The average age of the Bengals’ 11 linebackers (including currently unsigned Germaine Pratt) is 23.36. Preston Brown’s age of 26 gives that average a nice boost.
Like maturity, leadership is not something that’s automatically developed with age. It’s a quality that must be sought out for and properly harnessed. Even in football, the MIKE linebacker doesn’t have to be the primary leader of a defense for the unit to succeed. But under the current circumstances, Brown isn’t looking at someone else to step up and assume headship of the group.