Dallas Cowboys in Ideal Spot in Rankings of Average Age of Offense, Defense

Based on the rankings, the Dallas Cowboys are in a good spot when it comes to a mix of youth and older veternas on the 53-man roster.

Dallas Cowboys safety Caleb Downs (13) enters the field before the game against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Having success for one NFL season is an accomplishment in and of itself, but having sustained success over the span of multiple years is another story.

Part of the equation to accomplish the latter feat is, of course, having a sufficient mix of youth and veteran experience on the roster. For the Dallas Cowboys, they have that.

According to @SFdata9ers on X, the average age of Cowboys players on their defensive depth chart is 27.15 years, which amounts to the 12th-youngest average age in the NFL.

The Buffalo Bills come in with the youngest average age on the defensive side of the ball at 25.99 years, and they are the only team in the NFL south of 26 years.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Cowboys' depth chart comes in at an average age of 26.78 years, which is 11th-youngest among their NFL peers.

Three teams come in with an average age south of 26 on offense, including the Miami Dolphins, Tennessee Titans and Seattle Seahawks.

Average Defensive Age per Team

1. BUF
2. PHI
3. CLE
4. ARI
5. SF
..
30. LAC
31. CHI
32. PIT

Calculated using starters listed on depth charts. https://t.co/lUqHMxS6Kr pic.twitter.com/baHb8uKCtv

— SFdata9ers🏈📊 (@sfdata9ers) September 4, 2026

It's always ideal to have a nice mix of youth and older veterans on the roster, and clearly the Cowboys have that considering they aren't at the top of the NFL in average age on either side of the ball, but they aren't at the bottom, either.

Cowboys' ranking for 53-man roster age

Dallas Cowboys punter Bryan Anger (5) reacts during a joint practice against the Los Angeles Rams at the Rams Practice Facility. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

For the entire roster, the Cowboys are on the older side as compared to the rest of the league.

Jimmy Kempski of The Philly Voice crunched the numbers after cutdown day as he does annually and the Cowboys' initial 53-man roster had an average age of 26.5, the 11th-oldest.

The only moves the Cowboys have made on their 53-man roster since cutdown day have been the addition of running back Emari Demercado and the waiving of quarterback Joe Milton, who has since returned on the practice squad.

There is a one-year age difference between Demercado (27) and Milton (26), so Dallas' average age has gone up slightly, but likely not enough to make a big dent in their ranking.

The two oldest players on the Cowboys' 53-man roster are edge rusher Von Miller and punter Bryan Anger, who are 37. But Anger will turn 38 on Oct. 6, so he's officially Dallas' oldest player. Miller won't be 38 until March of 2027.

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Von Miller looks on in the second half against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Safety Caleb Downs and defensive lineman LT Overton, both of whom were 2026 NFL Draft picks, are 21 years old and are the Cowboys' youngest players.

Downs is officially younger than Overton, though, as the former will turn 22 in December and the latter will turn 22 in October.

In all, the Cowboys have nine players on their 53-man roster who are 30 or older, and 21 players are 25 and under.

The last thing any NFL team wants is to be old and bad. We know the Cowboys aren't the former, but we won't know if they are the latter until we see how things shake out in 2026.

That evaluation begins in Week 1 against the New York Giants on Sunday, Sept. 13.

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