10 NFL players nearing the end of storied careers

Calais Campbell continues to defy Father Time: The 37-year-old latest performance was an 80. PFF overall grade of 0 plus with the Falcons and now moves to the Dolphins for the season 2024.

Julio Jones and Dalvin Cook are among the former stars who remain unsigned: Also, the two players were performing best during the primes but, as of now, they do not have a team for 2024.

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Due to training camps across the NFL being mostly two weeks away, players have had the last month to think about the objectives they will have for the 2024 season. For some, that duration of the thought process could have prompted them that this year will be their last playing Football.

Already in the last offseason year, such significant athletes like Aaron Donald, Jason Kelce, Darren Waller, Matthew Slater, and Leighton Vander Esch retired from the NFL. It is also noted that the level of players retiring before the age of 32 is also increasing day by day.

Given that NFL careers usually last for shorter periods of time than ever before, below is the list of the ten players whose action should be appreciated in the next months – it could be their last year on the field.

With this, thank you very much G Zack Martin, Dallas Cowboys.

The Maryland native have been one of the best players at his position since he was drafted to the NFL that same year. The Cowboys star has struck an 86. Five of the 10 times a plus-/minus PFF overall rating, and no more than four sacks in an entire season.

The 33-year-old did play some of the worst of his career last year achieving a lowly 68. An overall grade of 0 and allowing a new season-high four sacks and 24 pressures. Even then, Martin’s 75. One pass-blocking rating based on Spellman’s model placed it ninth among guards who played 1,000 or more snaps in 2023.

During the month of June, to the Dallas Morning News, Martin hinted at retirement over the year and thereby making it seemed as if 2024 is his last stand. In that case the fans should prepare for the fact that we will not witness a guard like him for quite a long time after Martin is done with his basketball career.

WR JULIO JONES, UNSIGNED

Jones has been one of the more dominating and successful receiving threats in the NFL of all time.

The 35-year-old composed arguably the greatest stretch of wideout play ever: From the year 2014 to 2019 he had a total seasons where he didn’t receive less than 1,394 yards. Ironically, no NFL player has ever had more than four of those level-of-emergency campaigns in succession, and that club is exclusively Jones. It was also a clean sweep by Jones throughout the seasons, and particularly, seven consecutive seasons of a PFF overall grade of 86. They are average spots of 3/ penalty or above, something that no other receiver has managed in the time that PFF has been in existence since 2006.

That is why having a guy like the 6-foot-4 Jones had an advantage, mainly due to his mastery of the jump ball. In the years that have been considered in this manuscript, commencing from 2016, Jones has caught 46. 8% of contested catches.

This year, Jones will not be signed yet, after switching between three teams in three years. It may be too bitter a reality for a generation that grew to love the antics of the likely Hall-of-Famer and his brilliant age…

Still for someone, who has already probably seen his last football snap, the fact that he is a likely Hall of Famer may not necessarily seem too sweet.

TE JIMMY GRAHAM, UNSIGNED

Graham joined the league as the third round draft in the 2010 and broke records reducing his category of players to a handful that include him for nearly six consecutive years. Over the period 2011-2016, Graham had 5,924 receiving yards, which placed him 10th among all the skill players, and 375 more than Rob Gronkowski. Now, to further illustrate this point, PFF overall grades for the first seven years of Graham’s career: none was below 74. 7.

But the last couple of years have been rather unclear for the 37-year-old. Graham got only 434 snaps from 2021 to mid-2023, completely missing the 2022 campaign. During the periods that he was on the field, he only managed to make 20 receptions which brought him to 206 yards.

It is yet to be determined if the current free agent will play in 2024; however, Graham informed reporters that he would consider his options with the new orleans saints, with whom he played for six seasons. That Graham played only 171 snaps last season and his future is still very uncertain, should only make fans even more grateful for what we have seen from the potential future Hall-of-Famer.

Executive Summary The Miami Dolphins is a professional American football team based in the city Miami in Florida, and thus falling under the scope of the CALAIS CAMPBELL brand EDGE.

Still, one of the NFL’s most indomitable fans has carry on his enjoyable yearning for ruination of any self-entitled reprobate who crosses his path and the duration offered by Father Time. For the past four years Campbell has faced the opposing offense from the ages of 34-37 years, within each year he has caused more than 25 pressures and offers a 74. 7 PFF overall grade.

Campbell said he revelled in his time with the Jaguars where he stands tall at 6-foot-8, and produced one of the most devastating four-year displays by a defensive lineman in the recent years. From 2016-19, averaged 66. 5 pressures and 9. Average of 9 sacks per season, Wow! Elite 90. Average of 0-plus general classes throughout each year. Some players are total game-ruiners and it is no surprise that this was a perfect description for this man.

As on 2024 Campbell will once again move to South Beach to represent the third team in the season. Perhaps the six-time Pro Bowler still has more football left in him for an altered Dolphins defense but there is, logically, the question of how much longer he will subject his hand to being on dirt?

RB DALVIN COOK, UNSIGNED

Following a draft in the first round as the overall fourth pick in 2017, Cook was almost as expected. The four-time Pro Bowler received six first-rate initial seasons as a rusher before a drop-off that year in terms of yardage to 89. Average of overall grade is 0 while the fraction is 90. 2 rushing grade in 2020 — both of which were the top-three among the RBs during that year. Furthermore, it must be also noted that Cook began with a rate of six consecutive years earning 68. 0 plus overall grade indicates that he is rather consistent despite the fact that he receives a high number of papers.

Cook was primary powerful in the tactics of avoiding the defenders when playing the game. The former Viking made 211 forced missed tackles from 2019-22 and became one of the four running backs in the league to go beyond the 200 mark in the said period.

Still, Cook is a regular producer, though his play has diminished in the past two seasons. Among qualified running backs, he was 27th in EPA/Rush in 2022 before it all stopped in 2023 with Cook limping to 214 rushing yards on a career-low 3. 2 yards per carry — and was subsequently released from the team in January.

CB PATRICK PETERSON, UNSIGNED

While at the prime, Peterson was one of the most flamboyant and potent defensive backs in the entire NFL. The three-time All-Pro recorded four seasons receiving an overall PFF grade of 79. Rates 2 or better plus four years’ performance of an elite coverage grade of 80 or higher. 0.

Peterson who had two poor seasons in Arizona and Minnesota brought out his best during the 2022 season with the Vikings, ranking 6th among cornerbacks in coverage grade (minimum 900 snaps), with a score of 79. 7. But Peterson was not able to put up those figures in pittsburgh as he scored a measly 58. The results of the assessments are an overall grade of 9 and a disturbing 39. 8 tackling grade.

That is why the future of Peterson in Steelers is especially interesting: the Steelers moved the 34-year-old before the final four games of the 2023 regular season to safety, and Peterson has looked quite good playing in that role, at least against the Bengals. Even though the veteran is not in a team now, one can expect some team will pick up the possible future Hall-of-Famer as emergency option or assurance.

QB Marcus Mariota plays for the Washington Commanders

The former Heisman winner, and the number two overall pick, didn’t quite cut it compared to expectations in the professional level; however, Mariota demonstrated flashes of brilliance when he was still a novice. He managed to get an overall score of 76. Increased his rating to 2 and above in 2017 and 2018 which was his best year as a full clad starter.

A drastic change has occurred to Mariota since 2018- he has been struggling a lot. The former Duck was benched for Ryan Tannehill in Tennessee and then signed with the Raiders to be a backup to Derek Carr for two seasons; had only a 62. 7 passing grade with the Falcons in 2022 before carrying out a deliberate decision to move away from the team; And, was Jalen Hurts’ backup plan with the Eagles in 2023.

Currently a member of the Commanders on a one-year contract, Mariota is bound to be the backup behind rookie draft pick at number 2 overall, Jayden Daniels. Despite his youth; Mariota is proving to be merely a journeyman backup type of quarterback even at the tender age of 30.

Edge Jerry Hughes, Houston Texans

This remained the style of this talented player who played his entire career with the Detroit Lions and nevertheless appeared to be underrated despite never tasting the Pro Bowl. Few can boast of having played 14 seasons in the NFL, to start with, and the Hughes was considered a good quarterback chase too. Ten members of the group topped 80 sacks, while a few, such as Matthews, are the distinct products of the hybrid.

5. He is one of 162 players in the annals of pro football to amass 70 sacks.

His best years are from 2018 to 2020 riding the Bills’ playoff charges with 194 pressures, 16 sacks, 23 tackles for losses, and five forced fumbles. The TCU alum also had good years in 2021 as well as 2022 and he registered more than 55 pressures in the two seasons.

Hughes also managed to register 30 pressures although he featured minimally as he missed most of the season due to back and ankle injuries, he played only 474 snaps in 2023 but the Texans benefited from him and made it to the divisional-round for only the second time since 2019. Since Hughes has his contract with Houston extended, the 35-year-old may have one last shot at chasing a ring —but probably as a rotational edge rusher behind Hunter and Anderson Jr. , provided he has not played more than 700 snaps in four years.

No Wide Receiver Robert Woods, Houston Texans

Another erstwhile Houston veteran, and arguably one of the most overlooked receivers of his generation, Woods went over the 1,000 yards’ mark only twice in 11 years, however, he was one of the best blocking receivers of his time, achieving 75. 0-plus run-blocking grade. Beyond those less appreciated marks, Woods was a steady chain-moving cog, his 415 first downs spotting him 11th since his NFL entrance in 2013.

It has been three high-energy years with the Rams, and Woods is an okay No. 2 center since 2020 that received overall grades of 75. Seven in 2021 and sixty-eight in 2022. 0 in 2022. The receiver has caught for 138 times and 1,509 yards the last three years while playing only 2,067 snaps. However, with Houston coaching young talents Nico Collins and Tank Dell to stardom, also adding Stefon diggs to the squad, Woods finds himself behind as merely the Texans’ WR5/W6.

No TE Zach Ertz, Washington Commanders

They do lose the tight end that used to be one of the most dangerous targets in the entire NFL during Ertz’ prime. He had a passing PFF receiving grade of 75. Average 6 or better in six of his first seven NFL seasons and was even shown to be a very important part of the Eagles’ Super Bowl level offense in 2017.

As a three-time Pro Bowl selection, Ertz has not come close to his previous performance since his move to Arizona — 1,167 yards in 28 known games with numerous well-known leg injuries — Ertz has usually been reliable with passes, only dropping nine of 191 targets in the desert. However, to have a top-18 ADOT among tight ends in the years 2022 and 2023 despite having a limited target share one can be a decent deep threat.

Kliff Kingsbury, who was the head coach of the Arizona Cardinls when Ertz was a member of the team, just got hired this offseason as the head coach of Washington. Flashing a very shallow depth chart at tight end in Washington, Ertz may open the season commanding TE1 work in ash. At the same time, with promising rookie Ben Sinnott backing him up and given that Ertz cannot seem to make it through a season, the 35-year-old could as well be watching his last stand in D. C.