The average age of an NFL player is approximately 26. On their current 90-man roster, the Seattle Seahawks’ players range from 22 (several rookies and Nick Emmanwori) to 35 (kicker Jason Myers). In terms of roster age, Seattle is pretty much dead center in the NFL.
But rosters could have identical average ages and still be vastly different. Though it may vary a bit by position, NFL players tend to hit their peak during their second contract, when they are in their later 20s. After 30, they are often considered old.
In the salary cap era, having productive younger players is essential. A quality quarterback on a rookie contract is the single most valuable asset any team can have. And it extends beyond the QB. Being able to identify and develop elite young talent at any position works miracles for a salary cap.
Seattle Seahawks' John Schneider has shown a magic touch with young talent
That particular skill may be the single best thing Seahawks general manager John Schneider has demonstrated in the past five years, and it is a major reason why the Seahawks are the current holders of the Lombardi Trophy
Most NFL players begin their careers between the ages of 21 and 23. Though it is not an absolute, the younger players tend to be more high-profile. They have left college early because there was a demand for their talents. Theoretically, entering the league at an earlier age means a player should have more years of peak performance.
Along with the cheaper costs associated with players on rookie deals, it is easy to understand why NFL teams are always looking to get younger.
The catch is the prospect has to be able to really play. That is always the potential trap. A young player who is not yet ready to perform in the NFL does a roster no favors. The most successful GMs are often better than their colleagues at identifying young players who can make an immediate impact.
In the past four years, Seattle’s Schneider has drafted Charles Cross, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Byron Murphy II, and Nick Emmanwori. Take their ages and subtract the number of years each has played. The answer you will get for each is 20.
The vagaries of the calendar mean that they were not necessarily 20 when they actually played their first NFL game, but they were all among the youngest players in the league during their rookie seasons.
And they are all stone-cold stars. Smith-Njigba is the reigning offensive player of the year. Emmanwori, the runner-up for defensive rookie of the year. Murphy is on everyone's list of best young defensive tackles in the game.
That has been John Schneider’s superpower over the past five years. When he takes a chance on a very young player, he hits a home run. And the entire Seattle roster benefits from not merely gaining an outstanding player.
They are also gaining a player on a bargain contract who they know will be around for a long time to come. Schneider has already extended Cross, and the others will most likely follow like falling dominoes
Finding four players that young and that good in four consecutive drafts is truly remarkable.
Seattle’s primary rival, the Los Angeles Rams, is run by Les Snead, one of the best GMs around. He has only found two such players in the 2020s – Kyren Williams and Kamren Kinchens. Both are very good. But I would not trade any of Seattle’s four early-entry stars for either. So the tally is….
Seattle has four Pro Bowl-caliber players in this category, while the Rams have two pretty solid guys. Major advantage to Seattle.
Many of LA’s best players – from Davante Adams to Myles Garrett to Matthew Staffordut they entered as parts of other teams. Snead only acquired them later, after the salary cap benefit of having them on rookie deals had vanished.
None of this year’s crop of Seahawks rookies are entering the league quite as young as that sensational foursome. But if Jadarian Price comes up big this year, it will be one more example of how good John Schneider is at looking at a very young player perform and accurately projecting that performance into NFL stardom.
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