The first NFL preseason publication, Athlon Sports Pro Football, hit racks around the country sometime over the weekend.

In the last few years I hadn’t bought Athlon. I thought they had traded the compilation of a lot of important news in exchange for being the first magazine on the racks. But this was Memorial Day weekend and I had some free time on my hands at the cabin of some relatives. So I decided to pick it up.

And I think it’s a better magazine than I remember from past years. First, Athlon has added thoughts from NFL scouts and opposing coaches on every team – and some of the notes are compelling. For instance, one expert noted the discomfort Tom Brady showed in the pocket as New England’s quarterback in his first year back from a torn ACL. “The knee injury had something to do with it, but some quarterbacks never get that feeling back,” he notes.

Then there’s the Fantasy Flash, where the magazine makes a prediction – not always going with the obvious (for example, Brandon Gibson was selected for St. Louis, not Steven Jackson) – and provides an explanation for who and why someone might be a good player to target in upcoming drafts.

Finally, interesting profiles on Jets Coach Rex Ryan and on the increasing prominence of 4,000 yard passers and the aerial game throughout the league made the magazine a good holiday weekend pickup.

It’s still not perfect. Because it came out in late May, there are still going to be a lot of changes the magazine misses out on in making sure it gets out right away. But it has found a way to still provide a compelling read for those football fans who can’t wait another few weeks for the rest of the magazines that will soon follow.