Vikings have NFL's second-oldest roster in 2024

Led by an experienced defense, the Vikings are not a young team this year.

Aug 5, 2023; Eagan, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith (22) during training camp at Twin Cities Orthopedic Center. / Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

Generally, when teams enter rebuilding years, they get younger. The Vikings did that this offseason to some degree by replacing Kirk Cousins and Danielle Hunter with 21-year-old rookies J.J. McCarthy and Dallas Turner.

But on the whole, this is not a young Vikings team. In fact, it's the second-oldest team in the NFL this year, with an average age of 27.15 years on the 53-man roster, per The 33rd Team. That obviously doesn't include McCarthy, who is spending his rookie season on injured reserve.

The Vikings' starters have an average age of 27.57 years. That includes Harrison Smith (35), Stephon Gilmore (33), and Jonathan Bullard (30), among many others in their late 20s. They have a few young starters, like Jordan Addison (22) and Ivan Pace Jr. (23), but most of them are in their late 20s. Even guys like Justin Jefferson and Christian Darrisaw are now 25.

Particularly on defense, the Vikings have a ton of age and experience this year. Outside of Turner and Pace, every starting-level defender for Brian Flores is at least 26. Key backups like Kamu Grugier-Hill, Fabian Moreau, and Jihad Ward are all 30. There aren't many spring chickens expected to see major roles on that side of the ball.

The same is mostly true on offense, even if Cousins' departure means the oldest starter is 29-year-old Aaron Jones (unless you want to count C.J. Ham, 31). Garrett Bradbury is 29, Johnny Mundt is 29, Brian O'Neill is 28, Sam Darnold is 27.

The Vikings' specialists group is an amusing one, with Will Reichard (23) and Ryan Wright (24) joined by the oldest player on the team, long snapper Andrew DePaola (37).