Champ Bailey does not want to retire
Denver Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey (24) at a press conference in advance of Super Bowl XLVIII on the Cornucopia Majesty yacht on the Hudson River. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Before the Super Bowl, plenty of Denver Broncos players were asked questions about a potential retirement if they were to win, and all of them said no. No. 1 corner Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie strangely played coy with reporters by pretending to hint at a possible retirement, but the truth is nobody but Champ Bailey was really on retirement watch (I don’t think I’ll ever believe that Peyton Manning could retire until the day that he actually does it). Now that the Broncos lost in that fashion, though, retirement seems like the last thing on their minds.
That’s why it was no surprise to hear Bailey say yesterday that he would not be retiring after this season, and it’s going to be interesting to see if the Broncos allow him to move to safety. I don’t think that’s going to happen, so don’t expect a Ronde Barber kind of move to that position. Rahim Moore is a very good FS, and Duke Ihenacho is locked in as the in-the-box safety next to Moore. The Broncos would need Bailey to stay at corner- preferably on the outside, of course, since Chris Harris Jr. is the best slot CB in the NFL- and play at a somewhat effective level.
Bailey was roasted badly yesterday by Seattle Seahawks wideout Doug Baldwin, and that came after a strong AFC Championship Game performance. He’s on his last legs, but there’s still something in the tank for one more season. Still, the 35-year-old would have to take a giant paycut in order to remain with the Broncos organization, as they simply can’t afford to pay him the whopping $10 million that he’s set to make.