THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- Nobody else on his new roster is even 30. The head coach, Sean McVay, is more than four years younger. And in 2016, no player at his position was older. Andrew Whitworth, the Los Angeles Rams' new left tackle, is an outlier for an NFL that continually gets younger. He is approaching his age-36 season, but he just received a three-year, $36 million contract that guarantees $15 million, and he remains among the very best at what he does.

"Obviously," Whitworth said, "age is an issue."

He smiled wryly, because he knows it's a focus and perhaps also because he knows it's a misconception.

"The reality is I feel like I can still go out every Sunday and help my team win," Whitworth, speaking from the Rams' facility on Friday, went on. "I still feel like I’m going to win enough percentages of blocks that you’re going to feel like that’s not a position you have to worry about."

Whitworth doesn't have to tell you that. In 2015, he was first-team All-Pro. In 2016, he was graded the NFL's second-best tackle by Pro Football Focus. Whitworth allowed one sack after Week 5 last season. Over that two-year stretch, he allowed 38 total pressures, two fewer than what Greg Robinson -- the former No. 2 overall pick who will now move to the right side -- allowed in 2016 alone. And all throughout, Whitworth has been crazy durable, starting 126 of the Bengals' 128 games over the last eight years, including all 48 since 2014.

Five years ago, he changed his work habits.

Whitworth -- measuring 6-foot-7 and weighing 330 pounds -- stopped lifting heavy weights like a prototypical offensive lineman and focused moreso on flexibility and endurance. He got into CrossFit and Orangetheory Fitness, went on hikes and did everything he could to stay outdoors and remain active.

"I just try to keep the body moving," Whitworth said, "and I feel like I can be more athletic and more fluid the more I can keep myself moving, the more I can keep my body in great shape year-round."

Whitworth, who will wear No. 77, played every single game for LSU, then became a second-round pick in 2006, spending most of his first three NFL seasons at guard before transitioning to left tackle. All 11 of his prior years came with the Cincinnati Bengals, but part of him knew he would eventually move on when they signed him to only a one-year extension in the early stages of a 2015 season that was probably his best.

He said "a lot of teams" were interested in his services this offseason, which was gratifying.

"At my age, honestly, you sit there and you wonder," Whitworth said. "It was very humbling to see that many teams out there."

But the Rams were the most persistent. The upcoming draft is devoid of polished tackles and the free-agent market didn't offer all that much to choose from, so the Rams were going to do whatever it took to sign Whitworth. They watched their franchise quarterback, Jared Goff, absorb 25 sacks over the final six games of his rookie season and couldn't stomach another year without an established left tackle protecting his blind side.

So they persuaded Whitworth to venture out to the West Coast.

Retirement is nowhere on his mind just yet.

"Honestly, I just love playing the game," he said. "I love being a part of the locker room, I love pushing guys -- all of us in the same direction. I believe that leadership is not about dictating a room as much as it is inspiring guys to want to do something with you. That, to me, is leadership, when people want to go into the same building with you, side-by-side, and do something. I love that part about football. As long as my body is capable of holding up and going through it, then I want to do it. I enjoy it and look forward to trying to play as long as I can.”

Whitworth was introduced alongside his wife and three of his four children, speaking to the media moments after new wide receiver Robert Woods.

The Rams are excited about Whitworth's blocking ability, but they are also looking forward to the leadership he can provide for their young locker room. Whitworth, also a motivational speaker, has been lauded for his leadership abilities throughout his career. But he's also very involved in the community, running the Big Whit 77 Foundation, which assists families in adoption and provides funding for after-school programs.

"People that know me know I love challenges, I love adventures, I love to do new things," Whitworth said. "When I realized that it probably wasn’t going to get done in Cincy, I wanted to find somewhere that I felt like I could go and make a difference and make an impact. My wife and I, that’s something that’s really important to us, something that we always think about is how can we impact the people around us."

The Rams are coming off a 4-12 season in 2016, their 10th straight with a losing record. They have gained the NFL's fewest yards each of the last two years, largely because their offensive line has struggled so much. They'll guarantee Whitworth $12.5 million in the first year of his contract and the remaining $2.5 million for the second year, which may be enough for Whitworth to believe he will at least play out those first two years.

Players his age are usually chasing a ring by now, but Whitworth didn't approach free agency that way.

"I look at the challenge of playing football every week, me against whoever their best player is that plays that position across from me, and me trying to win," Whitworth said. "Hopefully, that inspires my teammates to do the same at their spots and we win games."