What happens to our D if we lose both Clements and Fletch?

[OpIv37]

Both players have had their ups and downs over the season, but given the other needs on this team, the relatively thin FA market and the cap space we'll have, resigning them would seem to make more sense than trying to replace them.

That being said, it's not as easy as it sounds for the following reasons:
1. We have no guarantees that Ralph will fork over the signing bonus
2. We have no guarantees that we won't be outbid by someone else
3. We don't know for sure that they want to be here.

So there is at least some possibility that we could lose both of them.

Clearly, we're thin at LB as it is- COY WIRE may be starting. It seems as though the coaching staff isn't happy with Ellison or DiGiorgio. We could end up with Spikes-Ellison-Crowell as starting LB's next season. Not good.

At CB, Thomas and Greer are good nickle backs but I don't think either is starting material. A lot of us hoped that Youboty could possibly replace Clements by the year's end, but there are only 4 games left and he hasn't played at all. And McGee has had his struggles this year as well.

If we lose both of these guys, I think we're in serious trouble.

[Mudflap1]

Re: What happens to our D if we lose both Clements and Fletch?

Pain.

[ICE74129]

Re: What happens to our D if we lose both Clements and Fletch?

Depending on who we get it would GREATLY improve.

[OpIv37]

Re: What happens to our D if we lose both Clements and Fletch?

Depending on who we get it would GREATLY improve.

that's exactly the problem. I'm not thrilled with either of these guys, but I don't know who's available that would be better. Clearly we don't have the replacement for either one on our roster at the moment. I suppose there's still some hope Youboty could be a starting corner, but he sure as hell won't be one in Sept 2007.

[Mudflap1]

Re: What happens to our D if we lose both Clements and Fletch?

If we make the mistake of letting Clements and Fletcher leave, it will have the same impact on our defense that letting Pat Williams leave had, of which we still have not recovered.

Jon

[bigbub2352]

Re: What happens to our D if we lose both Clements and Fletch?

I dont think Fletch leaving would be a big problem he makes alot of plays but how many of them really matter, in other words he has no lpays at the point of attack everything is 3-5yards down feild, Clements is also replaceable in my opinion, any top flight WR can torch him, a second rd pick or Youboty can replace him i think u dont wast money on signing someone in the wrong end of 30 who clearly cant cover TEs anymore ala SD and others let them go and spend on younge Bigger LB or draft

[OpIv37]

Re: What happens to our D if we lose both Clements and Fletch?

I dont think Fletch leaving would be a big problem he makes alot of plays but how many of them really matter, in other words he has no lpays at the point of attack everything is 3-5yards down feild, Clements is also replaceable in my opinion, any top flight WR can torch him, a second rd pick or Youboty can replace him i think u dont wast money on signing someone in the wrong end of 30 who clearly cant cover TEs anymore ala SD and others let them go and spend on younge Bigger LB or draft

I think if we lose one of them we'll get by. I think if we lose both, that's two big holes to fill when we already need DL help, OL help, a true #2 WR, a receiving TE and a fullback.

[Saratoga Slim]

Re: What happens to our D if we lose both Clements and Fletch?

I agree Op, you hate to see more holes appear when we've already got some to fill.

I think we need to make a push to keep at least one of the two. I'm leaning towards Clements for age reasons, but I think the chances of him returning are slim. If we resigned Clements, I think we could find a replacement for Fletcher.

Aren't Lance Briggs and Cato June both free agents? Either one would be a nice add, if we could move one of our current guys to MLB. How do you all think TKO would do in the middle?

[BuffaloBillsStampede]

Re: What happens to our D if we lose both Clements and Fletch?

The only excuse for letting Fletcher go is if we have signed Cato June otherwise we need him. He has been outstanding for us. Clements has shown his old ability but I am afraid that he will stop if we sign him back up.

[OpIv37]

Re: What happens to our D if we lose both Clements and Fletch?

The only excuse for letting Fletcher go is if we have signed Cato June otherwise we need him. He has been outstanding for us. Clements has shown his old ability but I am afraid that he will stop if we sign him back up.

Clements makes me nervous too, but not as nervous as the other guys on our roster. I'm really disappointed that Youboty wasn't ready. With the poor play of Clements and McGee early in the season, I'm sure they could have found some playng time for him.

[DynaPaul]

Re: What happens to our D if we lose both Clements and Fletch?

I think that we definitely have to keep one of these two guys, preferably Fletcher. Clements has shown some bright spots in the last couple of weeks but has been either too inconsistent or non-existent to warrant the big bucks. Fletcher is just a steady tackler. He's not the kind of guy that makes big plays all of the times but he's consistent and usually in on the play. I'd like to keep him a Bill until he retires personally.

[Devin]

Re: What happens to our D if we lose both Clements and Fletch?

Its a very thin market at CB, part of the reason Clements is going to recieve a monstrous payday.

My hope is we can hang onto Fletcher at the very least, although hes probably ready to hit the bricks.

[gr8slayer]

Re: What happens to our D if we lose both Clements and Fletch?

What happens? We go back to "rebuilding"

[jamze132]

Re: What happens to our D if we lose both Clements and Fletch?

Both players have had their ups and downs over the season, but given the other needs on this team, the relatively thin FA market and the cap space we'll have, resigning them would seem to make more sense than trying to replace them.

That being said, it's not as easy as it sounds for the following reasons:
1. We have no guarantees that Ralph will fork over the signing bonus
2. We have no guarantees that we won't be outbid by someone else
3. We don't know for sure that they want to be here.

So there is at least some possibility that we could lose both of them.

Clearly, we're thin at LB as it is- COY WIRE may be starting. It seems as though the coaching staff isn't happy with Ellison or DiGiorgio. We could end up with Spikes-Ellison-Crowell as starting LB's next season. Not good.

At CB, Thomas and Greer are good nickle backs but I don't think either is starting material. A lot of us hoped that Youboty could possibly replace Clements by the year's end, but there are only 4 games left and he hasn't played at all. And McGee has had his struggles this year as well.

If we lose both of these guys, I think we're in serious trouble.

When they leave and we don't replace them with comparable talent, Ralph Wilson just lost a few more season tickets next year.

[HAMMER]

Re: What happens to our D if we lose both Clements and Fletch?

I can't believe people are still willing to minimize Fletcher's contributions to this defense. He is the leader and the leading tackler.