Why the Washington Football Team’s youth movement is encouraging

Why the older position groups are OK

The positions where the roster is a little older tend to be positions where players have a history of lasting longer. Tress Way is 30, but punters tend to age well. Dustin Hopkins is also 30, and with placekickers, age doesn’t matter because no one has ever been able to figure out what makes a placekicker tick.

Quarterback is obviously an issue, but that is a question of talent. In terms of age, the roster is almost textbook. You have a veteran starter backed up by two young prospects, with another young guy on board to develop long-term. Kyle Allen and Dwayne Haskins are 24 and 23 respectively.

I do not believe Haskins will be with the team next year, but this is a fluid situation. Alex Smith’s availability in the coming weeks may have major impact on Haskins’ future with the team.

Younger rosters tend to be healthier and tend to be cheaper, and those two characteristics offer a franchise with such a roster greater flexibility when responding to unforeseen changes.

Washington heads into the 2021 draft with eight total picks: six of its original seven, plus extra picks in both the third and seventh round. Washington swapped its sixth-rounder for reserve tackle David Sharpe, while also acquiring that additional seventh-rounder in the deal. Clearly, the new regime is valuing its draft picks, which is one of the most obvious ways to get younger.

Another reason roster age matters to the Washington Football Team is that its three division rivals in the NFC East are all doing the same thing. Like Washington, the Giants and Cowboys had roster ages older than the league average at the start of 2019, and both have lowered that average age below even where Washington is right now. And the Eagles – the 2nd oldest team in the league in 2019, remember? – has also reduced its overall age significantly.

All are preparing for the future. And for the first time in many years, it appears that Washington is as well.