Brandon Lloyd Would Be Wise to Delay Retirement for Another Season

Before you leave for good, Brandon Lloyd, think about what you're doing.

According to CBSSports' Jason La Canfora, the 10-year veteran is thinking about retiring.

It's easy to see why Lloyd might want to walk away. A little over a week ago, the NFL settled that concussion lawsuit for $765 million. It was yet another stark reminder of the price so many football players pay.

If you're Lloyd, you might want to get out while the getting is good. You don't want to end up like Dave Duerson or Mike Webster.

That motivation is incredibly strong, and nobody can fault Lloyd if he does want to walk away. He's without a team at the moment, so he's not walking away from his teammates and leaving them high and dry. In addition, he's made enough money in his career to be secure for the rest of his life, and there's no point in having that money if you can't be around to enjoy it.

On the other hand, he could realistically give it at least one more year. Lloyd is only 31 years old and doesn't appear to have had a significant history of concussions. The only major injury he's suffered was a broken collarbone in 2007. In fact, over the last three seasons, he's only missed one game.

During that span, he's had 221 receptions, 3,325 yards and 20 touchdowns. Those numbers means Lloyd could earn himself a spot on quite a few teams this season. There aren't too many receivers on the open market who are sure to give you at least 60-70 receptions and 700-800 yards.

Since he hasn't found a team yet, there doesn't appear to be any teams banging on Lloyd's door with a contract, and as a result, he's contemplating retirement. Although his immediate future is in doubt, there's still a chance that a team could come along with a great opportunity in a few weeks.

At just 31, Lloyd has a lot left in the tank if he wants to continue playing football. He hasn't suffered a significant drop-off in his numbers, so there's no reason to think that he'd fall off in 2013. Joey Galloway eclipsed 1,000 yards receiving when he was 36 years old and played until he was 39.

That's not to say that Lloyd should play that long, rather there's plenty of precedent for an above-average wideout being productive into his 30s.

Teams would likely be unwilling to give Lloyd a multi-year contract. It would be the best move for both parties, and at the end of the year, Lloyd could once again ponder the retirement option. In the meantime, he could collect a couple more million dollars and be a reliable option in a team's passing game.

Not a bad gig if you can get it.