Ian Allan
I was horsing around with a few numbers. I keep seeing teams pick up older guys and talking about the all-valuable experience and leadership they’ll bring. Kansas City, with the pickups of Zach Thomas, Bobby Engram and Matt Vrabel, comes to mind.
But how valuable, in reality, are older players? Through their leadership and by setting an example, do they really result in a team winning more games? Or are you better off having younger, faster (but less experienced) players?
I don’t have the time to look into this issue as deeply as I’d like, but below see a chart showing the number of players older than 30 on each team’s roster on opening day last year. This includes all players – starters and backups, kickers and whatnot.
Based on these numbers, there’s no solid right number of older players to have on a roster. Some teams were successful with lots of older guys – most notably the Patriots, with a team-high 20. And the Packers with a league-low five thirty-somethings, look like they could have used a few more Vrabel-type influences.
But the playoff teams were fairly evenly spread throughout. Some teams made the playoffs with as many as 15 players in their 30s; the Colts went 12-4 with only seven players in their 30s.
Teams with the most players 30 years or older, 2008
Based on ages as of opening day of last season. Playoff teams in bold.
Old Guys
20 New England (11-5)
18 New Orleans (8-8)
18 Washington (8-8)
17 St. Louis (2-14)
15 Baltimore (11-5)
15 NY Jets (9-7)
15 Detroit (0-16)
14 NY Giants (12-4)
14 Pittsburgh (12-4)
13 Denver (8-8)
12 Carolina (12-4)
12 Atlanta (11-5)
12 Arizona (9-7)
12 Chicago (9-7)
11 Tennessee (13-3)
11 Tampa Bay (9-7)
11 San Francisco (7-9)
11 Jacksonville (5-11)
11 Cleveland (4-12)
11 Seattle (4-12)
10 Philadelphia (9-6-1)
10 San Diego (8-8)
10 Dallas (9-7)
10 Cincinnati (4-11-0)
9 Miami (11-5)
9 Minnesota (10-6)
9 Houston (8-8)
9 Kansas City (2-14)
7 Indianapolis (12-4)
7 Buffalo (7-9)
7 Oakland (5-11)
5 Green Bay (6-10)
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