Young talent is tantalizing for an NFL team, but it guarantees little, as we’re well aware. The Atlanta Falcons in 2023 boasted an offense with three under-25 stars in the making and achieved quite little on offense over the balance of the season, while an older defense had to carry more of the load. All that genuine youth and ability were a bit wasted in an offense that could only intermittently feature the likes of Bijan Robinson, Kyle Pitts, and Drake London.
But there’s a widespread recognition that those players were not really at fault for the state of Falcons quarterbacking or the larger offense, and that they remain tremendous talents.