Question Regarding the Possibility of Priest Retiring...

[biju]

I'm pretty sure his contract expires at the end of the 2006 season.

Actually, both Priest and LJ have contracts until 2009. I don't suspect Holmes will actually have his continue that long but LJ might.

The problem with having LJ in future years is actually the future of the KC O-line. They are starting to get up there in age and we're starting to see the results with people like Willie Roaf having injury problems.

Roaf is 35.
Wiegmann is 32.
Shields is 34.

How much longer are they going to be able to play at a high level? I was high on LJ in future years early in the season but after seeing Roaf go down with injury and how much it affected the production of the backfield I began to seriously question what would happen if one or more of these guys called it quits after this year.

Of course, I don't know what their contract situation is like but linemen probably don't get better (overall, of course; their technique is better but they're slower) in their mid-30s.

-M