The Best NFL Player at Every Age

As we dive further into the NFL offseason and closer to free agency, age is a factor that will undoubtedly come up when discussing some players.

Teams looking for long-term help often prioritize younger players—Bleacher Report's recently examined the top 25-and-under players of 2025 free agency—while other teams will seek replacements for aging players.

Meanwhile, older players who find themselves on the market—like 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers, who is expected to be released by the New York Jets ahead of free agency—often have to settle for short-term contracts.

Of course, it's important to remember that players of any age can be high-level contributors in the NFL. To prove it, we took a cue from B/R NBA writers Dan Favale and Grant Hughes and decided to examine the best player at every age who played in 2024 and who is projected to play again next season.

March 12—the official start date of free agency—was used as our age-determining date, and factors like past production, individual accolades and upside were considered here.

21: WR Malik Nabers

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New York Jets running back Braelon Allen was 20 during the 2024 season but turned 21 in January. This means that until the 2025 rookie class is officially integrated, there are no players younger than 21 in the league.

There are, however, several talented 21-year-olds. The list includes offensive tackle Joe Alt, cornerback Terrion Arnold and cornerback Nate Wiggins. Our pick for the best of the bracket, however, is New York Giants receiver Malik Nabers.

Nabers, who will turn 22 in July, had a phenomenal rookie campaign in 2024. He finished the year with 109 catches, 1,204 receiving yards, seven touchdowns and a Pro Bowl nod. The fact that he was so productive in spite of New York's underwhelming quarterback carousel was truly impressive.

Nabers isn't just a future star. He's already arrived as an NFL game-changer. He should be even better if and when the Giants find a long-term solution behind center.

22: TE Brock Bowers

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Settling on the league's best 21-year-old was only moderately difficult. However, finding the best in each bracket will only get progressively harder as the age pool grows.

The NFL features several standout 22-year-olds, including Cooper DeJean, Brian Thomas Jr., Bucky Irving and Drake Maye. Did you know that Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs won't turn 23 until late March?

As impressive as the list is, Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers is deserving of the pick here. The Georgia product racked up 112 catches for 1,194 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie. In doing so, he set records for the most receiving yards by a rookie tight end, most receptions by a rookie tight end and most receptions by any Raiders player.

Bowers also earned Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro honors for his efforts. Like Nabers, he operated with an underwhelming quarterback room, which makes his production all the more eye-popping.

Less than a full year into his NFL career, Bowers may already be the league's best player at his position.

23. DT Jalen Carter

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This exercise isn't getting any easier, folks. The NFL features several supremely talented and high-profile 23-year-olds.

The list includes quarterbacks Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud, who earned strong consideration because of their positional value. Stroud, specifically, deserves a mention, as he was the 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year and has helped to deliver two playoff berths to the Houston Texans.

Following the Philadelphia Eagles' impressive championship run, however, it's impossible to dismiss defensive tackle Jalen Carter. The 23-year-old earned his first Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro berths in 2024 and was a legitimate game-wrecker during the postseason.

Carter tallied impressive numbers during the regular season too—42 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss and 23 quarterback pressures—but he was truly dominant in the playoffs. In four postseason contests, he logged two sacks, seven QB hits, two tackles for loss, three passes defended and a forced fumble.

With an enviable combination of ability and youth, Carter is a big reason why the Eagles are well-positioned to become the NFL's next dynasty.

24: QB Jayden Daniels

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The term "best" is often subjective, and that's definitely the case when it comes to NFL 24-year-olds.

Penei Sewell is a three-time Pro Bowler and a two-time first-team All-Pro. Patrick Surtain II is the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, and Aidan Hutchinson is one of the league's biggest difference-makers when healthy.

Positional value, however, gives Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels the nod.

While detractors can certainly cite recency bias here, the fact remains that Daniels was good enough to transform a franchise in 2024. The reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year posted a 100.1 quarterback rating, rushed for 891 yards, made the Pro Bowl and took a team that won four games in 2023 to the most recent NFC title game.

Intangibles matter, and Daniels' leadership skills and work ethic make him a true franchise centerpiece.

"I knew there would be some growing pains, but his ability to work and his humility to get better is what sets him apart," veteran tight end Zach Ertz said of Daniels, per ESPN's John Keim.

Daniels has some terrific company in the age-24 bracket, but he's one of only a few NFL players around whom a franchise could build a contender.

25: Edge Micah Parsons

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No, the choices aren't getting any easier. We're entering the age range of proven superstars and perennial Pro Bowlers, and there are several standout 25-year-olds to consider.

The list includes a number of high-end receivers, like Amon-Ra St. Brown, Justin Jefferson, Nico Collins, CeeDee Lamb and Ja'Marr Chase, who will turn 25 on March 1.

Quarterback Brock Purdy, defensive tackle Jordan Davis, guard Trey Smith and running back James Cook are also 25.

Chase would be the pick if based on 2024 production alone. The Cincinnati Bengals star was a first-team All-Pro and led the league in receptions (127), receiving yards (1,708) and receiving touchdowns (17). Yet, one could argue that the gap between Chase and receivers like Jefferson and Lamb isn't that large.

In other words, it's become easier than ever to find top-flight receivers in the NFL. Finding truly elite pass-rushers, however, remains a significant challenge. That's why Dallas Cowboys standout Micah Parsons gets a slight edge over Chase in the age-25 bracket.

Parsons is a four-time Pro Bowler and a two-time first-team All-Pro who has amassed 52.5 sacks and 127 quarterback pressures in only four seasons. He's never recorded fewer than 12 sacks in a season, and he should soon become the highest-paid defender in NFL history—assuming, of course, the Cowboys ever decide to start extension talks.

26: OT Tristan Wirfs

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By 26, most NFL stars are in or entering their second contracts. The best ones earn massive paydays and, in some cases, become the faces of franchises. Eagles quarterback and reigning Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts falls into this category.

Hurts is joined in the age-26 bracket by talented players like DeVonta Smith, Brandon Aiyuk, Jaylen Waddle and Jonathan Taylor. As good as these players have all been, Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs has been better.

Playing tackle in the NFL isn't easy, even if Wirfs has made it look so. The 2020 first-round pick was a full-time starter as a rookie and was a first-team All-Pro at right tackle by Year 2. He moved to left tackle in 2023 and earned first-team All-Pro honors at that position in 2024.

A four-time Pro Bowler, Wirfs has developed into an elite pass-protector on Baker Mayfield's blind side. In fact, there might not be a more dependable left tackle in the league at any age.

Pro Football Focus graded Wirfs first among 141 offensive tackles in pass blocking for the 2024 season.

27: Edge Nick Bosa

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The age-27 bracket includes some notable names—due in no small part to the fact that Tua Tagovailoa turned 27 on March 2, while Justin Herbert will turn 27 on March 10.

Other standouts in the group include offensive tackle Jordan Mailata, running back Josh Jacobs, defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, pass-rusher Josh Hines-Allen and pass-rusher Maxx Crosby.

It turns out that the 2019 draft was a great place to find a sack artist. Before Hines-Allen, Crosby and Brian Burns were selected that year, the San Francisco 49ers used the second overall pick on Nick Bosa.

Bosa is the pick here, due to his past production, impact potential and consistency. The Ohio State product has been named to the Pro Bowl in every healthy season—he missed most of 2020 with a torn ACL—has been a first-team All-Pro twice and was the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year.

In 82 career games, Bosa has recorded 62.5 sacks and a whopping 236 quarterback pressures. While he only notched nine sacks in 2024, Pro Football Focus graded him fourth overall among 211 edge-defenders.

28: QB Lamar Jackson

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Picking the best 28-year-old was extremely difficult because the age group is absolutely loaded with playmakers. Stars like Saquon Barkley, Fred Warner, Zack Baun and Christian McCaffrey and Derwin James all fall into the group—and that's before we even get into quarterbacks.

Three of the league's best signal-callers—Joe Burrow, Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson—happen to be 28. Allen is the reigning MVP, and Burrow just led the league with 4,918 passing yards and 43 touchdowns.

However, we're giving Jackson a slight edge because of his unique ability to do things that no other quarterback can do. He is the league's preeminent dual-threat, and he already has two MVPs on his resume—and one could easily argue that he should have won a third in 2024.

Jackson was named NFL MVP in 2023 after posting a 102.7 QB rating, rushing for 821 yards and recording 29 combined passing and rushing touchdowns. This past season, he posted a league-high 119.6 QB rating, rushed for 915 yards and had 45 combined touchdowns.

The three-time first-team All-Pro is now the only player in NFL history to throw for more than 4,000 yards and rush for more than 900 yards in the same season.

Burrow and Allen are great too, and Barkley just set a new NFL record for rushing yards in a season (regular and postseason combined). However, Jackson is arguably the most unique player we've ever seen and appears to only be getting better over time.

29: QB Patrick Mahomes

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Picking the best 29-year-old was far easier because that's how old Patrick Mahomes is. The Kansas City Chiefs star is arguably the best player at any position or age in the NFL, even if his 2024 campaign ended with a dud.

Mahomes wasn't good in Super Bowl LIX, and there's no denying it. However, he played well enough to get Kansas City into its fifth title game in only his seventh season as a full-time starter.

Despite playing only one game as a rookie in 2017, Mahomes has already earned three Lombardi Trophies, six Pro Bowl nods, two first-team All-Pro selections and thrown for 32,352 yards with 245 touchdowns. He's never missed an AFC Championship Game as a starter and would be a first-ballot Hall of Famer if he retired tomorrow.

Mahomes won't turn 30 until September.

2023 Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett—who wants to be traded away from the Cleveland Browns this offseason—at least left room for a little deliberation. Ultimately, however, the choice could never be anyone other than Mahomes.

30: Edge T.J. Watt

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We're back to finding some legitimate competition in the age-30 bracket. Jared Goff, Chris Jones, Ronnie Stanley and Aaron Jones are high-level players with Pro Bowls on their respective resumes.

Chris Jones, who is coming off of his third-straight first-team All-Pro campaign, made this one particularly tough. He still might be the best defensive tackle in the game and has shown no signs of losing a step.

However, we'll give the edge (no pun intended) to Pittsburgh Steelers pass-rusher T.J. Watt. As good as Jones is, he's been just a tad less disruptive than Watt as a pro.

Now, this isn't meant to discount Jones, who has six Pro Bowls, three Lombardi Trophies and 80.5 career sacks on his resume. As an individual player, though, Watt has built a more impressive resume.

The Wisconsin product just finished his seventh consecutive Pro Bowl season and has amassed 108 sacks in eight seasons. Watt has also recorded 225 quarterback hits, 126 tackles for loss and 33 forced fumbles.

Watt's sack total ranks in the top 32 of all-time, and while he may not catch Bruce Smith and his record 200 career sacks, it's not an impossibility. The four-time first-team All-Pro is arguably the best sack artist of his generation and deserves to be considered the best 30-year-old in the NFL today.

31: WR Mike Evans

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The age-31 group has some legitimate stars too, though a few of them had down years in 2024. Quarterback Dak Prescott missed half the season with a hamstring injury, while receiver Cooper Kupp missed a month with an ankle injury.

Tyreek Hill, who turned 31 on Saturday, appeared in all 17 games but saw his production dip—along with the Miami Dolphins offense—due to Tagovailoa's injuries.

Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry, San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle and Buccaneers receiver Mike Evans all shined in 2024, however, and made for an interesting three-player race here.

While most of San Francisco's offense struggled last season, Kittle racked up 1,106 receiving yards and six touchdowns. Henry did what he always does—albeit for a new team—and rushed for 1,921 yards and a league-high 16 touchdowns.

Evans missed three games with a hamstring injury and only managed to top 1,000 receiving yards on the last meaningful play of Tampa's regular season. Yet, his long track record and consistency make him the pick.

Kittle, Henry and Evans are all likely to be future Hall of Famers. Henry, who has led the league in rushing twice and been named Offensive Player of the Year once, may already have a spot in Canton secured. However, Evans can already be considered one of the best receivers in league history.

The six-time Pro Bowler has set franchise records in receiving yards (12,684) and touchdowns (105). This past season, he tied Jerry Rice for the most consecutive 1,000-yard seasons with 11.

Great receivers are becoming easier to find. Ones who are as consistently great and for as long as Evans has been are a exceedingly rare.

32: OL Joe Thuney

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The deeper NFL players get into their 30s, the more often they're considered to be past their prime. However, the league still features several standouts who can shine at age 32.

Davante Adams and DeAndre Hopkins remain productive receivers at 32, while Tyrann Mathieu is still a starting-caliber safety. DeMarcus Lawrence is an incredibly disruptive defender when healthy. Leonard Floyd started 17 games and recorded 8.5 sacks in 2024.

However, we have to give the nod to Chiefs guard Joe Thuney, who also spent time at left tackle in 2024 when the competition between Wanya Morris and Kingsley Suamataia didn't yield a reliable starter.

Yes, Thuney struggled at left tackle against the Eagles' vaunted defense in the Super Bowl. That doesn't change the fact that he was a first-team All-Pro in 2024 and one of the league's most impactful guards.

Pro Football Focus graded Thuney 12th overall among all guards in 2024.

Thuney has played at least 15 games in all nine of his seasons with the Chiefs and New England Patriots, and he's only missed two regular-season games in his career. He's also made four Pro Bowls, been named a first-team All-Pro twice and has four Super Bowl rings in his collection.

33: FB Kyle Juszczyk

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Finding a true standout in the age-33 bracket wasn't easy. Quarterback Derek Carr battled injuries in 2024, while guard Joel Bitonio was stuck on a bad Browns team—though he did earn his seventh consecutive Pro Bowl nod.

Safety Jordan Poyer and tackle Jake Matthews were full-time starters for the Dolphins and Atlanta Falcons, respectively, while Steelers kicker Chris Boswell was a first-team All-Pro selection.

Bowell earned strong consideration here, but we're giving the nod to a fullback instead of a kicker.

No, it's not a positional bias. San Francisco's Kyle Juszczyk is one of the best players at his position and has been for a long time. He didn't earn first-team All-Pro honors in 2024—Baltimore's Patrick Ricard did—but he earned his ninth straight Pro Bowl berth.

Juszczyk is also more of an offensive contributor than most fullbacks. He's a big part of what the 49ers do offensively and finished the 2024 season with 200 receiving yards and three offensive touchdowns.

A first-team All-Pro in 2023, Juszczyk has also helped the 49ers reach two Super Bowls and four NFC title games during his career.

34: LB Bobby Wagner

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The list of NFL players still still excelling at age 34 is longer than most might expect. Geno Smith, Stephon Gilmore, Khalil Mack and Darius Slay were quality starters in 2024. Taysom Hill was having a tremendous season before a torn ACL ended his campaign.

Yet, this bracket pretty much came down to Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson and Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner. Both were Pro Bowlers, and Johnson's campaign ended with a Super Bowl ring. However, we'll give the slightest of edges to Wagner, who continues to be one of the best overall defenders in the business.

Johnson was terrific last season, starting 15 games and grading out as the league's seventh-bet offensive tackle, according to Pro Football Focus. However, he did enter the season with a very strong supporting cast.

Wagner, meanwhile, joined a defense that ranked dead-last in both yards and points allowed in 2023. He played a major role in the unit's turnaround, finishing with 132 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, two sacks, eight quarterback hits, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble. He played 99 percent of Washington's defensive snaps and started every game.

The nine-time Pro Bowler and six-time first-team All-Pro also graded as the league's third-best linebacker overall, according to PFF There's a reason why, even at 34, Wagner figures to be a hot commodity in 2025 free agency.

35: DT Cameron Heyward

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The NFL isn't littered with 35-year-old superstars, though standouts like Von Miller and Cameron Jordan are still out there doing their thing. Making this pick was only really challenging because it appears that Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce will be back in 2025.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, sources indicate that Kelce will be back. The 10-time Pro Bowler certainly deserves some consideration here.

However, Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward is the pick. While Kelce's production slipped in 2024, Heyward's did not. The 35-year-old tallied 71 tackles, eight sacks, 11 passes defended, 12 tackles for loss and 24 quarterback pressures. He played 71 percent of the defensive snaps across 17 starts and was named a Pro Bowler and a first-team All-Pro for his efforts.

Pro Football Focus graded Heyward as the top overall player out of 219 interior defenders in 2024. In no way did age appear to impact Heywarrd's performances this past season.

The same can't be said about Kelce. As strong as the tight end's overall resume is, Heyward was a relatively easy choice.

36: OT Trent Williams

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Believe it or not, the NFL is not devoid of starting-caliber 36-year-olds. Kirk Cousins, Russell Wilson, Brandon Graham, Demario Davis and Harrison Smith are all in the age group and performed well—at least for stretches—during the 2024 season.

Smith and Davis were 16-game starters for the Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints, respectively, while Graham returned from a torn triceps to help the Eagles win Super Bowl LIX. Cousins and Wilson both faltered late in the season but had their fair share of highlight-reel games.

Again, though, we have a relatively easy choice. 49ers left tackle Trent Williams may turn 37 in July, but he remains one of the league's most dependable offensive linemen when healthy.

Williams was limited to 10 games because of injuries in 2024, but when he was on the field, he dominated. Pro Football Focus graded him sixth overall among 141 offensive tackles for the season.

The 11-time Pro Bowler is a future Hall of Famer, and he's likely to add to his impressive resume in 2025. Williams is recovering from an ankle injury but has already committed to another season.

"I think we’re going to see a real motivated Trent Williams to come back and have a great year," 49ers general manager John Lynch told reporters.

San Francisco will surely be thrilled to have Williams back.

37: QB Matthew Stafford

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The NFL has far fewer standout 37-year-olds, and this bracket was relatively easy to sort through.

Andy Dalton was a serviceable spot-starter for the Carolina Panthers in 2024, Greg Zuerlein kicked in eight games for the New York Jets. and Graham Gano kicked in 10 games for the New York Giants.

Of course, no other player received serious consideration with Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford in the age group. Stafford didn't make the Pro Bowl, but he started all 16 meaningful games for the Rams and helped lead them to the postseason for the third time in four seasons.

Even at 37, Stafford is still a top-10 or top-15 quarterback, which is why he's been a focal point of the early offseason. He's looking for a new contract, and Los Angeles had allowed him to talk to other teams about the financials and a possible trade.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, however, the Rams and Stafford reached an agreement on a new restructure on Friday. L.A. will keep its quarterback for at least another season, and the team is undoubtedly happy about it.

The Rams are retaining the best 37-year-old in the NFL today.

38. Edge Calais Campbell

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There aren't many standout NFL players age 38 or older. Quarterback Josh Johnson appeared in six games as Baltimore's backup last season, while long-snapper Morgan Cox appeared in all 17 games for the Tennessee Titans.

However, making Dolphins edge-rusher Calais Cambell the pick here was a fairly easy choice. Campbell latched on with Miami last June and went on to start all 17 games for the Dolphins in 2024.

Campbell played 58 percent of the defensive snaps and finished the season with 52 tackles, five sacks, 12 tackles for loss and 20 quarterback pressures. That's a heavy workload and some impressive production, considering Campbell was the oldest defender in the league.

The 38-year-old admitted before Miami's season finale that it could be his final game but left the door open for a 2025 return.

"I will say that I've felt that way before, too, so this is not my first time feeling that way," Campbell said, per NFL.com's Kevin Patra. "So it doesn't mean I'm definitely going to retire."

There's little doubt that if Campbell, who is an impending free agent, chooses to play in 2025, he'll be able to have a positive impact.

39: P Thomas Morstead

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The list of NFL 39-year-olds is quite short. Long-snappers Jon Weeks and J.J. Jansen both played in 2024, for the Texans and Panthers, respectively. Long-snapper Matt Overton appeared in three games for Miami, while punter Thomas Morstead, who will turn 39 on March 8, appeared in all 17 games for the Jets.

While we certainly don't want to diminish the contributions of long-snappers in the NFL, we'll give a slight edge to Morstead. Though he wasn't as productive as he was the previous season, Morstead was mostly reliable. He averaged 47.2 yards per punt attempt in 2024, just below the league average of 47.6 yards per punt.

In 2023, Morstead led the NFL with 4,831 punt yards and ranked second with 36 punts that were downed inside the 20-yard line. Remarkably, through his 16-year career, Morstead has had just one blocked punt in 960 attempts.

While Morstead has made just one Pro Bowl in his career—with the Saints in 2012—his longevity is impressive.

Morstead is under contract through 2025, so he's likely to keep on kicking for at least another season.

40: K Nick Folk

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While NFL players don't regularly play into their 40s, we have a few who are likely to suit up in 2025. Unsurprisingly, most of them are either kickers or quarterbacks—though tight end Marcedes Lewis keeps on going.

Quarterback Joe Flacco, who is likely to find another bridge/backup role this offseason, earned strong consideration here. However, Tennessee Titans kicker Nick Folk is our pick.

The impending free agent was a high-level contributor when healthy this past season. He missed time with an abdominal injury but appeared in 14 games for Tennessee and led the NFL by making 95.5 percent of his field-goal attempts. Folk also led the league in field-goal percentage in 2023 and should be a top free-agent target for teams in need of a reliable kicker.

Retirement feels like an unlikely option.

"I feel like I'm still kicking pretty well, and I'm enjoying it," Folk said, per Paul Skrbina of The Tennessean.

41: QB Aaron Rodgers

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Nine-time Pro Bowler Jason Peters, who spent time on the Seahawks practice squad last season, recently retired to take a job in Seattle's front office. This leaves quarterback Aaron Rodgers as the league's oldest player and the only one who will be 41 in March.

The last couple of years haven't gone well for the future Hall of Famer. Rodgers suffered a torn Achilles in his first game as a member of the Jets, erasing the majority of his 2023 campaign. He was mostly average last season, though he did end the year on a high note.

Rodgers threw for 274 yards, four touchdowns and an interception in his 2024 finale, which suggests he can still play at an above-average level.

Where Rodgers plays in 2025 will be a big storyline this offseason. The Jets are widely expected to release him with a post-June 1 designation, but Dianna Russini of The Athletic doesn't believe he'll have a "very robust" market.

With four first-team All-Pro selections, four league MVPs and one Lombardi Trophy in Rodgers' awards case, he'd be a logical pick for the age-41 bracket, even if he wasn't the only option.

*Advanced stats and age information via Pro Football Reference unless otherwise noted.