Sometimes timing is everything. Like when the Raiders signed Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie last year. It seemed to occur right about the time they learned Daryl Worley would be serving a four-game suspension. Then Worley served his suspension and by week 8 vs Indianapolis he and Gareon Conley were the team’s starters while Rodgers-Cromartie was relegated to special teams with zero snaps on defense.
Two days later, Rodgers-Cromartie announced his retirement.
He wasn’t injured. He clearly still wanted to play. Just maybe not as a special teamer. And you can’t really blame the 32-year-old former Pro Bowl cornerback for that.