Retiring Lepsis leaves Broncos’ line in shambles

By Chris Cluff  |   Tuesday, January 01, 2008  |  Comments( 0 )

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Denver left tackle Matt Lepsis, unsatisfied with his play in 2007, is retiring after 11 seasons with the Broncos. Lepsis, who will be 34 this month, joined the Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 1997 and started 122 games from 1998 to 2006, when he suffered a torn ACL in his right knee. Lepsis had two seasons left on a four-year, $25 million contract extension he signed in 2006, but he decided to leave the remaining $9 million on the table because he felt his play was declining. "I didn't want to go make all that money and not give the team what I was supposed to," he told the Denver Post. "I could definitely still go out and play a few more years, but that's not what I wanted to do."

Commentary: The Broncos' line, long one of the team's strengths, is in shambles heading into 2008. Center Tom Nalen and left guard Ben Hamilton didn't make it through the season, and now the only other experienced lineman is retiring. This area will need to be addressed with multiple moves in the offseason.

Fantasy Football Impact: A quarterback and running back are only as good as their line allows them to be. Jay Cutler and Travis Henry should be stumping for some big guys.
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About Chris Cluff

Chris Cluff spent 10 years as an editor and sportswriter for The Seattle Times. He was a key figure in the newspaper's coverage of the Seahawks, particularly during their Super Bowl run in 2005. He also has written two books on the Seahawks: "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Heart-Pounding,...
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