Not Everybody Thinks Derrick Mason Will Stay Retired

I admit to being surprised when Derrick Mason abruptly announced his retirement, yesterday. But in much the same way I might be surprised that Tony Romo broke up with Jessica Simpson or John Daly rammed his bus into a tunnel -- I didn't expect it to happen exactly at the moment it did, then again I wasn't totally shocked that it eventually happened.

Except that maybe Mason was just kidding in the name of making a few more bucks. The Baltimore Sun's Ken Murray thinks Mason's announcement was just a grand scheme to get a new deal, one he's been angling for all offseason.

Nobody knows if Demetrius Williams' ankle will hold up. No one can be certain Mark Clayton can be a No. 1 receiver. You can be certain, however, that neither Anquan Bolden nor Plaxico Burress will show up here. ...

If he was considering retirement, why did [Mason] go through with the shoulder surgery he had in the offseason? He admitted he wanted to avoid that. Why did he announce this retirement on a Web site the casual fan probably doesn't know, instead of in front of an ESPN camera? If he was really serious about retiring, he'd do it right, sit in front of the insignias of the Ravens' sponsors and give a farewell speech.

There was a time when retirement signaled the end. Brett Favre ruined all that, but for most players, when you announce your retirement, that's it. And if you want more money, you convene a very public press conference (naked, front-yard sit-ups optional) and hold out. Maybe Mason doesn't want to be perceived as that type of player, or maybe he really does want to retire.

If it's the former, that's an interesting strategy. Since coming to Baltimore, the Ravens have been known for three things: kick-ass defense, and an inability to develop quarterbacks (until last year, anyway) and wide receivers. Which means that general manager Ozzie Newsome should have no trouble moving on, even if, in reality, Mason was bucking for a promotion.

As long as Ray Lewis has a breath in his body, the Ravens' defense will show up. And the offense will try to stay out of the way. Mason had a lot to do with the latter during his stint in Baltimore, but last year was such a success because the offense could run the ball whenever it wanted. That won't change in 2009. It would be nice to have a sure-handed veteran pass catcher, but it's not integral to winning. See the cast of characters on the '00 Super Bowl team.

And as the anonymous Rotoworld dude notes, Newsome could sign Marvin Harrison or Matt Jones for not much more than the veteran minimum and get similar production.

For now, though, I'm just going with what Mason told me: he's done.