"In order to use his head, Kris Dielman first has to completely clear his head.

The question in Dielman's own mind is whether he'll ever don a football helmet again, a decision the perennial Pro Bowl guard admitted that he's going to be weighing in the early parts of an offseason that started Monday. Dielman said family considerations are the major factor in his contemplation of retirement after a decade with the Chargers.

"It's not just me anymore," said Dielman. "I've got two little boys and a wife, so things need to be all right with me. I'm going to see some doctors still and make a decision.""