Since 2012, Whitney Mercilus has been a mainstay of the Houston Texans defense. In his seven years with the Texans, he has amassed 43 sacks, 274 tackles and has forced nine fumbles. However, at 29 years old, and with a new contract looming, is now the time to trade the defensive playmaker?
Historically speaking, once an NFL pro hits the age of 30 it marks the “back nine” of their football career. Of course, there are outliers to this rule, looking no further than to Texans 35-year-old cornerback Johnathan Joesph who is entering his 14th season in the NFL.