Just not having to integrate Mark Hamel is like having a 50m lead to start a 100m race.
Bingo. The sequels are hamstrung by having to use the actors from the original trilogy all of these years later. Ideally, these sequels would have been made years ago when the primary actors were all much younger.
Solo, is hamstrung by not being able to do much with Solo's character because he needs to be the out-for-himself smuggler we first met in Mos Eisley.
Rogue One was much easier. It just had to fit into the overall story, but had freedom to do what it wanted with characters because most did not continue on into other films.
I think the biggest mistake in making the sequels is not having a planned trilogy from the beginning with a clear story from 7 to 9. One director with a thought out story line would have given us a solid trilogy rather than two very different films (so far) directed by very different individuals. Now we are going back to the "safe" director that made TFA. This will never feel like a true trilogy even if he steps in and tries to wrap everything up with a nice bow.
I am looking forward to future SW films like the completely different/fresh planned trilogy with RJ as the director, or the Obi-Wan and Fett films, where directors will be free to do much more in the SW universe.
As I've said before, it is too bad Disney just simply kicked all of the previous EU canon to the curb instead of picking and choosing. Some great stuff was there and then it was just gone.