Falcons tied for NFL’s eighth-youngest roster after the draft
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The two faces of the Atlanta Falcons for the past decade have been quarterback Matt Ryan and wide receiver Julio Jones, but both players have a potentially limited shelf life with the franchise.
Ryan, 36, is safe for another year at least, but Jones, 32, may wind up being traded after June 1 just to clear enough cap space for the upcoming season. The Falcons are viewed around the NFL as one of the older teams, but the team is actually in the top 10 in terms of average roster age following the 2021 draft.
According to IndianapolisColts.com writer Andrew Walker, Atlanta’s average age of 24.98 years old ties the Browns and Colts for the NFL’s eighth-youngest roster.
How are the Falcons so young all of the sudden? Well, the team’s bloated, top-heavy roster forced the new front office to let a handful of starters go, including center Alex Mack, guard James Carpenter and safety Keanu Neal. Atlanta added nine players in the draft and many of them have a chance to start or make significant contributions as rookies.
As for the rest of the NFC South, the Panthers are tied with the Vikings for second-youngest team in the league — with an average age 24.74, the Saints come in at No. 17 (25.36 average) and the Buccaneers (26.07 average) are tied with the Patriots for the NFL’s 28th-oldest roster.
