Redskins Have Oldest Roster in NFL

if I understand the philosophy of just releasing players because they are old. I mean Fletcher is still a beast, Cooley still has it, we just got McNabb and QBs can play a long time.

Since when was 28 1/2 old?? if you told me they averaged 35 years old…. ok, but 28.5? big deal. all this means is this team will be turning players over in the near future. but worrying about these “old guys” now is fruitless

I have been reviewing the success/failure of 5th, 6th, and 7th round OL draft picks to try and determine a strategy in that level of the draft for offensive linemen. A preliminary file is at http://home.comcast.net/~fwroy/5th%206th%207th%20round%20OL%20draft%20picks.html. If a team has a significant number of draft picks it is likely to be a good strategy, but most 7th round OL draft picks only stay on team rosters for a few years. Capers has a very good chance of being one of those players who becomes a starter and Cook might make it as a center or right guard.

Most teams have had mixed success with drafting offensive linemen in those rounds, yet there has to be some sort of probability for making such picks, i.e., New England has repeatedly probed these rounds for OL. Clint Oldenburg is such an example from the 5th round of the 2007 draft and the 2010 season is make it or break it for him (probable 2010 cut).

Derrick Dockery was a 3rd round pick and has been a starter since his rookie year. Dockery has not been outstanding but he has been consistent as a pass blocker for the Skins. He will stay around for a few more years until he shows significant decline in performance. He has not had major injury concerns. He will be 30 in September. On the other hand, Casey Rabach has seen his better days and 2011 could be his last season if some other player shows up, perhaps Erik Cook.

Getting D-Mac, LJ, Parker, Galloway, Wade, Furrey, Holliday, Buchanan all suggest they are betting on building an old, cheap (except D-Mac in money) team to try to win this year, deferring any youth movement for now. It could work. I can’t see that average age really means much except at the extremes, but Tiller’s analysis illustrates the “old, cheap” idea. The question isn’t ’how old?“,” but "how good?

I agree that Moss, Rabach, Rogers, Portis or Johnson, and Sellers will probably be gone next year; however, not simply because they’re old, but because I don’t think they will be all that productive in 2011. Cutting veterans who still have something to offer simply to lower our team’s average age sounds like a half-baked plan worthy of VC.

I don’t think our problem under VC wasn’t necessarily that we got old per se, but rather that we were old and painted ourselves into a corner by signing players in the downsides of their careers to monster contracts we couldn’t easily dump. It doesn’t hurt to have veterans on your team, for leadership and character if nothing else, but they have to come at a reasonably price.

Thus, I disagree with the rest of your suggestions.

• Maybe cut Dockery two years down the road. (Or whenever his deal expires; if I remember correctly, it wasn’t that long.) But throwing a bunch of young offensive linemen together doesn’t sound like a good idea. I think getting younger at center is more of a priority than LG, which we should address next offseason.
• Fletcher can play as long as he wants as far as I’m concerned, even if he’s not suited for the 3-4. He’s bled burgundy and gold since signing here a few years back, and I will forever respect him for that.
• Though I agree we need to get young 3-4 DEs, Daniels is a solid player coming off the bench, relatively inexpensive (I believe), and provides solid leadership on the line. If he wants to suit up for another year in 2011 in a reserve role, I say let him.
• Everyone who wants to trade Cooley is crazy. I think 2 TE formations will be the key to our offense this year and really open things up for our suspect WR’s on the outside and our geriatric three-headed rushing “threat.” And though Davis was a very welcomed surprise last year, I’m not entirely sold on him. He only started 10 games last year and now d-coordinators have tape on him and will be sure to account for him in their game plans. Let’s see how he handles more responsibility before we cry to get rid of our Pro Bowl TE.
• And you’re just stupid if you think the FO won’t re-up McNabb. You don’t trade a 2nd and 3rd/4th for a one-year loaner (well maybe VC would). Unless McNabb breaks both of his legs, he’s going to sign a multi-year deal for big money and be our QB for the next few years, for better or for worse, while the Shannys groom a young replacement.

Plus, this is the flimsiest of arguments:

3 of the oldest teams in the NFL were the Saints, Pats, and Cardinals, all of whom won their divisions, and one which ended up winning the Super Bowl. Still, it’s a concern to me as a fan, and it should be for you too.

The coaching staff was inexperienced and did not know how to handle the core environment. Since we did not have many picks in 2010 competition at every position will bring out the best in everyone. The best players will make the team but still the Skins have to move forward and use the draft to get people who are able to work with one another for more than three years (Colts, Saints, Pats.) Key positions were already in place for those teams. This Skins team was remade and looks better on paper than a year ago but we have not seen the results of all the training and learning curves that have took place. Time will tell since all the other teams are a year older too and are depending on some people for another year also. The salary cap hinders who you have coming in off the bench and how effective they are since some players get cut because of the $$ they earn not age. A younger team may be cheaper but may not be ready for the big-time. Granted if they start to win they will want more money and again you have to work the salary cap. This is a cap free year so it does not matter yet. It probably helped the Skins as far as the competion level.

A number (4 or 5) of those listed below will not be on the teams roster by first week in September 2010. The abundance of free agents in 2011 will push a lot of those over 30 players off of the roster. By 2011 the teams average age may be closer to 27. Many of the free agents picked up will have just finished their rookie contracts but will have demonstrated NFL ability. Of course all of this assumes there will be a 2011 season.

Galloway, Joey 11-20-1971; Daniels, Phillip 03-04-1973; Fletcher, London 05-19-1975; Sellers, Mike 07-21-1975; Holliday, Vonnie 12-11-1975; Draft, Chris 02-26-1976; Bidwell, Josh 03-13-1976; McNabb, Donovan 11-25-1976; Furrey, Mike 03-12-1977; Rabach, Casey 09-24-1977; Hicks, Artis 11-28-1978; Kemoeatu, Maake 01-10-1979; Green, Howard 01-12-1979; Carter, Andre 05-12-79; Moss, Santana 06-01-1979; Johnson, Larry 11-19-1979; and Williams, Mike 01-11-1980.

Jefferson1935 – I just read another analysis (by MMFord) suggesting that we aren’t that old, and average age isn’t that important (and I agreed). But your unadorned list is important and discouraging. A lot of the guys on your list are pretty key guys, and the number of them suggests that we could be vulnerable to a wave of injuries. So when you look at a group, you think “OK”. But experience tells us that several of the units are going to take serious losses. Another good analysis to get us through the summer and into football season. 37 days to first preseason game.