Miami Dolphins defensive end Cameron Wake is still playing at a high level despite being well into his mid-30s. He’s coming off back-to-back seasons playing 16 games and recording double-digit sacks while playing over half the team’s defensive snaps.
However, Wake could potentially see his playing time reduced to keep him playing effectively as he enters his age 36 season. If that is indeed the case, he says he has no problem playing whatever role the team asks him to play.
“Could I play every down? Obviously, yes, I’ve shown that,” Wake said, via Hal Habib of the Palm Beach Post. “Is that in the best interest of the team? Is that in the best interest of myself? Question mark.
“I don’t have this ‘Everybody look at me. I must be the starter.’ That’s not my mentality. I want to do whatever is going to help the entirety of the team, the entirety of the defense. So, if it means me being a third-down guy, let’s do it. If it means I have to start and play every down, I’ll take that role on, too.”
It’s always great to hear when one of the team’s leaders is ready and willing to do whatever it takes in order to help the team win. While Wake could probably still play the majority of the team's defensive snaps if he wanted to, he’d likely be a more impactful player at 36 if he could go full bore for fewer plays.
Luckily for the Dolphins, they still have a couple of strong edge rushers in Andre Branch and Robert Quinn who can keep the pressure on opposing quarterbacks even if Wake starts taking a bit of a back seat starting this year.
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