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The "Four Pillars" as they were known (MJF/Jungle Boy/Darby/Sammy) definitely held water across AEW's first 3 years.
But AEW and the wrestling landscape as a whole 3 years in is vastly different than when they started. I think many people expected that once AEW started they would gradually make some inspired indy signings, which they did (Kingston, Starks, Hobbs, Ethan Page etc) but I don't think anybody thought they'd actually get Punk to come back, or have a Danielson available to them. Plus tons of the WWE guys, I know future endeavors has been a meme for a while but when AEW started, WWE was signing everyone under the sun....I don't think anyone expected the caliber of guys available to be what it was.
So really, with this in mind I can't get behind the notion that the Four Pillars have to be a focal part of programming just because they are originals.
Of the Four, MJF obviously has the highest ceiling and is the one worth keeping at the top of the card. He's outstanding and he should always be featured. Jungle Boy is also only 24 and hasn't had a singles run yet, I think this eventual feud with Christian will give him a great veteran to work with and a story to really sink his teeth into and we'll get a better sense of what he can be as a featured singles performer.
I like Darby but him being 29 doesn't matter much when he's liable to be crippled any day now. He's exciting but one note, and he's absolutely dreadful on a live mic. And Sammy has shown he only works as a smarmy heel, he doesn't have the range for anything else and there are others on the roster who could do it better.
I think it's time to focus on letting the roster breathe a bit. Sending some guys to ROH will help a bit but I don't think they need to feel compelled to be loyal to the pillars when they've got a small army of guys who are better options than at least 2 of them.
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