• Derrick Henry is the king of the castle: Henry’s age-30 season was nothing short of outstanding. Including the postseason, he led the NFL with a 93.5 rushing grade and forced 89 missed tackles — both league-highs.

• T.J. Watt will remain in DPOY discussions: Watt showed no signs of decline in 2024, earning an elite 91.7 PFF grade — the second-highest of his career. He was the NFL’s only defensive lineman to record a 90.0-plus grade in both run defense and as a pass rusher.

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The NFL continues to see superstar talent enter the league at younger and younger ages. But there’s still plenty of room for the grizzled veterans to make a weekly impact.

After rolling out our quarterback rankings, top three players on every team, top 25 under 25 and each team’s top players under 25, this latest installment of PFF’s NFL preview series turns to the top 30 players who will take the field this season at age 30 or older.

Henry’s age-30 season was nothing short of outstanding. Including the postseason, he led the NFL with a 93.5 rushing grade and forced 89 missed tackles — both league-highs. He continued to wear down defenses with 3.6 yards after contact per attempt. Until there’s clear evidence of decline, Henry and Lamar Jackson will remain the NFL’s most dangerous backfield duo.

2. EDGE T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers

Watt showed no signs of decline in 2024, earning an elite 91.7 PFF grade — the second-highest of his career. He was the NFL’s only defensive lineman to record a 90.0-plus grade in both run defense and as a pass rusher. As long as he stays healthy, Watt should remain firmly in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation for the foreseeable future.

Kittle has solidified his place atop the NFL’s tight end hierarchy. His 92.1 overall PFF grade led all players at the position, while his 92.4 receiving grade ranked second among all skill players, behind only Puka Nacua. Staying true to his all-around game, Kittle also finished second among qualified tight ends with a 70.8 run-blocking grade.

Jones continued to anchor Kansas City’s pass rush in 2024, finishing second among qualified interior defenders with a 91.5 pass-rushing grade. It marked the sixth time in seven seasons he’s earned a grade above 90.0 in that category. He also led all interior defenders with an impressive 18.8% pass rush win rate.

Twelve years into a Hall of Fame-caliber career, Johnson remains the gold standard in pass protection at right tackle. His 88.7 pass-blocking grade led all players at the position and ranked fifth among all NFL tackles. He and teammate Jordan Mailata were also the only two tackles to earn at least an 85.0 grade in both run blocking and pass protection.

Williams was limited to just 10 games in 2024 due to injury, but he remained outstanding when available. His 85.6 PFF grade ranked seventh among qualified offensive tackles, though it marked his lowest in five seasons with San Francisco. He was also one of only five tackles to finish inside the top 10 in both pass-blocking and run-blocking grades.

Heyward continues to dominate on the interior for Pittsburgh. In 2024, he was the only defensive tackle to rank in the top five in both pass-rushing and run-defense grades. His overall 90.1 PFF grade was the third-highest of his career, and there’s little evidence to suggest a decline is imminent as he enters his age-36 season.

Mack returns for another season in Los Angeles after finishing fifth among qualified edge defenders with a 90.2 overall grade in 2024. He totaled 52 pressures and nine sacks, including the postseason, but much of his value continues to come in the run game. Only T.J. Watt earned a higher run-defense grade than Mack’s 87.7. He remains a disruptive force off the edge heading into 2025.

Hendrickson’s future home may be uncertain, but his pass-rush production is not. He led the NFL in both pressures and sacks during the regular season and ranked fifth with a 90.4 pass-rush grade. Since arriving in Cincinnati, Hendrickson has consistently overwhelmed opposing offensive lines and has firmly earned elite status.

Evans recorded his 11th straight 1,000-yard season in 2024 and looked as sharp as ever doing it. Despite dealing with injuries, he posted a 90.2 receiving grade, the second highest of his career and tied with Amon-Ra St. Brown for fourth among qualified wide receivers.

11. G Joe Thuney, Chicago Bears

During his four seasons in Kansas City, Thuney earned the highest pass-blocking grade among qualified guards. Although his overall grade dipped slightly in 2024 due to an extended stretch at left tackle, his 90.4 pass-blocking grade as a guard would have led the NFL by a wide margin. That’s good news for his new quarterback, Caleb Williams, heading into Year 2.

Wagner continues to set the standard in run defense well into his 30s. His 91.2 run-defense grade ranked second among qualified linebackers in 2024, the seventh time in nine seasons he’s hit the 90.0 mark. He also produced as a blitzer, generating 28 pressures, four sacks and a 90.9 pass-rush grade.

Hill posted a career-low 77.3 receiving grade in 2024, largely due to quarterback injuries and Miami’s pass protection struggles. Still, he remains one of the league’s most dangerous playmakers, having led all wide receivers with a 94.5 receiving grade over the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

At 38, Campbell continued to defy age after leading all interior defenders with an 85.9 run-defense grade in 2024. He added 39 pressures and five sacks, showing he’s far from just a run-stopper. Campbell returns to Arizona for his age-39 season, where he previously earned a career-high 91.2 PFF grade in 2016.

Andrews remained among the league’s elite tight ends in 2024. Despite some postseason struggles, his 84.6 receiving grade ranked fourth at the position and was his best over the past three seasons. He also led all tight ends with 11 touchdown receptions and should continue to thrive, given Lamar Jackson’s affinity for targeting his tight ends.

16. EDGE Danielle Hunter, Houston Texans

Hunter’s first year in Houston was a standout. His 81.1 pass-rush grade marked the second-best of his career and extended his streak of seasons with a 77.0-plus pass-rush grade to five. Including the postseason, his 74 pressures ranked sixth among edge defenders.

17. RB James Conner, Arizona Cardinals

Conner continues to thrive in Arizona’s downhill run scheme. His 92.2 rushing grade over the past two seasons trails only Derrick Henry among running backs. He also set career highs in 2024 with 1,094 rushing yards and 68 missed tackles forced.

Tunsil moves from one former No. 2 overall pick to another and will now protect Jayden Daniels in Washington. In 2024, Tunsil’s 89.1 pass-blocking grade ranked fourth among qualified tackles. Over the past four seasons, his 91.5 mark trails only Tristan Wirfs at the position.

After a rocky start to 2024 due to quarterback instability and a midseason trade, Adams regained form down the stretch. From Week 9 through Week 18, he earned an 82.1 receiving grade (13th among receivers) and posted 770 yards (seventh-most). With a better setup in Los Angeles, a bounce-back season could be in store.

Zeitler’s lone season in Detroit was among the best of his career. He set a personal best with an 87.2 run-blocking grade and recorded an 86.5 overall grade, second only to his 2014 campaign in Cincinnati. Both marks ranked among the top three guards in the league last season, giving Tennessee reason for optimism in 2025.

Williams delivered the best season of his career at age 30, earning a personal-best 87.1 PFF grade, fourth among qualified defensive tackles. It marked just the second time in his career that he posted at least a 70.0 grade in both run defense and pass rushing.

Now in his ninth year protecting Denver’s blind side, Bolles remains one of the league’s most dependable pass blockers. His 88.2 pass-blocking grade ranked sixth among tackles in 2024, and he allowed just two sacks all season. Over the past five seasons, his 89.2 pass-blocking grade ranks seventh among qualified tackles.

Buckner continued to anchor the Colts’ interior defense in 2024. Despite missing five games due to injury, he posted an 81.9 PFF grade, the second-highest of his career. It marked his third straight season with a grade above 81.8, showing little sign of decline heading into his age-31 campaign.

Matthews remains one of the NFL’s most consistent pass protectors entering his age-33 season. He earned an 85.4 pass-blocking grade in 2024 — the second-best of his career — and has posted a grade above 80.0 in eight of the past ten seasons. His durability also stands out, with over 1,000 snaps played in each of the past 10 years.

Mayfield closed out his 20s with the best season of his career. His 85.9 PFF grade in 2024 ranked sixth among quarterbacks, and he finished top-five in yards per attempt, passing touchdowns and adjusted completion percentage. With a strong supporting cast in Tampa Bay, he’s set up well for continued success in 2025.

Smith’s resurgence in his 30s has made him one of the NFL’s most productive quarterbacks over the past three seasons. He ranks eighth in passing grade and second in big-time throws during that span, while leading the league with a perfect 99.9 grade on deep passes. With a young supporting cast, Smith could help spark a much-improved Raiders offense in 2025.

Kelce took a step back by his standards in 2024, finishing with a career-low 72.2 receiving grade. Still, he committed to at least one more season and remains productive, tallying 110 receptions and nearly 1,000 yards, including the postseason. Even in decline, he remains a key piece of Kansas City’s offense.

Diggs’ 2024 campaign was shortened by injury, but he still flashed high-level play in eight games with Houston. He earned a 79.7 receiving grade — a top-25 mark among wide receivers — before being traded to New England. The Patriots will be hoping he can return to form, as no New England wideout posted a grade higher than 69.5 last season.

Davis continued to defy age in 2024, maintaining his status as one of the league’s better linebackers at age 35. He earned a 73.2 overall grade and an 80.2 run-defense grade, both top-20 marks at the position. His durability also remains elite, with over 1,000 snaps played in each of the past six seasons.

Stafford rebounded from a rough start in 2024 to help nearly topple the eventual Super Bowl champion Eagles in the postseason. From Week 8 onward, he earned an 80.9 passing grade, 11th in the league over that span. While age and mobility are concerns, he remains capable of elite-level play when protected.