Marco Polo
09-08-2006, 12:36 PM
Sorry if this is a repost:
John Welbourn reportedly wants to play for the Chiefs again this year.
The veteran tackle would likely be suspended for the first six games of the season due to violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy.WELBOURN WANTS BACK INLost to date in the confirmation that former Chiefs tackle John Welbourn will be suspended six games for violating the NFL's steroids policy (we reported on rumors of a suspension on July 18 (http://www.profootballtalk.com/7-16-06through7-31-06.htm)) is the obvious reality that, although Welbourn claimed that he was retiring, he really hadn't retired.If he had retired, there would be no reason to announce a six-game suspension.But now that Welbourn has successfully avoided training camp and the preseason, in which he would have been contractually required to participate notwithstanding the looming six-game suspension, Welbourn is trying to un-retire.So after the six-game suspension, the Chiefs will have to decide whether to bring him back, or whether to cut him. There's still talk that, despite the looming suspension, Welbourn walked away in June because the team wouldn't give him a raise. We've also heard rumblings that after Welbourn "retired" he was bad-mouthing the organization to tackle Willie Roaf, at a time when Roaf was going back and forth regarding the question of whether he would retire, too.The challenge for Chiefs G.M. Carl Peterson, as we see it, will be to set aside the past and ask himself whether Welbourn can help to improve an offensive line that could be in shambles with the loss of both starting tackles from the 2005 season.Frankly, the fact that Kyle Turley a/k/a Crazy Joe Davola is now the starting left tackle after two years on the shelf with chronic back trouble tells us that it's time for the Chiefs to smoke the peace pipe with Welbourn.
John Welbourn reportedly wants to play for the Chiefs again this year.
The veteran tackle would likely be suspended for the first six games of the season due to violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy.WELBOURN WANTS BACK INLost to date in the confirmation that former Chiefs tackle John Welbourn will be suspended six games for violating the NFL's steroids policy (we reported on rumors of a suspension on July 18 (http://www.profootballtalk.com/7-16-06through7-31-06.htm)) is the obvious reality that, although Welbourn claimed that he was retiring, he really hadn't retired.If he had retired, there would be no reason to announce a six-game suspension.But now that Welbourn has successfully avoided training camp and the preseason, in which he would have been contractually required to participate notwithstanding the looming six-game suspension, Welbourn is trying to un-retire.So after the six-game suspension, the Chiefs will have to decide whether to bring him back, or whether to cut him. There's still talk that, despite the looming suspension, Welbourn walked away in June because the team wouldn't give him a raise. We've also heard rumblings that after Welbourn "retired" he was bad-mouthing the organization to tackle Willie Roaf, at a time when Roaf was going back and forth regarding the question of whether he would retire, too.The challenge for Chiefs G.M. Carl Peterson, as we see it, will be to set aside the past and ask himself whether Welbourn can help to improve an offensive line that could be in shambles with the loss of both starting tackles from the 2005 season.Frankly, the fact that Kyle Turley a/k/a Crazy Joe Davola is now the starting left tackle after two years on the shelf with chronic back trouble tells us that it's time for the Chiefs to smoke the peace pipe with Welbourn.