Five reasons the Washington Redskins might not live up to expectations
By Ian Cummings
No. 2 – Aging Stars
It’s hard to predict when a player’s respective career arc might enter its resolution. Some positional shelf-lives are longer than others, but individual careers are harder to predict.
At 34 years old, Alex Smith is the Washington Redskins’ oldest player, along with Vernon Davis. The Washington Redskins are a relatively young team. That said, there are a number of players on the roster who are lingering dangerously close to the traditional cliff of their respective positions.
Ryan Kerrigan and Trent Williams are going to turn 30 years old later this year, and Josh Norman, the team’s No. 1 cornerback, turned 30 late last year. These three players, among others, are consistent contributors who are all edging toward the twilight of their careers. They might not start to regress this year, but as players continue to wear down, they become more susceptible to injury. We already saw such a thing with Williams last year. A clean bill of health comes with every offseason. But maintaining that good health, in its entirety, might be too much to ask for.
The Washington Redskins’ roster is relatively young, but a sizable portion of the core is built up of veteran players. Were the fate of the season to be entrusted into the hands of the young players alone, success would not be as attainable. It’s a small factor. But it could add up.