yet. And some of them will this year, but it's, it gets complicated because of that. Like usually we have five or six guys who have called it like they're going to be the next ones up. But the defense is really more where you get some of those guys. We're like Jim, Jim Leonard and Christian Parker. I'm interested to see how those defenses go. And then Campanile almost got jobs this year.

25:32Derrik Klassen: Obviously, he was taking some some Campanile is just a guy that I view is like a head coach and waiting at this. Yes, I mean, it's going maybe I'm out over my skis. But yeah, I feel pretty confident about that. The last defensive one, I think if we land in a spot next year where Jeff Ulbrich gets a job because somebody wants a more stable, older defensive guy, I would not be that surprised.

25:56Robert Mays: He did a really good job last year. He did an awesome job, yeah. And then the other guy I'd throw out, I could see their defense being really good this year in part because of who the head coach is, but I also think he's done a good job as a defensive coordinator is Anthony Weaver. Yeah, totally.

26:10Derrik Klassen: He has head coach makeup, that's for sure.

26:13Robert Mays: Yeah, I would throw him out there as well. All right, what's our next one, Katie? T. Larson 60 on Discord. On your last mailbag, you were debating whether the Browns or Jets would be a better landing spot for the number one QB in next year's draft, and it got me thinking. Not to make the fans of these cursed franchises feel any worse, but does it even matter which of these teams we choose? Would either of these teams with the number one pick from next year be able to rise to the level of consistent contender that would make the selection a success in the long term based on what stands in their way.

26:45The dream in drafting a quarterback number one overall is to have a special MVP caliber player who can help you overcome the deficits on your roster and compete for championships consistently. That is what both the Browns and Jets, and Dolphins really, are hoping for. However, when you look at the AFC North and AFC East respectively, there are already two special MVP caliber quarterbacks in each division. Jackson, Burrow, Allen, May. My larger question is this. Is it possible for there to be three MVP caliber quarterbacks in the same division at the same time? I cannot think of a division ever having three of these quarterbacks for an extended period of time.

27:21Is it possible for an Allen, May, and hypothetically Manning to exist in the same division for four plus years? Can the Browns or Jets, even if they were to hit on their quarterback next spring, become relevant if these other star QBs and their teams remain at the height of their powers for the rest of the decade? for their fans sake and my personal enjoyment i hope so derek what do you got answer i actually did find a division that had this for a stretch there the nfc south had matt ryan cam newton who won back-to-back mvps and obviously drew breeze was there for a lot of that and so i don't i don't know how long you would say like their peaks overlapped maybe like seven years or so but that's a long time that both of the like all three of those guys were playing at mvp potential level and their teams were consistently in it and that sort of stuff.

28:07And so it doesn't happen a lot, but that one was one where it's like two literal MVPs and a Hall of Famer who was consistently in the discussion.

28:15Robert Mays: Also, Tom Brady joined that division immediately after those guys left it. And so this feels like there, I don't, what would be the reason that this wouldn't happen? Like there's no, there's nothing. It's just happenstance, right? It's just happenstance. And the fact that we don't have this many, there's only so many MVP type quarterbacks. And so I think that's more the question than like a Highlander situation where there can only be two in any division. Like, I don't I don't think there's some cosmic rule against it. I would also say this. I don't think that success, if you draft a quarterback in the top five, is dictated by whether that player is a consistent MVP candidate every single year.

28:58Robert Mays: If you're a fan of the Jets and you, let's just say the first couple of years are a little bit better because the circumstances are better. I know we're like, this is now fantasy land. If Trevor Lawrence, if you got Trevor Lawrence, if you were a Jets fan, it's not about having an MVP caliber quarterback. It's about having a functioning adult to play the position for the first time in a very long time. Like, I don't know if Caleb Williams is ever going to be a year in and year out MVP candidate. it. I'm pretty happy with the outcome so far for him being a draft pick in Chicago. Jordan Love, like it's better that Jordan Love is the quarterback for the Packers.

29:33Robert Mays: Like CJ Stroud, it's been up and down, but CJ Stroud, life is better with CJ Stroud than it was with Davis Mills. To me, this is more about, did you draft the quarterback that in the course of his rookie deal and hopefully beyond gives your team a real fighting chance to win? And that's enough. Like that would be a victory if you are a Jets fan or a Browns fan.

29:54Derrik Klassen: I mean, not to dogpile on those wonderful fans, but it makes me think of Matthew Stafford, too. I mean, he was absolutely worth that pick. And the Lions never achieved the success that they wanted to while he was their quarterback. I mean, there's so many variables that go into this, like you can nail the pick and draft a guy who's putting together a Hall of Fame resume and not necessarily sniff the ultimate goal. It's it's a harsh reality of the sport. And then the other thing, speaking of harsh realities of the sport, so much shit happens. I mean, Joe, Joe Burrows missed the playoffs two years in a row.

30:28Derrik Klassen: Now, some of that is because of in. Yeah. Is it three? I'm pretty sure it's three, three, four, five. Yeah. Joe Burrows missed the playoffs three years in a row at this point. And some of that's because of injury. Some of that's because it's hard to put a great team around a quarterback. I mean, Drew Brees missed the playoffs plenty of times during that stretch you were talking about, Derek. So, like, nailing the pick is not a guarantee that you're going to, yeah, like, be in the MVP conversation and be in the playoffs every single year. I mean, what Josh Allen is doing is really remarkable. Patrick Mahomes was on a really remarkable run up until this last year, but even Patrick Mahomes was susceptible to falling out of the playoffs for various reasons.

31:10Derrik Klassen: So, yeah, it'll all even out in the end. Like, I think that's fine. And then on top of that, let's say, let's say it's Arch Manning and let's say Arch Manning takes his star turn in year three. Well, Josh Allen's going to be 34, 35 by then. Like he will be not to put an end date on Josh Allen's career, but he will be closer to the end of his career than the beginning by that point. So I think Dave is driving a stake into Josh Allen's career at age 35. He's saying it right now. Somebody is going to believe that. No, I'm Josh Allen could play till he's 40, but even then he, so he'd have six years left and Arch Manning would be just beginning his career.

31:51Derrik Klassen: So yeah, I just, I don't think this, I think it'll even out over the course of enough years.

31:57Robert Mays: I just think that when you draft a quarterback in the first round, my bar is not, is he going to be a year in and you're at MVP? It's, is he good enough for my team to win if other things are correct? And if the answer to that is yes, I think you'll be just fine. And so I hope that for the jets and the Browns sakes, if they draft a quarterback who's good, it does matter in some way, even if that player is not an MVP. The framing of that question from T. Larson is like, my God, if I were a Jets or Browns fan, reading that in like the middle of the early May, I would be so, so depressed.

32:28Derrik Klassen: Just really love that our debate about, would you rather quarterback the Jets versus the Browns? Like it prompted some real introspection, and I appreciate that. Probably some introspection that people didn't enjoy

32:40Robert Mays: the final result of. looking a little bit too deep into the abyss for some people. All right, before we move on, let's take one more quick break.

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34:22All right, what's the next, Katie? This is also from Discord. DARPADARP is the username. Here's a fun roster building exercise for the mailbag. Build the best roster you can by using each NFL division to fill each of the eight position groups. For simplicity's sake, use the presumed starters from last year and let's ignore if they were injured. If you use one division for a group, you get the average performance level of all players on those teams. For example, if you want to use the AFC East for quarterbacks to get Josh Allen and Drake May, you also get Justin Fields and Tua averaged into their performance.

34:57You must use each division once and only once to fill each of the following position groups. Quarterback, offensive line, running back, tight end slash wide receivers defensive line linebackers cornerbacks safeties uh robert what

35:11Robert Mays: do you got here uh so just first off i did the exercise wrong i did it for this upcoming season so i apologize about that i think which i think is more fun anyway i think that's also what i did so we're all right okay that's fine that's fine i just want to acknowledge that like that i did it for this upcoming season so that's it i justin fields and two are not involved in this but Gino and Malik Willis are when I'm weighing the AFC East quarterbacks. I think that's fine. I think that's fine. We can project enough. I'm not going to go through every single position here. I think we could take it position by position.

35:44Robert Mays: I think that would actually be fun. Okay, so quarterback.

35:49Derrik Klassen: This is difficult because the court disagree. I think this is the easiest one. Really? I think I feel really good about my, if we're projecting for 2026, my answer for quarterbacks the nfc north i also had the nfc north i didn't think it was that easy

36:06Robert Mays: though i did the afc east because i wanted the nfc north for something else so my answer for quarterback in a vacuum i think is nfc north because i just think that the floor is highest among that group like they're just there isn't like a real stinker in there depending on what you think of kyler i think kyler is among like if every division the fourth best quarterback in that division kyler is the best one and so i think that's partially why the nfc north was my answer but if we can only use each division one time i at the nfc north i think is a good candidate for some other positions a spot that i actually don't think is as good of a candidate for other positions and that's why it would probably be my runner-up probably be the afc west because you get mahomes and herbert and then nicks is third and then well some combination of cousins and Mendoza I think the NFC North is the answer but I didn't have AFC West for any of my other ones and so I might go AFC West for that one specifically what did you guys do AFC West is

37:06Derrik Klassen: a sneaky good answer uh I also I went NFC North because I'm with you Robert I would just rather instead of averaging the four positions I think of it as like if one of these four guys has to start for me who's gonna scare me the least and so the NFC North that like cuts to the point

37:23Robert Mays: like that puts you in like the emotionality of the moment in this exercise. And that's why I think it's the most effective way of thinking about it.

37:30Derrik Klassen: So, yeah, I just feel more comfortable asking all four NFC North quarterbacks to start for me. But I know Derek's answer and I get the thought process, though. Like, I don't I don't hate it. I mean, if I have two MVPs, I feel like I come out in the average at like quarterback nine or ten and I'm OK.

37:46Robert Mays: You say the second MVP in the AFC East. I mean, Josh Allen and Drake May was like three votes from winning it. He did not win it is all I'm saying. We did this earlier where one of the other questions was just treating Drake May like he'd be an MVP candidate for the next decade, which I'm open to. But let's just pump the brakes like a tiny bit. I was there before the season. I was there before the season. I'm just saying. Just coming off the playoffs, I think we can just pull it back a small bit with Drake May being as good as Josh Allen. Just like a tiny bit. That's all I'm saying. He's not as good.

38:20But Josh Allen is obviously like Josh Allen. I'm certain will be that Drake may is like, I would bet on him to be that perfect.

38:26Robert Mays: That's a completely acceptable way of framing it. Okay.

38:29Derrik Klassen: I just, I love the idea that Derek is that it's like a Frankenstein's monster of Gino and Malik Willis and Josh Allen and Drake may playing a game. And it's like, well, there's some bad in there, but the good will override it. Yes, sir.

38:43Robert Mays: I think that's an acceptable answer, especially if we can only use each division once. I think the AFC is depending on, you know, if, If you're choosing to see Geno in a certain way and you have a lot of faith in Malik Willis being at least decent, I think the AFC East is a decent answer. Okay. Offensive line is the next one. I think the offensive line is – This was an easy one for me. It's the NFC East, right? Yeah. Ooh. All those lines are good, and the best players in there are insane. Can I – can I offer you a potential alternative? Yes. And I think this alternative I think is okay in part because I think they – this position doesn't have any other candidates.

39:23Robert Mays: Like this division doesn't have any other positional candidates. What about the NFC South for offensive lines? Yeah, I thought about them. Well, that's pretty good, actually. There are no like abject bad offensive lines in the NFC South. The Saints top to bottom are a group you can get excited about. The Bucks went healthy, have a very good offensive line. The Panthers will see what happens with Freeling. But I think for the most part, getting Robert Hump back, even if they got to kind of squint at center a little bit, It's not a bad group. And Atlanta, Atlanta is a solid offensive line. And so those four are pretty good.

39:56Robert Mays: NFC East is the other candidate that I would throw in there. But I think you can pick the NFC East for a couple of other different positions. And you can't for the NFC South.

40:04Derrik Klassen: I did have the NFC South for one later that I felt actually really good about when we get there. McGarry retiring gave me pause about the NFC South. But like Jawan Taylor is a perfectly solid addition, especially at that price point. I don't hate that. I still think there are just there are so many animals on the offensive lines in the NFC East. I mean, between Andrew Thomas, Lane Johnson, Jordan, my lot of like all the guys in Philly, Dallas is loaded with first round draft picks. Frickin Laramie Tunsil plays in Washington. There are just so many monsters that that play in that division.

40:40Robert Mays: And what healthy like caused me back for a whole year, year two of Connerly like Washington. right now Derek would you rather have Washington's offensive line or the Giants

40:53man I would probably say the Giants I think the ceiling is a little bit higher but yeah I would probably say the Giants because the but Washington's line isn't bad like especially if Connery

41:04Derrik Klassen: does take a step that's a pro Giants thing not an anti-commanders thing like the Giants looks really promising which like two years ago I was like that's the worst unit I've ever seen that's exactly right and that's i'm like just put yourself in this position where

41:18Robert Mays: it's even a question i think that's a pretty good spot but so all right nfc south nfc east but again nfc south i just think there are fewer candidates running back i landed on the afc west the afc west is loaded with backs dude and i didn't love that many other spots for that division but jenty jenty hampton and kenneth walker is a pretty sick i think running back room

41:44Derrik Klassen: I can get on board with that. I did AFC East. I just think it's top to bottom solid. AFC East is my answer as well. Oh, that is good. The AFC West. Cook and Devon HN. Yeah.

41:55Robert Mays: Yeah. Like Javante and RJ Harvey is like your fourth one there. And we'll see what happens with Hampton in year two. But AFC East is top to bottom pretty good. Pretty darn good. Like Ramondre Stevenson is probably like the worst of those running backs in the AFC East. And Ramondre Stevenson is a pretty solid player. AFC East was my answer. that's good the depth is definitely better in the east i like that the one that i'm most interested in and how we're talking about it now versus how we'll be talking about at the end of the season

42:22Derrik Klassen: the nfc west for that room yeah i think nfc west is a is a perfectly solid answer considering we haven't seen two of them play in the nfl yeah exactly like the only thing no nfc west is a good answer if you believe i mean certainly i think most people believe in jeremiah love although So the surrounding cast is going to matter a lot. And then Jadarian Price as well. Like, I don't dislike that. But yeah, I'd like a little more information.

42:52Robert Mays: Tight ends, wide receivers. One of the reasons that I was going away from quarterback for the NFC North is that I was going to go pass catchers for the NFC North. So I think that's why I defaulted to AFC West for quarterbacks, because I think that NFC North for pass catchers is, that's pretty clearly the best answer to me. I think there are only a couple of these where it's like that's objectively the correct answer. I think NFC North for pass catcher is like objectively correct. Like Justin Jefferson, Tucker Craft, Colston Loveland, Amon Ross St. Brown. Once you get to like four and five, it's still like Roma Dunze.

43:26Christian Watson is good. Like Sam Laporta is in this division. Like it just it doesn't end with this. Jordan Addison is still in this division. Hawkinson, like you're like 11th best player in this group is still like could make a Pro Bowl in any given year.

43:40Robert Mays: yeah and i think that's a good way of looking at it and also which team's pass catching group in the nfc is the worst one in the nfc north it's the packers right the packers is the worst talent yes and that's like if that's the worst one then you're doing pretty damn good like yeah the biggest question when it comes to like the quality of the pass catchers in the nfc north is what is matthew golden a first round pick going to be and like what are the limitations of a player like Jaden Reed who just got like a decent second contract. Like those are the biggest questions about the pass catchers in the NFC North.

44:16Robert Mays: That's a pretty good place to be overall across four teams in St.

44:20Derrik Klassen: Division. If you don't, if you subscribe to the exercise and you don't want to reuse the NFC North, like I'll take the NFC North quarterbacks at the expense of losing all those pass catchers. And if I, if I'm doing that, then I'll submit the AFC North just because, I mean, you get Jamar Chase and T Higgins right off the bat. Then you get DK, Michael Pittman. I think in totality, Baltimore's collection of talent is fine. And then I like a lot of the young guys in Cleveland. And again, like this is because I had other answers with other divisions. Like, I'm not saying it's loaded top to bottom, but again, I mean, Jamar and T across like as that is my starting point makes me feel fine about it.

45:04Robert Mays: And so I would say if I was, I'm, I use AFC West. And so I'm still subscribing to the exercise AFC West for the quarterbacks, NFC South for the lions, AFC East for the running backs. And so I can go NFC North, but even if I wasn't, I would throw out two that we have not mentioned otherwise that I still think I'd rather have over the AFC North. And that's in part, because I think the AFC North has one of the clearest answers for a different one. The NFC East pass catchers are still pretty damn good, especially if we're counting AJ Brown is in there right now. So the Eagles are in a very good spot.

45:34Robert Mays: Washington, obviously after McCorn is a question, but you still have Terry McCorn. The Giants still have Malik neighbors. Like, we're just forgetting about Malik neighbors. He's still in there. And then Dallas. I mean, Dallas's pass catchers are ridiculous. So the NFC East is good. And I think I'd rather have the NFC West than the AFC North. The NFC South also, if we're doing pass catchers, is pretty good. Like, Drake, London, Teddero, and McMillan. This is Teddero, McMillan propaganda. It is. Chris Olave. Like, I mean, I know they lost Mike Evans, but, like, the Bucs still have some good guys.

46:05Like, that's a good one, too.

46:06Robert Mays: I think there are more questions on the two through four of those teams than there are with some of these other divisions. There's a lot of like built in optimism for young players. Like I think the Saints with Jordan Tyson can be very good. We still have never seen Jordan Tyson play in the NFC West. You got Puka and Devante plus the group of tight ends with the Rams in Arizona. Even if you don't love Marvin Harrison, it's still Marvin Harrison, Michael Wilson and Trey McBride. Like you have to throw Trey McBride in there for Seattle. we have JSN as part of this conversation. And then for San Francisco, like Mike Evans, Ricky Pearsall, George Kittle, if he's healthy, like the NFC West is still pretty damn good, especially if we're not going to use them anywhere else.

46:48Derrik Klassen: Well, I'm going to use them somewhere else. That's the trick of this exercise. And I really like where I wound up with the NFC West. So you're not wrong, but I'm sticking to my guns here.

46:59Robert Mays: All right. I'm going to use NFC North for my receivers because I didn't use them for quarterbacks. I think I feel okay about that. defensive line.

47:07Derrik Klassen: That's where I'm using the NFC West. Give me Seattle. Give me the Rams. Give me Bosa and Odigizua. And, and they, yeah, give, give me. And honestly, like Arizona's whatever. I don't give a shit. If you give me those three D lines, I'll make it work. I don't care.

47:24Robert Mays: If Arizona gets Walter Nolan and Josh sweat is still in there. I had AFC North for my defensive lines. Yeah. Cincinnati is a projection, right? But you still have Dexter Lawrence as part of that. And then in Baltimore, if Matt Abike is back, we have Trey Hendrickson and Matt Abike in Baltimore. We know what you have in Cincinnati or in Cleveland, and then you have Pittsburgh. And so AFC North for defensive lines, I wasn't going to use them anywhere else, and so that's why I was tempted to go defensive lines with the AFC North. NFC West is a good shout, though. I guess it's because for San Francisco right now, the defensive line wasn't good last year, and so I'm not considering them that sort of team but you still get it Dougie Zoua you still get Bosa, Mikkel Williams in year two.

48:09Robert Mays: Yeah, NFC West is good with that. Who is your answer for that Derek for defensive lines? So I ended up I think those are better and like I think to me the best answer is the NFC West but I ended up kind of needing them and wanting them for something else. I actually this is where I ended up putting the AFC South because I think the high end for so many of these is like insane. Obviously you have the Texans and then you have the Jaguars ends are also pretty damn good and then at d tackle you have like the forrest buckner's in there jeffrey simmons is in there grover stewart is a really good nose if you need him like kate mcdonald i know we're projecting a little bit but like he's in there i think you get like the lower end of this division is kind of tough but the high end is so high that if we're doing the average like we're okay i think you're asking the texans to do a lot of lifting there and there's a chance they can i think they can right that's that's possible i we can transition to this one next because i I think that there was a clear answer for me for the AFC South and it's cornerback.

49:07Robert Mays: The corners in the AFC South are like, it's pretty all the other divisions. If we're doing Dave's thing where you have to watch a game as a fan of this team with these guys in there, every other division has at least a team where you're just like, Nope. I don't, I don't want to do this. I like this. I'll flip this. Cause for corners. So initially when I did this exercise, I was actually not necessarily doing the average, but I was just like, how can I build my best five or six or whatever it is? And so I had the AFC North for corners, because if you do the best five, you can get a pretty good one.

49:39But I would probably actually flip it now and do AFC North for my D line and then AFC South for corners if we're doing the average. Because, yeah, the bottom end, even for corners in this division outside of Tennessee is pretty damn good.

49:52Robert Mays: Tennessee just spent a small fortune on their corners.

49:54Derrik Klassen: Yeah, I hope Tennessee gets something out of them. I hope they're pretty good. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Never mind. AFC South was my choice for cornerback as well, just because I'm not terrified of anybody's room.

50:06Robert Mays: If you, right now, the starting eight outside, and again, Nichols you throw in there as well, but if we're just doing the starting eight outside corners in the AFC South, it's Derek Stingley, Kamari Laster, Charverius Ward, Sauce Gardner, Monteric Brown, Travis Hunter, Elante Taylor, Cordell Flott. Who's the worst player of those eight? like Monteric Brown? Yeah, and how much did Monteric Brown just get paid? And Monteric Brown had a really good season, exactly. He's making$11 million a year, and he's the worst player among those eight. Like, that to me was the clearest one.

50:44Derrik Klassen: I mean, it's injury, but, like, Travis Hunter is still mostly an unknown to me. That's fair. I hesitate to call him the worst corner, but I just don't know as much about him as I'd prefer.

50:57Robert Mays: All right, fine. So the guy who was billed as a generational cornerback prospect is the worst corner in the division. That's the answer is just as good. It's fine. Linebackers is next. I didn't even know where to go with this. I'm very curious where you guys went because one of the fun parts of this exercise is that you really do get a holistic look at the quality of the position across the entire league. there are no good there are no divisions with like good linebackers across the board there isn't a single one i this is where i felt like this was the best use of the nfc west because again the high end you have fred warner obviously you get ernest jones who is really really good uh drake thomas played fine and then like that's where you get you get to the third and it's just like it's not that great but the high end is so good derrick is just like i love derrick in this exercise because it's just like i'm just taking the best players and then i i'm never gonna die with the guys i have to worry about you you realize that you you just pick the division where three of the off-ball linebackers that are starters right now on the first line of the depth chart are mac wilson nate lamb and omar spates which like nate lamb was fine last year but like you just picked a team mac wilson wasn't that bad last year that i that's that one's tough for problem is like who else do you put here with who we have left that becomes the issue

52:24Derrik Klassen: it's a really good question so i don't feel great about it because robert is right there's no division that you completely feel great about but this is where i used the afc west because it's it's mostly fine across the board and the raiders really helped me out here by paying quay walker and n 'kobi dean a shitload of money so you got on board with the broncos guys the Broncos guys are not great, but then you have, you got Bolton and Chanel. You got Derek's guy. It's true. I meant drew tranquil. They're all, I get them. I do love me a Denzel Perryman though. I'll give you that. All the white linebackers are the same says Dave.

53:05Derrik Klassen: Your words, not mine. Yeah. I think it's, I think it's mostly solid. The floor is higher here. the ceiling is much higher is what i'm always high floor is what i'm always going after here

53:19Robert Mays: do we get to a place by the end of the year even though we've already used them where the afc east is going to be in this conversation the giants have termaine edmonds and arbel reese now zach bahn and jihad campbell nfc excuse me train man train man termaine edmonds and arbel reese with the giants all over the place trying to keep all this shit together the nfc i think the nfc east by the end of the year would be an interesting one to watch with sonny styles who is the best like it it could be them there again i think the offensive line is almost so good i want to use that but like that could be in a vacuum that might be the answer safeties okay the nfc north was the first place my mind

54:00Derrik Klassen: went here but i've already used them and so i'm curious i'm jumping in because i'm i'm i'm charting derrick's i'm i'm keeping track of you derrick and i'm guessing this is where you use the nfc south also yes and i think it's like hell yeah brother loaded here it's great it's wonderful in the nfc south like anton winfield jesse bates trevin merrick tykee smith justin reed jonas sanker like this division is loaded with good safeties it is a good one it's very fun the nick scott part of it

54:32Robert Mays: like when i went through this i was thinking about the low end and like if the low end is low enough I was worried. And so Nick Scott still being a starter for the Panthers. I'm like, I don't know how I feel about that. But across the board, like seven of the eight guys, I think you're right. I think that's a really good use of these. I even forgot to mention Xavier Watts, who played pretty well for the Falcons last year. Like they almost every safety in this division is like pretty good. And again, I, if we, the other, we've used them before, but the NFC North safeties, if you know, you project then to be a decent player and guys are healthy.

55:03Robert Mays: You have Kobe Bryant and Dylan Thienemann in Chicago, Kirby Brutus and Brian Branch in Detroit, Evan Williams and Xavier McKinney in Green Bay. And then the Vikings guys is kind of like, we'll see with Harrison Smith gone, but they've gotten decent play out of that position for a while now. So the NFC North, I think three of the four teams are in a really good spot, but NFC South is a very good answer there. I think that's probably right. All right. That was fun. That was a beast. I love that. We just spent like 20 minutes on that. So that's going to be the last question of the show. So as always, sincerely appreciate everyone who sent in those questions.

55:38Robert Mays: We will be back here next Monday with our next mailbag for now. That's all we got. Appreciate you guys listening. We'll talk to you very soon. Thanks for tuning in. Make sure to hit that subscribe or follow button so you never miss an episode. If you enjoyed what you heard, please like, comment, and leave a rating. We'll see you next time.

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