Which is the oldest NFL team heading into the 2021-22 season?
For some teams in the NFL, age is just a number. Having the oldest roster isn't necessarily a bad thing. "You're only as old as you feel," goes the expression. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the prime example of that. It's hard to argue with that philosophy after it just won them a Super Bowl.
The Buccaneers will enter the 2021-22 season with the oldest roster in the league. They do have a handful of contributors under the age of 27, though, which gives them a healthy mix of youth and experience. The Buccaneers have the oldest, but most well-rounded roster.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers have the oldest roster entering the 2021-22 season
The Buccaneers have 15 players over 30
The Buccaneers have a remarkable 15 players on their roster over the age of 30. Tom Brady brings the average age of the team up individually by a good margin at age 44. Brady will be the fifth-oldest quarterback in NFL history this year. Two of Brady's top targets, Antonio Brown and Rob Gronkowski, are 33 and 32 respectively.
On defense, many of their key contributors are over the age-30 threshold. Defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh is one of the oldest in football at 34 with a lot of wear and tear. Edge rusher Jason Pierre-Paul has had a career revitalization in Tampa but he's 32. Luckily for him, he's stayed relatively healthy throughout his career.
Lavonte David has been their best defensive player of the last decade. He's now 32 years old but hasn't shown any signs of slowing down.
Will regression kick in and affect the team in 2021?
When players hit a certain age, that number often slows them down. That said, Brady's been the oldest offensive player in the league for a couple of years.
He just put together a masterful season that saw his team gel just in time for January. Brady became the oldest quarterback to throw a touchdown in postseason history a year ago, but if he regresses, so might the talent around him.
Defensively, David, Pierre-Paul and Suh are all key cogs. Defensive coordinator Todd Bowles has a lot of talent to scheme blitzes with if they stay healthy. Luckily for the Buccaneers, they have a large influx of youth due to nailing recent draft picks.
The Buccaneers have players in their prime and young guys pushing the oldest players in the league in practice. Devin White is one of the most athletic linebackers in the NFL and is only 23. Antoine Winfield Jr. looked like a veteran as a rookie last year. Vita Vea and Shaquil Barrett are in their prime at 26 and 28 respectively.
On offense, Chris Godwin is just 25 and Mike Evans is now in his prime at 28. Finally, at right tackle, Tristan Wirfs was solid as a rookie and is far from his prime at 23.
The Buccaneers have the oldest roster in the NFL, but their balance of youth and experience makes them a top-tier roster and a favorite for the Super Bowl. Déjà vu, much?