Here is an excellent article breaking down player age and production:
ww.pro-football-reference.com/articles/age.htm
Here is the summary of the number crunching:
Quote:
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...the word "old" means 28 for a running back, 30 for a receiver, and 32 for a quarterback
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Unfortunately this article did not publish any data about defensive players. The study clumped in Tight Ends with "receivers."
Here is my guess-timation for other positions. Please feel free to throw in your own estimation.
-O-lineman seem to enjoy longer lives in the NFL. Maybe not declining until 32 or 33 and then only slowly declining.
-DBs have short lives in the league...similar to running backs...declining after age 28.
-Linebackers probably start declining around age 30.
-D-lineman maybe 30-32.
Now let's ponder it:
•Romo will turn 33 in a few weeks.
•Witten will turn 31 in May
•Ware is 30
If somebody forced me to bet on it...I'd predict all 3 have already entered into their decline. I hope I'm wrong. But hope isn't a plan.
Radplan is our only hope