Which free agent veterans are still available this offseason?

The NFL has never been famed for its longevity but some players, like a fine bottle of Chateau Margaux, have aged well enough to remain viable and possibly game changing free agents this summer. 

In fact some positions, including edge and wide receiver, are stacked with potential 30-year-old talent for teams to pick up throughout the off-season. 

So, with the NFL Draft now been and gone, here are some of the league’s best old timers, or Greybeards, who still have something in the tank left to offer for teams looking for talent. 

1. Wide receivers

Perhaps the most exciting position stacked with Greybeard talent is at wide receiver. A position often viewed as one of the most influential play-making slots in a team’s offence, some real characters are available as free agents this summer. 

Former Atlanta Falcons and Tennessee Titans WR Julio Jones is still knocking about the edges of the league and with a fantastic NFL resume, including 13,629 yards in 903 receptions, he could be an option. 

Jones is 34 now and has struggled with injuries in recent seasons but he can still offer a decent back-up option for teams who need to deepen their roster and as a true great of the 2010s we arguably can look at this with a tweak of romanticism, but he deserves it. 

Alongside Jones is another stalwart with positive career numbers, Jarvis Landry, and he seems like the type of veteran receiver who could come in and immediately serve as a safety blanket to teams in need of back-ups. 

Notable mentions must go to T.Y Hilton and Sammy Watkins who all might have a moment of magic in them despite their careers waning. 

2. EDGE

There are some real hidden gems here who could all instil some fear in an opposing quarterback this season. 

With three Pro Bowls in the last four seasons, Frank Clark (who turns 30 in June so scrapes into the Greybeard category) remains a genuinely impressive rotation option even at the twilight of his career. 

Clark has the third in all-time postseason sacks, with 10.5 of those coming in four playoff runs with the Chiefs and could be a neat fit at the Browns or the Saints. 

Alongside Clark is former LA Rams outside linebacker Leonard Floyd, who is a solid option and posted 10.5, 9.5 and 9.0 sacks in his last three seasons. Notable other mentions here are Jadeveon Clowney (who has never quite reached his incredibly high ceiling) and the evergreen Justin Houston. 

3. Quarterback

Perhaps the least stacked section of Greybeards this year is at QB as father time himself, Tom Brady, has hung up his cleats for a seemingly second and final time. 

Aside from Brady the other available QBs over 30-years-old have a chequered career in the NFL, and none more so than 2018 Super Bowl champion Carson Wentz. 

Wentz is now looking for his fourth team in as many seasons and has struggled to hit the form that saw him take the Eagles all the way (until his injury), but he might just have something in the tank for one last hurrah. 

Alongside Wentz is Teddy Bridgewater, who genuinely seems like a back-up option that teams like the Ravens might go for. Bridgewater struggled with injuries in Miami last season but he has shown an innate ability to win NFL games when paired with a strong defence, has started 65 career games and is a strong locker room presence. 

Notable mentions here go to Joe Flacco and Cam Newton, who has recently revealed a list of teams where he’d be willing to play back-up. 

All in all it’s not a bad selection of players here, plenty of whom still have a lot to offer to the right team. 

Yes, a fair few constantly struggle with staying healthy, and some are huge personalities that certain teams might find difficult to manage, but it’s nice to see that at least a few players’ facial hair will be flecked with silver in 2023.