PHOENIX - Jake Plummer is retired.

Or not.

Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said he will take his former quarterback "at his word," but added he will just wait and see if the Broncos eventually get a draft pick they are scheduled to receive in their trade with Tampa Bay.

"Obviously, he said he's not going to play, (so) he's not going to play. But did it surprise me when he retired? Yeah, it did," Shanahan said. "But at least my understanding was he still wanted to play. Sometimes guys do change their mind. I don't know if Jake will. I know Jake played at a very high level, he's got a number of years left if he wants to play.

"I can understand if a guys says, 'Hey, enough's enough, I want to walk away with my health. I played 10 years and feel good about what I've done.' I respect that decision as well."

The Broncos had a trade worked out with the Buccaneers earlier this month, sending the quarterback to Tampa Bay in exchange for a fourth-round pick in next month's draft.

However, Plummer quickly announced his retirement and the original deal was then scuttled.

The teams then quickly worked out a deal, with the Broncos sending Plummer to Tampa for a conditional pick. The Broncos will get a seventh-round pick in the 2008 draft if Plummer does not play or report to the Buccaneers or anybody else before draft day in 2008.

However, if he reports to Tampa Bay or anyone else before draft day 2008, the Broncos get a fourth-round pick.

The Broncos also have traded the ability - to the Buccaneers - to recoup about $7 million worth of signing bonus Plummer has received as an incentive to get him to report.

Buccaneers general manager Bruce Allen said at the league meetings he would like to have a "sit down" with Plummer to see what the quarterback's plans are.

Plummer's current contract calls for him to earn about $5 million in salary this season if he reports to the Buccaneers. Shanahan said he had talked with Plummer, who has already steadfastly promised "there will not be a jersey that has an NFL patch . . . on my body."

"I talked to him, yeah. I talked to him," Shanahan said. "We shared ideas. I don't want to go into specifics, but we had a good conversation. I think what he's done, he sat back and it sounds like he's decided that he wants to retire. . . .

"I believe that's what he's thinking right now because that's his gut. But I've been around players at the end of a season that said 'you know what,' and said two months from now 'you know what, I've got the juices back.' I take him at his word, but you never know how the opinion changes."