Back in 2022, the Bucs were one of the oldest teams in the NFL. Quarterback Tom Brady skewed their average age quite a bit given he was 45, but Tampa Bay was not exactly built on youth.
But after Brady retired and some of the more veteran players left ahead of the 2023 season, the Bucs got younger at several positions. Some of that youth may have contributed to a midseason slide that left the team at 4-7, but that’s what made the fact that they turned things around to finish 9-8, win the NFC South again and win a playoff game that much more impressive.
And this offseason, Tampa Bay has gotten even younger. That leaves Todd Bowles’ team as one of the youngest in the NFL. The average age of the Bucs’ 53-man roster is 25.6 — the second-youngest in the league. Only the Packers (25.2) have a younger team.
Youngest teams in the #NFL based on average age of their 53-man roster:#Packers – 25.2#Buccaneers – 25.6#Rams – 25.7#Eagles – 25.8#Jaguars – 25.9#Chiefs – 25.9
Oldest teams:#Dolphins – 27.3#Vikings – 27.2#Panthers – 27.2#Commanders – 27.2#Browns – 27.1#Steelers -…
— NFL Stats (@NFL_Stats) August 30, 2024
Where Have The Bucs Gotten Younger?
Heading into 2024, Tampa Bay has just three players over the age of 30 — Lavonte David (34), Will Gholston (33) and Mike Evans (31). That’s a far cry from where things were in recent years, so where has this Bucs team gotten younger?
In addition to Brady’s retirement last offseason, the Bucs parted ways with Cameron Brate, Shaq Mason, Leonard Fournette, Blaine Gabbert, Keanu Neal, Donovan Smith and Ryan Succop, among others. All of those players were either in their 30s or nearing their 30s, and the replacements for them on the roster helped Tampa Bay get younger.
This offseason, 31-year-old Shaq Barrett was the big departure. But Ryan Jensen (33) also retired, plus David Moore (29) and Dee Delaney (29) were not re-signed.
So, when you look at the positions of these departed players and evaluate the ages of their replacements, it’s easy to see how the Bucs have ushered in something of a youth movement. The offensive line is a great example of why the Bucs are so much younger now than they were in recent years. The starting group includes Tristan Wirfs (25), Ben Bredeson (26), Graham Barton (22), Cody Mauch (25) and Luke Goedeke (25). Of course, the addition of another young rookie class also brings that average age of the roster down.
Bucs RB Bucky Irving – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
Remember, the Bucs only have three players over the age of 30. Meanwhile, 33 of the 53 players on their roster are 25 years old are younger. That includes 10 players who are 23 or younger. The roster has six 22-year-olds, with five of them being rookies. The youngest player on the team is rookie running back Bucky Irving, who just turned 22 on Aug. 19.
What’s even more impressive about the youth of Tampa Bay’s roster is how young a lot of its core guys for the future are. Pro Bowl left tackle Tristan Wirfs is still only 25, All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. is 26, outside linebacker Yaya Diaby is 25, defensive tackle Calijah Kancey is just 23, running back Rachaad White is 25 and cornerback Zyon McCollum is 25.
Pair all of that with some of the younger veterans like Jamel Dean (27), Jordan Whitehead (27) and Chris Godwin (28), near-30s veterans like Baker Mayfield (29) and Vita Vea (29) and the aforementioned trio of players over 30, and you can see the mix of youth and experience that has the Bucs confident they can make some noise in 2024.
