Willie Roaf to retire......

[stomperrob]

For those who question why Roaf would do this at the start of training camp, he didn't - he told the Chiefs of his plans back in May and they kept quiet about it in hopes that he would change his mind.
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascit ... 149787.htm

[biju]

With all the losses to the lines of SEA and KC, LDT is looking more and more like the safest pick of the 3... Agree?

Remember that Seattle lost Hutchinson only. A guard. Yeah, he was probowl material, but he's still just a guard and wasn't even the best O-lineman on the team.

On top of that we added Tom Ashworth which means we'll have both sides capable of supporting the run.

I'm not saying you should take Alexander first, just don't get the wrong information when making a decision.

[maddog60]

With all the losses to the lines of SEA and KC, LDT is looking more and more like the safest pick of the 3... Agree?

Remember that Seattle lost Hutchinson only. A guard. Yeah, he was probowl material, but he's still just a guard and wasn't even the best O-lineman on the team.

On top of that we added Tom Ashworth which means we'll have both sides capable of supporting the run.

I'm not saying you should take Alexander first, just don't get the wrong information when making a decision.

I find it funny that for years Seahawks fans have been clamoring that Hutchinson is quite possibly the best guard in the NFL, and now that he's gone "oh, he's just a guard."

Yes, Walter Jones is still there, but dismissing such a huge loss along the line would be ridiculous. I should know, I did it last year with my Eagles. Mayberry wasn't even half the guard Hutch is, but I gaurantee if you watched 2004 and 2005 film you'd see the immediate negative impact his leaving had.

Between losing Hutch, being the oldest of the top three, and coming off a career record breaking year (nowhere to go but down), Alexander should be just a hair behind LT and LJ.

[biju]

I find it funny that for years Seahawks fans have been clamoring that Hutchinson is quite possibly the best guard in the NFL, and now that he's gone "oh, he's just a guard."

I don't know about everyone else, but I believe I've always maintained that the Seahawks had the best left side in the NFL. I don't want to discount how well Hutchinson worked for us the past few years but at the same time everyone needs to recognize that Jones was and still is the reason the left side is so good.

Is the loss of Hutchinson going to make an impact? Sure. Is it going to be devestating to our Offensive Line, and ultimately Shaun Alexander's numbers? No.

And of course, SA isn't going to match last year's numbers. Those were career year numbers. Even if Hutch was still in Seattle he wouldn't put those numbers up. But people are going to make a big deal out of it and say it was the loss of Hutchinson that made his numbers drop.

Anyway, I'm simply saying that people are making way too big a deal about losing Hutchinson.

[SniperShot]

KC still hoping Roaf will come back???

http://www.nfl.com/teams/story/KC/9575943

Is it a done deal or not?

[D3C4K]

Oh, and LJ's games without Roaf:

9/18 vs. Oak - 9 carries 41 yds, 1 td
9/26 vs. Den - 8 carries 13 yds, 0 tds
10/2 vs. Phi - 7 carries, 34 yds, 0 tds
11/6 vs. Oak - 22 carries, 107 yds, 2 tds, 48 yds receiving
11/13 vs. Buf - 27 carries, 132 yds, 0 tds, 46 yds receiving
11/20 vs. Hou - 36 carries, 211 yds, 2 tds, 6 yds receiving

Priest's games in that span (to balance out LJ's numbers while they were splitting carries)

9/18 vs. Oak - 19 carries, 75 yds, 1 td, 15 yds receiving
9/26 vs. Den - 14 carries, 61 yds, 0 tds, 32 yds receiving
10/2 vs. Phi - 18 carries, 84 yds, 1 td, 24 yds receiving
(Was injured for the rest of Roaf's missed games.)

Man that's just awful. What?!?! I'm still taking that anyday of the week! If you honestly think that anybody else is going to have better stats you take them. But that right there proves he doesn't need Roaf to do it.

Not to mention the original post neglected to point out how Priest+LJ in the three bad weeks still = big points... Roaf being out had less of an impact than Priest being the starter in those games...

[BrutallyHuge]

KC still hoping Roaf will come back???

This was just in a Yahoo FF Article as well by Dan Pompei:

The Chiefs won't be surprised if Willie Roaf "unretires" as awkwardly as he retired. The 36-year old left tackle announced he was quitting out of the blue right before the start of training camp. A couple of months ago, Roaf was selling linemate Will Shields on coming back for another season, telling him life would be a lot easier working for Herm Edwards than it was for Dick Vermeil. Then, in the weeks leading up to camp, Roaf wouldn't return phone calls from Chiefs officials. Finally, he called a reporter to let everyone know retirement was on his mind. Some believe Roaf "retired" just because he doesn't want to go through training camp and that he'll be back in a couple of weeks. The Chiefs would love for him to return. . . .

[Twisted Sister]

KC still hoping Roaf will come back???

This was just in a Yahoo FF Article as well by Dan Pompei:

The Chiefs won't be surprised if Willie Roaf "unretires" as awkwardly as he retired. The 36-year old left tackle announced he was quitting out of the blue right before the start of training camp. A couple of months ago, Roaf was selling linemate Will Shields on coming back for another season, telling him life would be a lot easier working for Herm Edwards than it was for Dick Vermeil. Then, in the weeks leading up to camp, Roaf wouldn't return phone calls from Chiefs officials. Finally, he called a reporter to let everyone know retirement was on his mind. Some believe Roaf "retired" just because he doesn't want to go through training camp and that he'll be back in a couple of weeks. The Chiefs would love for him to return. . . .

Grasping at straws... KC fans and LJ owners. Who knows? The NFL has become a circus in recent years.