NFL Players Who Should Call It Quits After 2020 Season

For the most part, at 43 years old, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady has defied Father Time. He's a rarity in the NFL, as many players experience significant decline once they get on the wrong side of 30.

Some of the best players lose a bit of their physicality but still age gracefully. At 37 years old, Arizona Cardinals wideout Larry Fitzgerald isn't a threat to extend plays, averaging just 7.8 yards per reception, but he has a 74.5 percent catch rate as a serviceable secondary receiving option.

On the other hand, injuries, inefficiency and inactivity could force veterans into retirement. Through 10 weeks, we've watched potential future Hall of Famers struggle through the aging process. In most cases, their respective teams have young or viable replacements ready to suit up in 2021. 

Let's take a look at the current situations for eight players who should hang up their cleats after this season.

RB Frank Gore, New York Jets

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In 2019 while with the Buffalo Bills, Frank Gore passed Hall of Famer Barry Sanders for third place on the all-time rushing list. In all likelihood, he'll wear a gold jacket and have his bust in Canton, Ohio.

This season, Gore is the leading rusher for the New York Jets, but he averages just 3.6 yards per carry, which matches his mark from the previous campaign.

Over the last three seasons, Gore has only caught 33 passes for 272 yards and a touchdown, so he's not much of a threat on third downs. 

Next year, Gore can handle a small role in a committee, but why would a team give a 38-year-old running back carries when the coaching staff can develop a young ball-carrier at a position with a traditionally short career span?

While Gore's career longevity deserves admiration, he's way past his prime, and a sizable role for him possibly takes away from a young running back with untapped potential. Overall, the five-time Pro Bowler doesn't provide much spark with the ball in his hands, averaging a career-low 3.7 yards per touch in 2020.

RB LeSean McCoy, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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In a short window of time, LeSean McCoy has gone from a dual-threat featured running back to an afterthought. Just three years ago, he racked up 1,586 scrimmage yards as a Pro Bowler for the Buffalo Bills. 

This year, McCoy signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and he's played just 74 offensive snaps behind Ronald Jones II and Leonard Fournette. The two-time All-Pro has appeared in six out of 10 contests, logging six rush attempts for minus-1 yard in addition to 10 receptions for just 61 yards.

As a collegian, Buccaneers rookie third-rounder Ke'Shawn Vaughn caught 66 passes for 648 yards and three touchdowns. He'll likely take over the primary pass-catching role out of the backfield in the near future, which makes McCoy expendable once his contract expires in the offseason.

Because of McCoy's steady decline over the past three campaigns, he's not a candidate to land a multiyear deal on the 2021 free-agent market. Going into his age-33 season, McCoy should consider retirement rather than a spot on the pine elsewhere next season.

TE Jason Witten, Las Vegas Raiders

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For the second time in his career, Jason Witten chose to leave the Dallas Cowboys. In 2018, he went to the Monday Night Football booth. In 2020, the 11-time Pro Bowler signed with the Las Vegas Raiders.

Witten rounds out an inexperienced tight end group. Darren Waller has become a budding star, though he's played the position full-time for just two terms. As a second-year pro, Foster Moreau has room to develop into a solid contributor after hauling in five touchdowns in 2019. 

On the field, Witten hasn't made a consistent impact. He'll occasionally seal a block for the ball-carriers, but quarterback Derek Carr has only targeted him 10 times in 2020.

Although Witten hauled in every target for 56 yards and a touchdown, he's not a threat on contested throws or in the red zone, which kept him in the passing-game plan in 2019 with the Cowboys.

With an established playmaker in Darren Waller and youth at tight end in Foster Moreau, the Raiders don't need to re-sign Witten in the offseason. Turning 39 years old in May and following a quiet year in Las Vegas, he'll likely go back into retirement.

OT Jason Peters, Philadelphia Eagles

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After a playoff loss to the Seattle Seahawks in January, Jason Peters shared what he had told the Philadelphia Eagles about his future (h/t NBCS Philadelphia's John Clark).

"I told them that I want to play another year," Peters said. "I still can get it done. If I couldn't get it done, I would just walk away. But I can still go."

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, Peters garnered "strong interest" on the free-agent market, but he re-signed with the Eagles and intended to transition from left tackle to guard. However, the 17th-year veteran moved back to the perimeter after Andre Dillard tore his biceps.

Peters suited up for the first three weeks but landed on injured reserve with a toe injury until returning to action in Week 8. For the season, the 38-year-old has allowed three sacks through five contests, per Pro Football Focus.

Because of Peters' subpar performances, Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer made the case for inserting Jordan Mailata at left tackle and moving the nine-time Pro Bowler to right guard, where he practiced through training camp. 

While a move inside may salvage Peters' 2020 campaign, he's clearly experienced a significant decline as a left tackle.

The Eagles could re-sign Peters as a guard next season, but he may be better off walking away rather than playing a new position at 39 years old. Assuming three-time Pro Bowler Brandon Brooks fully recovers from a torn Achilles, he'll return to the right guard spot in Philadelphia.

OG Richie Incognito, Las Vegas Raiders

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Richie Incognito has developed a questionable track record off the field. In 2013, the Miami Dolphins suspended him for allegedly harassing then-teammate Jonathan Martin. In May 2018, Incognito was involved in an altercation at a gym in Florida. Three months later, the Scottsdale Police Department arrested him at a funeral home where he had been making arrangements for his father.

Incognito didn't play during the 2018 campaign, but the Las Vegas Raiders signed him to a one-year deal in May 2019. He served a two-game suspension for the incident in Arizona.

That season, Incognito made 12 quality starts at left guard, was listed as a Pro Bowl alternate and earned a two-year extension. However, he's played just two games this season because of an Achilles injury. When asked about Incognito's potential return from injured reserve, Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal tweeted, "Not sure."  

The Raiders have options at left guard. They selected John Simpson in the fourth round of the 2020 draft, and Denzelle Good has fared well at the position for most of the season. Vegas can release Incognito and save $6.4 million, per Over the Cap, which makes sense with the uncertainty of the salary cap in 2021. 

If the Raiders part ways with Incognito, he'd become a free agent at 38 years old and coming off an injury-riddled campaign. With his past transgressions and being at that age on the mend from an Achilles ailment, he's probably not going to draw many suitors, if any.

Edge Cameron Wake, Free Agent

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After a decade with the Miami Dolphins, Cameron Wake joined the Tennessee Titans during the 2019 offseason as a free agent. In his Week 1 debut, he logged 2.5 sacks and was named Defensive Player of the Week. From there, the All-Pro edge-rusher had a forgettable season. 

Wake didn't record a single tackle after Week 2, though he played at least 12 defensive snaps in all nine games he appeared in. The Titans placed him on injured reserve near the end of the campaign and released him in March. 

Wake's agent, Paul Sheehy, disputed a report that his client intended to retire.

"As Cam's agent, I can tell you this is simply not true. Cameron is playing this season and we are actively engaged in conversations with teams," Sheehy tweeted.

As we go into Week 11, Wake hasn't made any known visits with teams, though he plays a premium position. Typically, clubs place a high value on defenders who can pressure the quarterback. Yet the 38-year-old remains available. 

Unless Wake suits up for a team and produces late in the season or during the playoffs, it's a long shot he'll land a job going into his age-39 term following a year away from football. 

Even if Wake hasn't officially retired, his run in the NFL seems like it's over already. He'll likely walk away from the game with 100.5 career sacks.

LB Sean Lee, Dallas Cowboys

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During the upcoming offseason, the Dallas Cowboys need to sign quality veterans or develop younger players to improve their 32nd-ranked scoring defense. Furthermore, the front office has to rid the unit of aging talent.

Sean Lee, who turns 35 in July, will become a free agent after this season. He's a two-time Pro Bowler and All-Pro but has battled injuries in recent seasons, missing 16 contests since 2018.

In Week 8, Lee returned to action from a groin injury. Through two outings, he's played 17 defensive snaps, which highlights his minimal role within the defense.

The Cowboys don't need a veteran player acting as a coach at the position. Their top two linebackers, Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch, already have Pro Bowl seasons on their resumes. Because the latter has missed 11 games over the last two terms, Dallas needs available depth on the second level of its defense. Lee doesn't fit the bill. 

If Lee cannot help one of the worst defenses in the league, teams have little reason to sign him off the free-agent market for anything other than depth. Because of spotty availability and age, he could face a cold market before coming to a decision to hang up his cleats.

CB Josh Norman, Buffalo Bills

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Josh Norman experienced a rapid decline after his 2016 campaign with the Washington Football Team.

In 2017, Norman failed to record an interception during a season for the first time since 2013. The following year, he picked off three passes but allowed eight touchdowns, and quarterbacks recorded a 109.3 passer rating when targeting him.

Last year, the Washington coaching staff benched him after Week 11, and he played 10 defensive snaps for the remainder of the term. As the club underwent wholesale changes, the front office released the All-Pro cornerback this past offseason. 

In March, Norman signed with the Buffalo Bills and reunited with head coach Sean McDermott, who worked with him as a defensive coordinator in Carolina from 2012 to 2015.

Norman has played more than 91 percent of the defensive snaps in the three games he's appeared in this season, but he's battled a hamstring injury since August and did an early stint on injured reserve. Then, the team placed him on the reserve/COVID-19 list last Saturday. When active, quarterbacks have targeted him with success, completing 15 of 19 passes for 154 yards and a touchdown with a 118.0 passer rating.

As a liability in coverage with his last two teams, Norman isn't an appealing impending free agent. He'll likely have to wait for a club that's in dire need of cornerback help before finding a new home in 2021, but the 32-year-old should call it quits after this run with the Bills.