Lilja Ends Retirement

[xBxtxDx]

And singed to play center for the Broncos. $2.2M for next year.

Ryan Lilja ends retirement, and agrees to join Broncos - It's All Over, Fat Man!

 

[WalkerBoh]

Confirmed by NFL.com:
Ryan Lilja, Denver Broncos agree to 1-year contract - NFL.com

 

[cdumler7]

This could be huge. The guy graded out last year for the Chiefs as the 14th best Center in the NFL (Koppen graded out as the 22nd best Center). He was also a better run blocker than pass blocker which I think having Peyton his pass blocking ability should be a bit better. Throw in being on a team that actually wins games will help out with that as well. If nothing else this signing gives the Broncos some good depth on the interior. This should move Ramirez back to his back up role at guard and center as well as possibly having Kuper as a back up (although this signing could allow the Broncos to cut his salary).

Very nice move Bronco Front Office. Plus added bonus of the fact that the Chiefs tried to bring him out of retirement and he refused and as soon as the Broncos call he says yes

 

[xBxtxDx]

This could be huge. The guy graded out last year for the Chiefs as the 14th best Center in the NFL (Koppen graded out as the 22nd best Center). He was also a better run blocker than pass blocker which I think having Peyton his pass blocking ability should be a bit better. Throw in being on a team that actually wins games will help out with that as well. If nothing else this signing gives the Broncos some good depth on the interior. This should move Ramirez back to his back up role at guard and center as well as possibly having Kuper as a back up (although this signing could allow the Broncos to cut his salary).

Very nice move Bronco Front Office. Plus added bonus of the fact that the Chiefs tried to bring him out of retirement and he refused and as soon as the Broncos call he says yes

My thoughts exactly all the way down to cutting Kuper.

 

[MileHigh64]

Given the sophistication of a Peyton Manning led offense, this injury/replacement scenario is the most troubling thorn standing in the way of a Broncos championship for me right now. Even having said that though, I still think the Broncos are one of the top 2 or 3 teams going into the season.

MH64

 

[TDs3nOut]

This could be huge. The guy graded out last year for the Chiefs as the 14th best Center in the NFL (Koppen graded out as the 22nd best Center). He was also a better run blocker than pass blocker which I think having Peyton his pass blocking ability should be a bit better. Throw in being on a team that actually wins games will help out with that as well. If nothing else this signing gives the Broncos some good depth on the interior. This should move Ramirez back to his back up role at guard and center as well as possibly having Kuper as a back up (although this signing could allow the Broncos to cut his salary).

Very nice move Bronco Front Office. Plus added bonus of the fact that the Chiefs tried to bring him out of retirement and he refused and as soon as the Broncos call he says yes

Okay, that's good to know. Could be a much more significant signing than I'd previously thought. Someone posted a piece about it in another thread that included that Lilja was a G, not a C, but only when he played with PM at Indy. I didn't read that carefully and thought that he hadn't played C before. Maybe he is actually an upgrade over Koppen.