Jacksonville Jaguars are Second Youngest NFL Team
By Luke Sims
Jun 17, 2014; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) looks for a receiver during the first day of minicamp at Florida Blue Health and Wellness Practice Fields. Mandatory Credit: Phil Sears-USA TODAY Sports
It’s no secret that the Jacksonville Jaguars are in full blown rebuilding mode. Part of that process is an influx of young, high upside talent. With a tremendous roster of draft picks and undrafted rookies waiting to test their mettle on the gridiron, the Jags will most certainly look young. How young? The second youngest in the league.
Courtesy of Dan Hanzus at NFL.com here is the list of the oldest and youngest teams in the league:
OLDEST
1. Raiders (27)
2. Giants (26.75)
3. Bears (26.72)
4. Colts (26.66)
5. Chargers (26.64)
YOUNGEST
1. Rams (25.09)
2. Jaguars (25.2)
3. Chiefs (25.34)
4. Cowboys (25.44)
5. Vikings (25.58)
The Jags aren’t much older than baby-faced St. Louis, but they are most definitely a few years less hardened than the New York Giants or Oakland Raiders.
Most curiously, however, is that this list really does not dictate how good a team is. The Chiefs are a perennial playoff contender and are third youngest in the league. Meanwhile the Giants imploded last year under Eli Manning’s shaky hand and bad decision making. The Oakland Raiders continue their trend of trying to spend their way out of the basement, grabbing any veteran worth their faded, tattered stripes.
What’s important to note here is that the Jaguars are a part of a youth movement in the NFL right now. As older running backs are shelved in favor of younger legs, as young quarterbacks are given the reins to the offense earlier, and as first year cornerbacks are expected to cover all pro receivers, the league will inevitably remain quite young. Even the Raiders’ 27 year average isn’t old! Finding undrafted rookies who can contribute, and keeping players with high upside over older, more expensive players is a continuing trend in professional football and the Jaguars are swept up in it.