I would now tag Fletcher

[patmoran2006]

First of all, you have the room to do it, and Fletcher cant really do anything about it, other than to hold out..

Secondly, there isnt much in FA that would be available to take his place. Briggs and Thomas will probably get tagged and even if they dont, there aint no way in hell WIlson will pay for one of them. Cato June would be a good fit here, but I dont see Wilson paying for him either. There's no other LB's out there on Fletcher's level.

Third, Some of you guys are clowns, Fletcher has been one of the most under-appreciated players in the entire league and he's one of the better LB's to ever play in Buffalo. The complaint is he doesnt make tackles behind the line. Well duh of course not!! When you have no DT's to tie up blockers they're going to get to you on every play. OH ya, he still managed four interceptions and two TD's this season. He almost single-handedly beat GB this year.

There is NO WAY our LB corp is better with Crowell in the middle surrounded by Spikes and Ellison (or a rookie)

Tie him up for a year, draft a MLB this year and develop him, or take your chances in FA this year.

But considering the lack of vets on our defense and having the cap room with no other LB we would sign, I say that he should just get tagged for this season..

Put it this way, I'd rather spend $7 million and tag him than spend $2.5 million each on three more "role" (cough) players.

[HHURRICANE]

First of all, you have the room to do it, and Fletcher cant really do anything about it, other than to hold out..

Secondly, there isnt much in FA that would be available to take his place. Briggs and Thomas will probably get tagged and even if they dont, there aint no way in hell WIlson will pay for one of them. Cato June would be a good fit here, but I dont see Wilson paying for him either. There's no other LB's out there on Fletcher's level.

Third, Some of you guys are clowns, Fletcher has been one of the most under-appreciated players in the entire league and he's one of the better LB's to ever play in Buffalo. The complaint is he doesnt make tackles behind the line. Well duh of course not!! When you have no DT's to tie up blockers they're going to get to you on every play. OH ya, he still managed four interceptions and two TD's this season. He almost single-handedly beat GB this year.

There is NO WAY our LB corp is better with Crowell in the middle surrounded by Spikes and Ellison (or a rookie)

Tie him up for a year, draft a MLB this year and develop him, or take your chances in FA this year.

But considering the lack of vets on our defense and having the cap room with no other LB we would sign, I say that he should just get tagged for this season..

Put it this way, I'd rather spend $7 million and tag him than spend $2.5 million each on three more "role" (cough) players.

I thought LB's were less?

[patmoran2006]

I think they are around 7 mill.. could be wrong though..

Regardless, we aint getting nobody of signifance otherwise.. So take your pick.. Fletcher or Ellison (or rookie)

[Earthquake Enyart]

You've got to be kidding me.

[patmoran2006]

Kidding how?

Franchise label is for one year.. We aint gonna sign a valuable LB in free agency that was made obvious.

So are you TELLING ME THAT moving Crowell to the middle and starting Ellison with Spikes makes this a BETTER DEFENSE??

[Night Train]

Tagging Fletcher would validate Marvs' senility.

No way in hell.

[ShadowHawk7]

First of all, you have the room to do it, and Fletcher cant really do anything about it, other than to hold out..

Secondly, there isnt much in FA that would be available to take his place. Briggs and Thomas will probably get tagged and even if they dont, there aint no way in hell WIlson will pay for one of them. Cato June would be a good fit here, but I dont see Wilson paying for him either. There's no other LB's out there on Fletcher's level.

Third, Some of you guys are clowns, Fletcher has been one of the most under-appreciated players in the entire league and he's one of the better LB's to ever play in Buffalo. The complaint is he doesnt make tackles behind the line. Well duh of course not!! When you have no DT's to tie up blockers they're going to get to you on every play. OH ya, he still managed four interceptions and two TD's this season. He almost single-handedly beat GB this year.

There is NO WAY our LB corp is better with Crowell in the middle surrounded by Spikes and Ellison (or a rookie)

Tie him up for a year, draft a MLB this year and develop him, or take your chances in FA this year.

But considering the lack of vets on our defense and having the cap room with no other LB we would sign, I say that he should just get tagged for this season..

Put it this way, I'd rather spend $7 million and tag him than spend $2.5 million each on three more "role" (cough) players.

Probably the BEST post I have read recently. I completely agree with drafting a day 1 MLB, but leaving Fletch in the middle for one more year in order to groom our prospect.

[OpIv37]

Kidding how?

Franchise label is for one year.. We aint gonna sign a valuable LB in free agency that was made obvious.

So are you TELLING ME THAT moving Crowell to the middle and starting Ellison with Spikes makes this a BETTER DEFENSE??

I don't think that it makes us better, but neither does keeping the same guy we had last year who's now a year older and disgruntled cuz we franchised him.

[Earthquake Enyart]

Fletcher isn't that good.

You don't move ahead by paying a mediocre player top 3 salary.

[Dr. Lecter]

Fletcher is not a top 5 MLB, especially in this scheme.

Why take up that much money on a guy that was a part of the 30th ranked run defense?

[Forward_Lateral]

Yeah, let's pay 7 million to a LB who had, what, 2 tackles behind the LOS? :rofl:

Let's be reasonable. He's worth 3-4 per season, max. Anything more, let someone else over spend.

[patmoran2006]

1- its a one year deal.
2- It sure became obvious today we'll have PLENTYYYY of cap room left.
3- He's not a top five LB in this league, but Ellison isnt a top 200 LB in this league.

I'll take Fletcher...

Now if for two seconds I thought we'd go out and sign a good LB in FA, id say the hell with Fletcher.. but it aint gonna happen.

[DraftBoy]

tagging Fletch imo is a mistake, what good does it do for us?

[patmoran2006]

Not much.. but he's better than Ellison.

Unless we're getting ready to concede YET ANOTHER season in February..

Preferably, I let Fletch walk and i use one of my two "Big" FA signings (guard the other) to get a guy like Cato June, who surely indy cant afford to keep..

but we both know Wilson aint gonna pay for him or anybody like him.

[Earthquake Enyart]

Not much.. but he's better than Ellison.

Unless we're getting ready to concede YET ANOTHER season in February..

Preferably, I let Fletch walk and i use one of my two "Big" FA signings (guard the other) to get a guy like Cato June, who surely indy cant afford to keep..

but we both know Wilson aint gonna pay for him or anybody like him.
OK Ice. That drunk coach threaten to kick your ass lately?

[Dr. Lecter]

but we both know Wilson aint gonna pay for him or anybody like him.

No we don't know that.

[alohabillsfan]

Kidding how?

Franchise label is for one year.. We aint gonna sign a valuable LB in free agency that was made obvious.

So are you TELLING ME THAT moving Crowell to the middle and starting Ellison with Spikes makes this a BETTER DEFENSE??

You would seriously franchise Fletcher? What happened to the youth movement? You would tie up 7 of the 33 million for 1 year of him? Gimme a break.

[jamesiscool]

guys what we are forgetting here is the fact that fletch doesn;t want to play here anymore. he was deeply hurt by the fact that he wasn't offered a contract extension last offseason and wants to try and play for a different team.

yes fletch loves buffalo and buffalo loves fletch but he won't resign with the bills and if we tag him then we're just going to have a disgruntled MLB.

James

[patmoran2006]

I will bet you and loser wears a DRESS to the Bills home opener party next season.. at the bar..

I will submit a list to you of the top 15 free agents I think the Bills would be a lot better off having, and I bet you that the bills do not sign ONE SINGLE ONE of them.. NOt even ONE!

And I wont even INCLUDE Briggs or Steinbach either.

[Mr. Pink]

No we don't know that.


Yes we do. Read between the lines. They're not looking at spending a lot of money. And they didn't spend a lot of money on any single player last year.

So instead of bringing in a capable starter, we're gonna rely on guys like ellison to have to go in and contribute and the bumps/bruises and growing pains that come along with it. Or we're gonna go out and get some mediocre no talent ass clown like Warrick Holdman.

[patmoran2006]

You would seriously franchise Fletcher? What happened to the youth movement? You would tie up 7 of the 33 million for 1 year of him? Gimme a break.

No..my point is we aint gonna spend squat this year anyway, its a one year deal so why not..

Now if we were going to invest in a LB for a long term deal, then hell ya let Fletch walk.. But I want to see a PLAYOFF GAME and for this team, the odds of that are INCREASED with Fletcher starting over ELLISON

[Bert102176]

I would love to see the Bills bring Fletch back but I highly doubt he'll be back, and honestly I don't see anything good out there in Free Agency other then Fletcher I say we trade down and draft Willis would like both of the Patriots picks we could then get Olsen the TE along with Willis for MLB

[Mahdi]

Not much.. but he's better than Ellison.

Unless we're getting ready to concede YET ANOTHER season in February..

Preferably, I let Fletch walk and i use one of my two "Big" FA signings (guard the other) to get a guy like Cato June, who surely indy cant afford to keep..

but we both know Wilson aint gonna pay for him or anybody like him.
Tagging Fletch would be a step backward, we ALREADY know that he cant do what we need from him in this D, keeping him would only make for one more season of not knowing who can replace him. Its pointless and a waste of money. I would rather find out what Crowell can do for free, and we already know Ellison is a decent player at OLB . If anything we need to find a replacement for Spikes if he cant get back to form but im optimistic that he will.

[clumping platelets]

Tag Fletcher?


:no:

[ublinkwescore]

I will bet you and loser wears a DRESS to the Bills home opener party next season.. at the bar..

I will submit a list to you of the top 15 free agents I think the Bills would be a lot better off having, and I bet you that the bills do not sign ONE SINGLE ONE of them.. NOt even ONE!

And I wont even INCLUDE Briggs or Steinbach either.

this really sounds to me like someone wants an excuse to wear a dress.

[ublinkwescore]

Pat Moran - I think you've lost your mind pal...

Ellison did a great job IMO for a first year late round draft pick.

[madness]

We attacked the mlb position already. Pursuing Fletcher is old news.

[mikemac2001]

1- its a one year deal.
2- It sure became obvious today we'll have PLENTYYYY of cap room left.
3- He's not a top five LB in this league, but Ellison isnt a top 200 LB in this league.

I'll take Fletcher...

Now if for two seconds I thought we'd go out and sign a good LB in FA, id say the hell with Fletcher.. but it aint gonna happen.


Idk guys i mean i dont expect us to use all the cap, it doesnt hurt us for the future just gives us more depth and time to develop a replacement for him.

Id rather see Crowell Fletcher and spikes then unused cap and ellison crowell spikes

plus it gives us a year to develop a replacement

i dont think its a bad idea stinks that we wont know what we have or havent signed by the time we would have to tag him

[djjimkelly]

i would throw up if we tagged fletcher and id realize we are not serious about winning