Nobody wants to select an old tight end. Yet, there are some viable candidates this year that are getting up there in years. Antonio Gates is 36. Jason Witten is almost as old. Delanie Walker is 32, and Greg Olsen is 31. Gary Barnidge turns 31 in September. At what point do you start downgrading these guys?
It’s always easy to say that it’s better to give up on a player a year too early rather than a year too late, but the reality is that it’s not that uncommon to see older tight ends putting up good numbers.
Here’s the list of the 100 most productive tight ends of this century – of the past 16 seasons. Twenty of these guys (in bold) were at least 30 when the season started.
Not to suggest we should forget about the younger guys. Of the top 8 names on this list, none are older than 26.
MOST PRODUCTIVE TIGHT ENDS SINCE 2000 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Player | Age | No | Yards | TD | Points |
2011 | Rob Gronkowski, N.E. | 22 | 90 | 1327 | 18 | 240.7 |
2013 | Jimmy Graham, N.O. | 26 | 86 | 1215 | 16 | 217.5 |
2011 | Jimmy Graham, N.O. | 24 | 99 | 1310 | 11 | 197.0 |
2014 | Rob Gronkowski, N.E. | 25 | 82 | 1124 | 12 | 184.4 |
2015 | Rob Gronkowski, N.E. | 26 | 72 | 1176 | 11 | 183.6 |
2009 | Vernon Davis, S.F. | 25 | 78 | 965 | 13 | 174.5 |
2004 | Antonio Gates, S.D. | 24 | 81 | 964 | 13 | 174.4 |
2000 | Tony Gonzalez, K.C. | 24 | 93 | 1203 | 9 | 174.3 |
2009 | Dallas Clark, Ind. | 30 | 100 | 1106 | 10 | 170.6 |
2005 | Antonio Gates, S.D. | 25 | 89 | 1101 | 10 | 170.1 |
2004 | Tony Gonzalez, K.C. | 28 | 102 | 1258 | 7 | 167.8 |
2008 | Tony Gonzalez, K.C. | 32 | 96 | 1058 | 10 | 165.8 |
2009 | Antonio Gates, S.D. | 29 | 79 | 1157 | 8 | 163.7 |
2013 | Vernon Davis, S.F. | 29 | 52 | 850 | 13 | 163.0 |
2015 | Jordan Reed, Wash. | 25 | 87 | 952 | 11 | 161.2 |
2015 | Gary Barnidge, Clev. | 29 | 79 | 1043 | 9 | 158.3 |
2007 | Jason Witten, Dall. | 25 | 96 | 1145 | 7 | 156.5 |
2010 | Jason Witten, Dall. | 28 | 94 | 1002 | 9 | 156.2 |
2014 | Antonio Gates, S.D. | 34 | 69 | 821 | 12 | 154.1 |
2007 | Antonio Gates, S.D. | 27 | 75 | 984 | 9 | 152.4 |
2015 | Greg Olsen, Car. | 30 | 77 | 1104 | 7 | 152.4 |
2012 | Jimmy Graham, N.O. | 25 | 85 | 982 | 9 | 152.2 |
2003 | Tony Gonzalez, K.C. | 27 | 71 | 916 | 10 | 151.6 |
2013 | Julius Thomas, Den. | 25 | 65 | 788 | 12 | 150.8 |
2014 | Jimmy Graham, N.O. | 27 | 85 | 889 | 10 | 148.9 |
2007 | Tony Gonzalez, K.C. | 31 | 99 | 1172 | 5 | 147.2 |
2015 | Delanie Walker, Tenn. | 31 | 94 | 1088 | 6 | 146.8 |
2006 | Antonio Gates, S.D. | 26 | 71 | 924 | 9 | 146.4 |
2009 | Brent Celek, Phil. | 24 | 76 | 971 | 8 | 145.1 |
2012 | Rob Gronkowski, N.E. | 23 | 55 | 790 | 11 | 145.0 |
2007 | Kellen Winslow, Clev. | 24 | 82 | 1106 | 5 | 142.6 |
2012 | Tony Gonzalez, Atl. | 36 | 93 | 930 | 8 | 141.0 |
2015 | Tyler Eifert, Cin. | 24 | 52 | 615 | 13 | 139.5 |
2010 | Antonio Gates, S.D. | 30 | 50 | 782 | 10 | 138.2 |
2014 | Greg Olsen, Car. | 29 | 84 | 1008 | 6 | 136.8 |
2004 | Jason Witten, Dall. | 22 | 87 | 980 | 6 | 136.0 |
2013 | Tony Gonzalez, Atl. | 37 | 83 | 859 | 8 | 135.9 |
2010 | Vernon Davis, S.F. | 26 | 56 | 914 | 7 | 135.4 |
2013 | Jordan Cameron, Clev. | 25 | 80 | 917 | 7 | 133.7 |
2005 | Jeremy Shockey, NYG | 25 | 65 | 891 | 7 | 133.1 |
2013 | Jason Witten, Dall. | 31 | 73 | 851 | 8 | 133.1 |
2011 | Aaron Hernandez, N.E. | 21 | 79 | 910 | 7 | 133.0 |
2014 | Martellus Bennett, Chi. | 27 | 90 | 916 | 6 | 131.6 |
2012 | Heath Miller, Pitt. | 29 | 71 | 816 | 8 | 131.6 |
2010 | Marcedes Lewis, Jac. | 26 | 58 | 700 | 10 | 130.0 |
2001 | Tony Gonzalez, K.C. | 25 | 73 | 917 | 6 | 129.7 |
2011 | Tony Gonzalez, Atl. | 35 | 80 | 875 | 7 | 129.5 |
2007 | Chris Cooley, Wash. | 25 | 66 | 786 | 8 | 128.6 |
2007 | Dallas Clark, Ind. | 28 | 58 | 616 | 11 | 127.6 |
2005 | Todd Heap, Balt. | 25 | 75 | 855 | 7 | 127.5 |
2006 | Alge Crumpler, Atl. | 28 | 56 | 780 | 8 | 126.0 |
2014 | Coby Fleener, Ind. | 25 | 51 | 774 | 8 | 125.4 |
2003 | Shannon Sharpe, Den. | 35 | 62 | 770 | 8 | 125.0 |
2011 | Jermichael Finley, G.B. | 24 | 55 | 767 | 8 | 124.7 |
2011 | Jason Witten, Dall. | 29 | 79 | 942 | 5 | 124.2 |
2009 | Tony Gonzalez, Atl. | 33 | 83 | 867 | 6 | 122.7 |
2009 | Visanthe Shiancoe, Minn. | 29 | 56 | 566 | 11 | 122.6 |
2014 | Travis Kelce, K.C. | 24 | 67 | 862 | 6 | 122.2 |
2006 | Tony Gonzalez, K.C. | 30 | 73 | 900 | 5 | 122.0 |
2001 | Marcus Pollard, Ind. | 29 | 47 | 739 | 8 | 121.9 |
2012 | Jason Witten, Dall. | 30 | 110 | 1039 | 3 | 121.9 |
2002 | Todd Heap, Balt. | 22 | 68 | 836 | 6 | 121.6 |
2015 | Travis Kelce, K.C. | 25 | 72 | 875 | 5 | 121.5 |
2014 | Julius Thomas, Den. | 26 | 43 | 489 | 12 | 120.9 |
2008 | Dallas Clark, Ind. | 29 | 77 | 848 | 6 | 120.8 |
2011 | Antonio Gates, S.D. | 31 | 64 | 778 | 7 | 119.8 |
2005 | Alge Crumpler, Atl. | 27 | 65 | 877 | 5 | 119.7 |
2005 | Chris Cooley, Wash. | 23 | 71 | 774 | 7 | 119.4 |
2002 | Tony Gonzalez, K.C. | 26 | 63 | 773 | 7 | 119.3 |
2008 | Jason Witten, Dall. | 26 | 81 | 952 | 4 | 119.2 |
2015 | Benjamin Watson, N.O. | 34 | 74 | 825 | 6 | 118.5 |
2009 | Kellen Winslow, T.B. | 26 | 77 | 884 | 5 | 118.4 |
2008 | Antonio Gates, S.D. | 28 | 60 | 704 | 8 | 118.4 |
2013 | Charles Clay, Mia. | 24 | 69 | 759 | 7 | 117.9 |
2013 | Greg Olsen, Car. | 28 | 73 | 816 | 6 | 117.6 |
2011 | Vernon Davis, S.F. | 27 | 67 | 792 | 6 | 115.2 |
2009 | Jason Witten, Dall. | 27 | 94 | 1030 | 2 | 115.0 |
2009 | Heath Miller, Pitt. | 26 | 76 | 789 | 6 | 114.9 |
2010 | Rob Gronkowski, N.E. | 21 | 42 | 546 | 10 | 114.6 |
2012 | Greg Olsen, Car. | 27 | 69 | 843 | 5 | 114.3 |
2004 | Alge Crumpler, Atl. | 26 | 48 | 774 | 6 | 113.4 |
2014 | Delanie Walker, Tenn. | 30 | 63 | 890 | 4 | 113.0 |
2006 | Todd Heap, Balt. | 26 | 73 | 765 | 6 | 112.5 |
2005 | Jason Witten, Dall. | 23 | 66 | 757 | 6 | 111.7 |
2011 | Dustin Keller, NYJ | 25 | 65 | 815 | 5 | 111.5 |
2006 | Chris Cooley, Wash. | 24 | 57 | 734 | 6 | 111.4 |
2013 | Antonio Gates, S.D. | 33 | 77 | 872 | 4 | 111.2 |
2011 | Brent Celek, Phil. | 26 | 62 | 811 | 5 | 111.1 |
2000 | Shannon Sharpe, Balt. | 32 | 67 | 810 | 5 | 111.0 |
2009 | Greg Olsen, Chi. | 24 | 60 | 612 | 8 | 109.2 |
2012 | Dennis Pitta, Balt. | 27 | 61 | 669 | 7 | 108.9 |
2011 | Brandon Pettigrew, Det. | 26 | 83 | 777 | 5 | 107.7 |
2012 | Owen Daniels, Hou. | 29 | 62 | 716 | 6 | 107.6 |
2000 | Freddie Jones, Ariz. | 25 | 71 | 766 | 5 | 106.6 |
2013 | Martellus Bennett, Chi. | 26 | 65 | 759 | 5 | 105.9 |
2006 | Kellen Winslow, Clev. | 23 | 89 | 875 | 3 | 105.5 |
2012 | Kyle Rudolph, Minn. | 22 | 53 | 493 | 9 | 105.3 |
2004 | Randy McMichael, Mia. | 25 | 73 | 791 | 4 | 105.1 |
2010 | Chris Cooley, Wash. | 28 | 77 | 849 | 3 | 104.9 |
2012 | Brandon Myers, Oak. | 26 | 79 | 806 | 4 | 104.6 |
—Ian Allan