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If you're looking for evidence that the Falcons are not done with their roster makeover, here's ample evidence: They're tied with two other teams for the most players over 30.
Teams with the most players 30+ (Ravens, Steelers & Falcons 12,
— Mike Jurecki (@mikejurecki) May 25, 2016
Patriots & Lions 11... Cardinals, Bills, Lions, Vikings & Jets 10)
Ideally, most of these players would be excellent, but in the case of the Falcons, only two are truly invaluable. Here's the full list.
- Matt Bryant, 40
- Jonathan Babineaux, 34
- Matt Schaub, 34
- Chris Chester, 33
- Devin Hester, 33
- Matt Ryan, 31
- Jacob Tamme, 31
- Philip Wheeler, 31
- Charles Godfrey, 30
- Andy Levitre, 30
- Alex Mack, 30
- Eric Weems, 30
If your players over 30 aren't amazing, they should at least be guys who aren't core players. While guys like Jonathan Babineaux, Philip Wheeler, and Matt Bryant are valuable pieces for the Falcons in 2016, they're not guys who the Falcons' long-term success rides on, at least not any longer. They're just useful over the next year or two, and hell, I don't care how old Babs is because the guy can still play. The Falcons would be in trouble if they were reliant on this many older players for a long while, but they're not, so I view this more as an interesting tidbit than a massive concern.
You'll note that only Ryan, Levitre, and Mack are under contract over the long haul, which means this team is going to get younger sooner rather than later. Age is just a number, though, and talent matters far more.