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Age in focus

ANALYSIS

The challenge for any NFL team is to stay young, but still compete for a championship. It's a constant balancing act, and the Patriots' initial 2007 roster is slightly older than last year's.

Using Dec. 31, 2006 as the marker, last year's roster averaged 27 years old per player. Using Dec. 31, 2007 as the marker, this year's is up slightly, to 27.6.

Cornerback Asante Samuel and safety Rodney Harrison, although not active, were included in the age analysis. Players on the physically unable to perform list were not.

A look at the average age of each position and how it compares to 2006:

Quarterback
This year: 26
Last year: 26.5
Quick hit: Rookie free agent Matt Gutierrez (23) brings the number down as Tom Brady (30) and Matt Cassel (25) pick up another year of experience.

Running back
This year: 27.75
Last year: 27.8
Quick hit: Corey Dillon's departure and Sammy Morris' arrival lower the number slightly. At 22, Laurence Maroney is the youngest player on the entire roster.

Wide receiver
This year: 27.6
Last year: 26.6
Quick hit: Randy Moss (30) is the senior citizen of the group at this time, while all others -- Wes Welker (26), Donte' Stallworth (27), Kelley Washington (28), Jabar Gaffney (27) and Reche Caldwell (28) -- are in their prime years.

Tight end
This year: 28.6
Last year: 25
Quick hit: The position that aged the most on the roster, with the inclusion of Kyle Brady (35) and departure of Daniel Graham (29).

Offensive line
This year: 27.5
Last year: 26.6
Quick hit: Essentially the same group as last year with one more year of experience.

Defensive line
This year: 25.5
Last year: 25.1
Quick hit: While Richard Seymour is not included here, the top five linemen return with another year of experience, with rookie Kareem Brown (23) keeping the number down.

Linebacker
This year: 30.8
Last year: 30
Quick hit: Unit continues to age, with inside linebacker Eric Alexander (25) and outside linebacker Pierre Woods (25) the youngest players.

Defensive backs
This year: 26.8
Last year: 26.7
Quick hit: The Patriots have a nice young core with players like Asante Samuel (26), Ellis Hobbs (24), Randall Gay (25), James Sanders (26) and Brandon Meriweather (23), with Rodney Harrison (35) and Tory James (34) the senior members.

Specialists
This year: 27.6
Last year: 28.7
Quick hit: Kicker Stephen Gostkowski (23) and long snapper Lonie Paxton (29) pick up another year of experience but punter Chris Hanson (31) brings the number down in replacing Josh Miller (37).