Wiegmann considering retirement

[Tned]

Wiegmann turned out to be an excellent pickup and did a very good job. If he does retire, Nalen's status is very unkown, between age and injury. Who knows if lichtensteiger (or however it's spelled) is ready to step in at center, or if they slide Hamilton to center and put Licht or another backup at LG (RG, with Kuper sliding to LG).

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/dec/29/marshalls-vow-cut-drops/?partner=RSS


Center Casey Wiegmann said he is considering retirement.

"I'm going to talk to my wife to see what's going on, and, of course, I have to talk to the Broncos to see what's happening," Wiegmann said. "I was pretty happy with the way I played this year. You definitely don't want to go out 8-8. I said that last year (in Kansas City) when we were 4-12. We'll see what happens. . . . I'm pretty healthy right now, so it's kind of like, 'Should I come back, or should I just call it quits being healthy and calling it a good career?' I've had a lot of positive feedback from teammates."

Wiegmann, who signed a one-year deal that included a $300,000 signing bonus just before the season, started all 16 games for the Broncos.

Wiegmann, who just finished his 13th season, has not missed a game since 2001.

He stepped into the Broncos' starting lineup when longtime center Tom Nalen was placed on injured reserve because of a knee injury.

While it isn't too surprising that he is considering retirement, it is a shame considering how well the line performed this year. It would have been nice to have the same unit back next year.

[JKcatch724]

Hope he comes back. He did a great job.

[ikillz0mbies]

I'm hoping he would come back. He definitely played solid and is a huge reason (aside from Clady and Harris) why Cutler had all day long to throw the ball. He even played amazingly well against the better DT's in the league (i.e. Kris Jenkins). If he doesn't come back, I just hope Lichtensteiger is ready to step in.

[WARHORSE]

I think he played exceptionally. Im not sure Nalen would have done better.
The Broncos of course, will try and get him to stay.

I dont recall a single fumble this year during the center/QB exchange.

Not one, whether shotgun or under center. That cant be said about Nalen/Cutler.

[broncofaninfla]

I pray he comes back for one more seasons. I'm guessing Nalen will retire, we'll need him.

[SR]

The dude came here and filled in for an all pro center and ended up first alternate at his position for the Pro Bowl. We need this dude to come back.

[Requiem / The Dagda]

I'd like to have him back too, but Alex Mack wouldn't be a bad replacement. Ben H., wouldn't either -- and have Kory L., swap to LG. Either way, he played great this year and I wouldn't mind having him come back.

[broncofaninfla]

I'd like to have him back too, but Alex Mack wouldn't be a bad replacement. Ben H., wouldn't either -- and have Kory L., swap to LG. Either way, he played great this year and I wouldn't mind having him come back.

Our O-line was nearly perfect this year. I think it's imperative we keep it intact.

[Denver Native (Carol)]

Last night on the Jay Cutler show (Brandon once again sitting in for Jay), the guest was Ebenezer Ekuban. Vic said to him that he heard they were going to make their home in Denver, and Ebenezer said yes. Vic ask him if he would want to come back to the Broncos next year, and Ebenezer said yes, that his wife has told him that they will not move again, so if the Broncos do not ask him back, he would probably retire.

[Traveler]

I'd like to have him back too, but Alex Mack wouldn't be a bad replacement. Ben H., wouldn't either -- and have Kory L., swap to LG. Either way, he played great this year and I wouldn't mind having him come back.

I like the Mack kid too, but we have too many holes to fill defensively.

[Requiem / The Dagda]

I like the Mack kid too, but we have too many holes to fill defensively.

No more false dilemmas today. Denver has free agency and ten draft picks as of right now to address needs. Yes, defense should be our number one priority -- but we have two avenues to pursue players. Even if we re-sign Casey, I'd still look hard at Mack. I don't get why people have this straight-edge do or die with the defensive draft mentality.

Denver could get Mack with their second round selection and still address defense with a myriad of others. We need interior OL depth, a returner/receiver and a running back on offense. That's three picks. Why can't we use the other seven on defense? Why all ten? Come on people. It's getting old.

[Requiem / The Dagda]

Sorry if I sounded like a butthead Traveler, I dealt with people all day yesterday saying we couldn't do anything offensively in the draft because it's just not possible with all the holes we have on defense. OTOH, we have three avenues to pursue players. I forgot trades. Sorry about that.

[DenBronx]

no offense dream but i see why alot of people on here dont want to burn a 1st day pick on a center.

[Traveler]

Sorry if I sounded like a butthead Traveler, I dealt with people all day yesterday saying we couldn't do anything offensively in the draft because it's just not possible with all the holes we have on defense. OTOH, we have three avenues to pursue players. I forgot trades. Sorry about that.

No problem. I understand what you are saying. My concern is unless Mack is rated a 4th rounder or below, Center is a position we can wait on or address in FA.

IMO, our first 3 picks should be defense, unless we somehow get another 2nd or 3rd rounder from someone.

[G_Money]

Well, this is why we drafted Lichtensteiger last year. Hopefully he can be The Guy. I worry about fumbles on the under-center exchanges again. Neither guy is his best when in non-shotgun situations. But hopefully we’ll work that out.

There are Cs and OGs and OG/Cs that are available in this draft. I’m looking at Eric Wood, not Mack, and thinking I can get him on the 2nd day no problem.

Mack’d be nice, but there comes a point when it really is tough to justify. We’ve done fine with late-day picks for our interior line forever. It’s not like OT. You can get a center or a guard on the 2nd day.

I’d rather have 1st day skill-position talent and 2nd day trench warriors, not because I think the trenchers are less important, but because there are more success 2nd day success stories among them and we need to hit on a LOT of picks in this draft.

This is one draft I’d play the percentages in.

~G

[SR]

I'd like to see Denver take the safety from USC with their first round pick, then go after some a couple of stud 2nd and 3rd round defensive linemen, then fill in needs after that. I've got a gut feeling that a combination of the following players will end up with the Broncos next year: Jonathan Vilma (played with DJ Williams in college), Albert Haynesworth, and Julius Peppers. They're all UFAs. I doubt TN will tag Haynesworth. At any rate, I don't want us to waste a first day pick on an offensive lineman. We've got depth and our offensive line HAS to stay in tact next year. We had one of the best, least penalized offensive lines in the league this year. No sense in messing with it. If it's not broken...

[Skinny]

There is'nt a Casey Weigmann in this FA pool though. The leading FA for C after the playoffs is Matt Birk, Minn. He's a pro-bolwer, 32 where as Casey is 35, who's been a Viking since 98' so there's a good chance he can be resigned or even franchised. But we're not in need of a big-time FA to sign and play center if the plans are truly to get Litch ready. Casey coming back one more year would be a blessing. In every aspect of the game.

After Birk, the guys are young, up and coming, like Jason Brown (25) for Baltimore who will be looking for big-long term contracts. Maybe Brad Meester could be that gem in FA. But with Litch and possibly Hamilton in the fold, i don't think we fall into that catagory where we have to sign a big FA. Just somebody to hold down the fort for another year till Litch can legitamitley take over the raines.

I would hate to have to go shopping for another starting quality C this off-season after hitting the jackpot on Weigmann. But if Casey retires, that's just what were going to have to do. If Litch is the starter or not.

As for the draft, we like them versatile. Bama's C Antoine Caldwell (6'3, 305) fits that discription. He's played C, OG, and OT during his time there. He's got all the tools. Best part is he's projected behind guys like Mack and Luigs and we can upgrade the defense with the first pick and should still be able to address the depth for O-line in the 2nd, or maybe even the 3rd depending on other teams needs.

I'm not against using a 1st round pick on a C or a OG at all. We have a lack of depth along the O-line. Luckily it did'nt show because everybody pretty much stayed healthy. But, i am a bigger fan of addressing your biggest needs first. If the value is'nt there, that's understandable. But if your going to upgrade, upgrade a position you aimed to upgrade the year before... just please, hit it on the head.

[LRtagger]

The first personnel news of the offseason is bad news :tsk:

[Broncos4Ever24]

Hope he'll be back, played very good and at a consistant level all year

[broncofaninfla]

Hopefully Wiegmann see's enough promise in this young team to come back for one more year. I haven't seen enough of Licht to know what we have there yet. Denver has had good luck with centers through out the years though.

[Max Power]

No more false dilemmas today. Denver has free agency and ten draft picks as of right now to address needs. Yes, defense should be our number one priority -- but we have two avenues to pursue players. Even if we re-sign Casey, I'd still look hard at Mack. I don't get why people have this straight-edge do or die with the defensive draft mentality.

Denver could get Mack with their second round selection and still address defense with a myriad of others. We need interior OL depth, a returner/receiver and a running back on offense. That's three picks. Why can't we use the other seven on defense? Why all ten? Come on people. It's getting old.

I don't think we need to spend every draft pick on defense, but as long as the value matches up, I would like to see our top picks spent on MLB, S, and DL. Those are our biggest needs IMO, and while you don't want to reach, the goal is to draft for need with acceptable value. I don't mind Mack in the 2nd as long as we have fixed some of our defensive holes before then, through FA and our 1st pick. A RB in the 1st followed by a C in the 2nd means we probably missed out on all the top defensive talent the draft has to offer. That's why I don't like lex's mock too.

Who knows how active we'll be in FA, given the poor economy. Plus, this team seems more intent on building through the draft. I don't think we'll sign any big name FA, we might sign a bunch of lower priced ones like we did last year, but I don't think that would adequately address needs either (it didn't for us this year).

Mack does become a lot more attractive for me if Wiegmann doesn't come back though.