In recent years the quarterback position in the CFL has gone from one of the league’s oldest to one of its youngest. Even with stalwart vets Henry Burris and Kevin Glenn in lineups last weekend, the average age of the most recent starters for the nine CFL teams was 28.7.
Compare that to Week 17 in 2010, when the average age was 30. Or the same week in 2005, when Damon Allen and Danny McManus pushed the average age to 31.5.
In this edition of the roundtable, Sportsnet’s CFL insiders tackle the question:
Why has the average age of CFL quarterbacks dipped so much so fast?
DONNOVAN BENNETT: Supply and demand. The salary-cap era means cheap labour is valuable. Thus drafting and developing young QBs is paramount. Like most things, this too is somewhat cyclical, but the days of playing (and paying) a QB long after his best years are past him because of his level of experience are long gone.
JUSTIN DUNK: A natural influx of young talent. Moreso than any other sport football is a young man’s game. Since Anthony Calvillo retired and Henry Burris, Kevin Glenn, Ricky Ray, Darian Durant and Travis Lulay are getting up there in age, new pivots like Mike Reilly, Trevor Harris, Zach Collaros, Bo Levi Mitchell and Drew Willy were bound to emerge.
JAMIE THOMAS: Injuries have played a huge role in the quarterback position becoming younger and it just tells me it’s time for teams to get younger at the position. The retirement of the likes of Anthony Calvillo is a good example of this. Most CFL clubs have done a nice job identifying and bringing in quality players at the position.