NFL players in decline going into 2019

Alford really struggled in Atlanta's secondary last season at age 30, so it wasn't a surprise to see the team move on from him. Arizona is hoping Alford has something left as a starter this year despite last year's struggles.

Brady did lead the Patriots to another Super Bowl victory last season, but the stats during the regular season showed some decline. His 29/11 TD/INT ratio was his worst since 2013, and Brady also had his worst yards-per-attempt average since 2015. With the loss of Rob Gronkowski, Brady could be headed for further decline at age 42.

The oft-injured Burfict has averaged only nine games per season since 2014 due both to injuries and suspensions. A star early in his career with Cincinnati, Burfict had fewer than five tackles per game in his seven contests last season as he struggled to remain on the field.

Tennessee gave Butler big money last offseason, but the results were mixed. The former Super Bowl hero was often burned in pass coverage, playing significantly worse than the Pro Bowl level that he showed in 2015. As Butler nears age 30, his play hasn't been going in the right direction.

A budding star early in his career, Cobb has struggled with injuries over the last three seasons. He played only nine games last year for Green Bay, averaging just 42.6 receiving yards per game and catching only 62.3 percent of his targets, the second-worst result of his career. Dallas hopes he can replace Cole Beasley in the slot this year but would be foolish to think this is the same 1,000-yard, Pro Bowl receiver we saw in 2014.

Freeman played only two games last season due to multiple injuries, and that was after he already showed a decline in 2017 with a falling yardage total. The versatile back's contact style has likely caught up to him, but the Falcons hope he can rebound after Tevin Coleman departed in free agency.

Flacco has been one of the league's worst starting quarterbacks over the last three seasons, with a terrible 6.2 yards per pass attempt. He had a losing record in nine starts last season despite an elite Ravens defense, so it wasn't a shock to see the team stick with rookie Lamar Jackson when Flacco suffered an injury. Denver hopes a change of scenery can spark the former Super Bowl champ.

Fitzgerald still shows remarkable ability at age 35, and it remains to be seen how much of his statistical decline last season was due to Arizona's terrible quarterback situation. He failed to make the Pro Bowl for only the fourth time in his career after finishing with 69 catches for 734 yards, but there's reason to think Fitzgerald can bounce back somewhat in Kliff Kingsbury's quick offense.

The Packers didn't quite get what they paid for when they signed Graham for big money last offseason. He failed to reach 700 yards receiving for the third time in four years, but it was Graham's struggles in the red zone that were the most alarming. He scored only two touchdowns after tallying 10 scores in 2017.

Injuries are becoming a major concern for Green. He played only 10 games in 2016, nine games last season and is set to miss the start of 2019 due to an ankle injury that he suffered early in camp. The injuries have taken their toll when he has played, with yards per game and catch rate averages that have been down slightly over the last two years.

Gurley was an MVP candidate during the first half of last season, but he saw limited snaps late in the regular season and into the playoffs due to an arthritic knee. The Rams have added insurance by drafting Darrell Henderson in the third round of this year's draft, adding further doubts that Gurley will bounce back to full strength in 2019.

The oft-injured Lee started at the beginning of last season for the Cowboys, but he soon was benched for productive rookie Leighton Vander Esch. Lee is set to be a backup linebacker for the Cowboys this season at age 33 and hasn't quite been as productive as usual when he has played recently.

The poor supporting cast is certainly part of the problem, but Manning has now led the Giants to a losing record in five of the last six seasons. While some of Manning's numbers were up under new head coach Pat Shurmur, including completion rate (66.0 percent) and yards per attempt (7.5), he has only 40 touchdown passes in the last two seasons over 31 games. At age 38, Manning is clearly nearing the end of his career.

The Packers and Matthews parted ways this offseason after the former star had only 3.5 sacks in 16 games last season. He adds a veteran presence to the Rams defense at age 33 this season but recently has played far from his former Pro Bowl level.

Fighting through nagging injuries last season, McCoy's production was more sporadic for the Bucs. He missed two games, and his 28 tackles was his lowest total since 2011. Tampa Bay moved on from its former star, but he hopes he can rebound at age 31 in Carolina.

McCoy remained Buffalo's bell cow running back last year but averaged a pitiful 3.2 yards per carry in 14 games. Now at age 31, he looks well past his prime with a significant drop in yards per carry over the last two seasons and is a candidate to be cut in training camp if the Bills see further decline.

Norman cashed in after an All-Pro season in 2015 with Carolina, but he's been in a steady decline since then. He was frequently burned in coverage last season for Washington at age 31 and seems unlikely to get back to his former level of play given his age.

Quinn has had trouble staying on the field since he made the Pro Bowl in 2013 and 2014. Last year was his first 16-game season since then, but he had only 6.5 sacks and 38 tackles for the Dolphins. Even with pass rush being a major need, the Dolphins traded Quinn to Dallas in the offseason for a sixth-round pick.

Reed has been a star at times during his career when he's been healthy but has yet to play a 16-game season in his career. Entering his seventh NFL season, Reed has seen his production crash over the last two years, averaging only 43 yards per game in 13 games last year. That's a sharp decline from his 2016 Pro Bowl campaign.

Sanders continues to show production in his early 30s but has now missed time in consecutive seasons due to injuries. Most recently, he suffered a torn Achilles late last season. He hasn't been the deep threat over the last two seasons that we saw earlier in his career.

An elite defensive player early in his career, Suh is more of a run clogger these days. He had only 4.5 sacks in each of the last two seasons after averaging seven sacks of his first six NFL seasons. The Bucs brought on Suh to replace Gerald McCoy this year.

One of the oldest defensive players in the NFL at age 33, Talib played only eight games during the regular season last year due to injury. He remains a productive cover corner when he is on the field, but his streak of five straight Pro Bowls was halted last year and there's reason to be concerned injuries will continue to be an issue given his age.

Thomas struggled between Denver and Houston last season before suffering a torn Achilles. His 677 yards receiving was his lowest total since 2011, and Thomas had to settle for little guaranteed money this offseason with New England. Still recovering from the injury, it's possible he won't make the Patriots roster.

Walker suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Week 1 last year, and there's reason to be skeptical of his rebound at age 35. He made three consecutive Pro Bowls with the Titans before last season's injury.

Wright struggled through a knee injury for much of last season, playing only five games for the Seahawks. The team still re-signed the veteran linebacker in the offseason, but his play was significantly impacted last year even when he did play. It remains to be seen how much Wright has left as he enters his age 30 season.