The Jacksonville Jaguars have spent the last two offseasons tweaking a roster that already had lots of talent. Heck, they could be making further moves after the NFL Draft and up until the start of the regular season. For the time being, the Jags have a nice blend of depth and talent to pick up where they left off in 2025.
On top of that, Jacksonville has a hidden edge that isn't often discussed. An NFL analyst just shed light on it:
The Jaguars have one of the youngest rosters in the NFL
Ian Hartitz posted on social media that the Jags have the 12th youngest roster in the NFL, with an average age of 25.91. For context, the Miami Dolphins are the youngest at 25.18, while the Washington Commanders are the oldest at 26.79.
Now, age isn't the sole indicator of success on the field, but you never want to be too young or too old. Although experience is always valuable, older players take longer to recover from injuries. Moreover, some of them are past their peak, so their performance isn't nearly as optimal as they were younger.
Sure, some players play well into their late 30s or even their early 40s. But the reason they're the outliers, and the reason you hear about it, is precisely that they're far and few in between.
On the other hand, younger players are either in their prime or about to. However, they often lack leadership skills, which is why you want a grizzled veteran to be around. Either way, you shouldn't have too many youngsters or too many "old" players around. You want the right mix, and the Jaguars have it, with Arik Armstead being their "oldest" player at 32. Dennis Gardeck is their second oldest at 31, and Jourdan Lewis is third at 30.
Keep in mind that Armstead has been dubbed a release candidate throughout the offseason. The Jaguars could most definitely release him after the draft, and that would drop their average age.
However, Jacksonville may want to hold onto Armstead because he brings leadership skills and can still ball. He could serve as a mentor to younger players, such as Ruke Orhorhoro or Albert Regis. Similarly, Gardeck could be a positive influence on rookie Parker Hughes and sophomore Jack Kiser.
The Jaguars have the right blend of talent and leadership
Another thing that stands out in their average roster age is that the Jaguars have assembled a roster core that will stay in place for years to come. Building blocks such as Trevor Lawrence, edge rusher Travon Walker, two-way star Travis Hunter, and wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. should be around for a while.
And that's the thing, one of the reasons Jacksonville could afford to add depth in this past draft was that they already have playmakers at key positions. Of course, the roster could still use upgrades, but the cupboard isn't bare.
Ultimately, it won't matter how young or old the Jaguars are as long as they win games. However, they should feel good about the current state of the roster.
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