NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Signing a 37-year-old to a three-year deal worth $23 million may seem a bit out of the ordinary, but Jon Robinson didn't see it that way.
The Tennessee Titans GM turned to veteran edge defender Cameron Wake to bolster the Titans' pass rush. The suggestion that he is too old doesn't faze Wake. He has heard it all before.
"I've been old since I was 28. Every year I am too old," Wake said at his introductory news conference. "If I had a nickel for every time I heard that I could probably buy a team. I do what I do for the people who believe in me. I don't do it for the doubters -- it's for the people that believe ... those who know how hard I work and know the details."
Those details include having the discipline to put aside distractions like video games and go for an extra run, or to forego a cheeseburger and eat a salad instead. Proper nutrition, sleep and recovery are focal points for Wake. He believes they are key to his continuing to play at a high level.
Wake is no spring chicken, but he is still in superb shape and capable of getting after the quarterback. The way he condenses and bends his body as he comes off the edge toward the passer is what makes him so effective.
He finished last season with six sacks, having played on 47.5 percent (517 snaps) of Miami's defensive plays. According to the ESPN Pass Rush Metric powered by NFL Next Gen Stats, Wake's pass rush win rate was 33.7 percent, which was sixth-highest including the playoffs last season (min. 250 rushes) and third-highest among defensive ends/outside linebackers, behind Robert Quinn (40.4 percent) and Jadeveon Clowney (35.1 percent).
The Titans are banking on Wake keeping it up in his 11th NFL season (he played two seasons in the CFL before joining the Dolphins). Who else has been able to fight off Father Time into his late 30s? One recent example is former Carolina Panthers pass-rusher Julius Peppers.
Peppers was 37 when he returned to the Panthers on a one-year deal and posted 11 sacks in 2017. He became only the third player in NFL history at age 37 or older to record at least 10 sacks in a season. Playing primarily on passing downs allowed Peppers to put up respectable numbers despite only seeing action on 50 percent of the defensive plays (500 snaps).
Adding Wake's veteran presence to the team is also an advantage.
Titans defensive line coach Terrell Williams "has a history with Cam," Robinson said.
"That played into us going after him," Robinson added. "Having that veteran presence in that locker room to show some of our younger players and teach them what has gotten him so far in his career will help our football team."
Even if Wake doesn't see a high amount of game reps, he can still have an impact as an elder statesman on the defense. It's a role he embraces.
"I was blessed at the beginning of my career to be with some pretty good guys that played in this league in Jason Taylor and Joey Porter," Wake said. "I had the opportunity to learn and ask questions, be a sponge and grab whatever nuggets I could. I've been able to play in this league a long time and gain some of those nuggets myself. To be able to pass that on is not only a role, but it's also part of the reason I've been brought here."