Bye Bye Clements?

[RedEyE]

AROUND THE CORNER

Free agency is just around the corner (Jan. 1), and so is the huge payday that awaits Buffalo cornerback Nate Clements.
When Clements signed his one-year franchise tender last summer, the Bills promised not to slap their franchise tag on their cornerback this offseason.
Now Clements is starting straight at the possibility of hitting a free-agent market in which eight teams are projected to be at least $30 million under the salary cap, and another eight are projected to be $20-plus million under.
Cornerbacks command big numbers and in a year like this, when Clements is coming off the type of season he has had in which he returned an interception for a touchdown during an upset of the New York Jets, he is poised to become one of the highest, if not the highest-paid defensive back in the game.

http://nfl.com/nflnetwork/story/9865129

[ICE74129]

Re: Bye Bye Clements?

If anyone makes Clements the highest paid CB in the game, they are the biggest fuggin morons in the NFL.

[RedEyE]

Re: Bye Bye Clements?

I think it will happen. And while Buffalo will have the money to contend, I don't see them spending the majority of it on Nate.

[TacklingDummy]

Re: Bye Bye Clements?

The Bills have over $33 million to spend. If Nate signs anywhere else other then Buffalo they have no one to blame but themselves.

[RedEyE]

Re: Bye Bye Clements?

The Bills have over $33 million to spend. If Nate signs anywhere else other then Buffalo they have no one to blame but themselves.

While I'd like to keep Nate, the Bills have other more pressing issue to address and none of them contain dropping a boat load of cash on Nate Clements. He's not the type ("The Playmaker") to lower his salary expectations to stay in one place. He's thinking of his future and the money it will take to sustain his lavish lifestyle.

I'd be really suprised in Buffalo paid him the money he feels he's worth.

[ICE74129]

Re: Bye Bye Clements?

The Bills have over $33 million to spend. If Nate signs anywhere else other then Buffalo they have no one to blame but themselves.

If they sign nate to anything but a top 10 (not 5) CB contract then marv is a friggin IDIOT!

Build up the DL and OL and see how quickly this team turns around. You don't need shutdown corners in the cover 2 esp if you can stop the run and generate a passrush.

[Meathead]

Re: Bye Bye Clements?

nate is so gone

i would be pissed off if they were break the bank on nate. it would handicap the team

zero chance marv does that

[don137]

Re: Bye Bye Clements?

The issue is not if Clements is worth top 10 or top 5 money...Its a sellers market. As a result, he will command and get top 5 money. With the huge increase in the cap the last couple of years, with many teams managing there money better there are many teams that will overspend for Clements. Plus, with the cap going so much higher a player will command much more than the current average salary.
While some say cornerback is not an area of need, what does Buffalo have at DB? McGee has looked downright bad in many games this year. Do you want a guy that has been burned continuously to be your #1 guy? Youboty is not getting any playing time so he will be no better than a nickel back next year. While DB is not an area of need now it will be a huge need if Clements goes somewhere else.

[HHURRICANE]

Re: Bye Bye Clements?

I don't understand the debate?

1) ICE, he's already worth top 5 money because the Bills franchised him. He's already getting the average of the top 5. So I highly doubt he thinks he's worth a top ten contract.

2) The Bills are not to blame for squat here. This is a function of the market. They tried to re-sign him but he's smarter letting the market dictate his value. The Bills could bring him a number one contract and they will not sign it becuase his agent doesn't even know how big the contract should be.

3) Nate's not to blame either. His agent would be a moron not to take advantage of his clients good timing with the new cap and all.

4) The Bills would be incredibly stupid to resign him with a huge contract. This team will be better next year even without Nate being around. He's a very good player and we will miss him but a pass rush could lighten the load tremendously on a weaker secondary. Youbouty can play. He was a steal in the draft and don't be surprised if he has alot more picks.

[Saratoga Slim]

Re: Bye Bye Clements?

I don't understand the debate?

1) ICE, he's already worth top 5 money because the Bills franchised him. He's already getting the average of the top 5. So I highly doubt he thinks he's worth a top ten contract.

2) The Bills are not to blame for squat here. This is a function of the market. They tried to re-sign him but he's smarter letting the market dictate his value. The Bills could bring him a number one contract and they will not sign it becuase his agent doesn't even know how big the contract should be.

3) Nate's not to blame either. His agent would be a moron not to take advantage of his clients good timing with the new cap and all.

4) The Bills would be incredibly stupid to resign him with a huge contract. This team will be better next year even without Nate being around. He's a very good player and we will miss him but a pass rush could lighten the load tremendously on a weaker secondary. Youbouty can play. He was a steal in the draft and don't be surprised if he has alot more picks.

Good post. The circumstances are all in place for Nate to make some serious cash. I'd love for him to show that he's a loyal Bill and take a reasonable offer to stay here, and I'm positive we'll give him a reasonable offer. But the fact is, someone's going to pay him an unreasonable amount of money to leave. In this day and age, he'd be the rare player not to take it.

[mybills]

Re: Bye Bye Clements?

They could always counter offer.

[ICE74129]

Re: Bye Bye Clements?

I don't understand the debate?

1) ICE, he's already worth top 5 money because the Bills franchised him. He's already getting the average of the top 5. So I highly doubt he thinks he's worth a top ten contract.

2) The Bills are not to blame for squat here. This is a function of the market. They tried to re-sign him but he's smarter letting the market dictate his value. The Bills could bring him a number one contract and they will not sign it becuase his agent doesn't even know how big the contract should be.

3) Nate's not to blame either. His agent would be a moron not to take advantage of his clients good timing with the new cap and all.

4) The Bills would be incredibly stupid to resign him with a huge contract. This team will be better next year even without Nate being around. He's a very good player and we will miss him but a pass rush could lighten the load tremendously on a weaker secondary. Youbouty can play. He was a steal in the draft and don't be surprised if he has alot more picks.

I don't care what NATE thinks he is worth, he isn't a top 5 CB nor worth top 5 money. Marv Franchised him so we could have him for one year, thats it.

I think Marv is a moron if he honors his 'I wont' franchise you again' agreement. Ralph had a 'handshake agreement' With kelly too. how did that work out?

Do whats best for the team, franchise and trade nate for SOMETHING.

[EDS]

Re: Bye Bye Clements?

I don't understand the debate?

1) ICE, he's already worth top 5 money because the Bills franchised him. He's already getting the average of the top 5. So I highly doubt he thinks he's worth a top ten contract.

2) The Bills are not to blame for squat here. This is a function of the market. They tried to re-sign him but he's smarter letting the market dictate his value. The Bills could bring him a number one contract and they will not sign it becuase his agent doesn't even know how big the contract should be.

3) Nate's not to blame either. His agent would be a moron not to take advantage of his clients good timing with the new cap and all.

4) The Bills would be incredibly stupid to resign him with a huge contract. This team will be better next year even without Nate being around. He's a very good player and we will miss him but a pass rush could lighten the load tremendously on a weaker secondary. Youbouty can play. He was a steal in the draft and don't be surprised if he has alot more picks.

Have you seen Youboty play to confirm that he can step in next year? I haven't seen him at all which worries me. Thomas and Greer are good back-ups but I am not sure we want them starting.

[ICE74129]

Re: Bye Bye Clements?

Have you seen Youboty play to confirm that he can step in next year? I haven't seen him at all which worries me. Thomas and Greer are good back-ups but I am not sure we want them starting.

and clements came in and started as a rookie I believe. What showed the staff that he could do that? So Yoboty will have about a year and an offseason to get up to speed which is much more than clements had.

Also who says youboty is the CB? Hell maybe we sign Samuel away from NE? Who knows?

[RedEyE]

Re: Bye Bye Clements?

I think that's the best option for all parties. If they tag and trade him he still gets his money and Buffalo still gets adequate reimbursement. Maybe a high end draft pick that can repalce what's been lost? Regradless, a contract will have to be negotiatied prior to a trade approval.