PFW: Clements

[juice]

"Much as they did last year with Schobel, word is the Bills would like to work out a long term extension with Clements during Training Camp or by early in the season."

The article goes on to say that it may be up to Nate whether he chooses to pass up a Bills offer and security, or risks injury by playing this season and testing the FA waters.. I think it all hinges on if Nate feels like TD and Co. are offering something close to market value, TD needs to prove he is in the Nate Clements Business.

www.profootballweekly.com/PFW/NFL/AFC/AFC+EAST/Buffalo/WWHI/default.htm

[juice]

Re: PFW: Clements

TD doesn't have the balls to pull a Winfield move on Nate Clements.. Nate has the Size, speed and skills to escalate to a top 3 corner this year.

Winfield was limited in size, speed and cover ability and he still got the payday he was looking for.

NC will be All Pro this year in a Free Agent year.. Guaranteed, TD had better get the deal done.

[OpIv37]

Re: PFW: Clements

forget it, juice. Clements is gone, unfortunately.

[ScottLawrence]

Re: PFW: Clements

TD doesn't have the balls to pull a Winfield move on Nate Clements.. Nate has the Size, speed and skills to escalate to a top 3 corner this year.

Winfield was limited in size, speed and cover ability and he still got the payday he was looking for.

NC will be All Pro this year in a Free Agent year.. Guaranteed, TD had better get the deal done.

I don't think thats true at all.


TD is stubborn enough to do anything.

I do however, think he will make a strong attempt to resign Nate.

[clumping platelets]

Re: PFW: Clements

I disagree. Clements is on the cusp of being one of the elite CBs in the league. TD has show a willingness to pay market value for deserving players who were/are arguably elite players (Moulds, Spikes, Schobel) and not overpay for players who believed they were elite (Price, Wiley, Winfield, Jennings, etc). I believe that if a deal is not consumated, Clements will likely receive the franchise tag and will be a Bill through at least 2006

[Devin]

Re: PFW: Clements

I disagree. Clements is on the cusp of being one of the elite CBs in the league. TD has show a willingness to pay market value for deserving players who were/are arguably elite players (Moulds, Spikes, Schobel) and not overpay for players who believed they were elite (Price, Wiley, Winfield, Jennings, etc). I believe that if a deal is not consumated, Clements will likely receive the franchise tag and will be a Bill through at least 2006

Hope your right Clumpy, that move imo would make the most sense. What sort of cap room are we looking at next year? Similar to this one?

[clumping platelets]

Re: PFW: Clements

Far too early to determine. Early reports this year had the Bills $12-17 million under but they were actually over the cap. This required the Moulds' restructuring and Bledsoe release (this was more cap related than people realize)

[ryjam282]

Re: PFW: Clements

So we are screwed then huh? I hope we can work something out for Nate. CB's like him don't just fall off trucks

[clumping platelets]

Re: PFW: Clements

So we are screwed then huh? I hope we can work something out for Nate. CB's like him don't just fall off trucks

Not necessarily.

I believe Nate will be staying.......he loves Miami QBs

[OpIv37]

Re: PFW: Clements

but if Nate stays, what does that do to our future cap? JP, Willis, Evans- these guys are going to command huge salaries if they live up to the hype. My fear is that by signing Clements to market value, we're destroying our ability to work with the rest of the team. I don't like the Redskins/Titans model where you eventually hit a year with 0 cap space, and the way TD has managed this team, it doesn't seem like he likes it either. That's why I think Clements will be gone- I don't think TD will give him millions to the detriment of the rest of the team.

[ryjam282]

Re: PFW: Clements

forget it, juice. Clements is gone, unfortunately.

He isn't going anywhere. He will be franchised for at least a season IMO.

[HHURRICANE]

Re: PFW: Clements

but if Nate stays, what does that do to our future cap? JP, Willis, Evans- these guys are going to command huge salaries if they live up to the hype. My fear is that by signing Clements to market value, we're destroying our ability to work with the rest of the team. I don't like the Redskins/Titans model where you eventually hit a year with 0 cap space, and the way TD has managed this team, it doesn't seem like he likes it either. That's why I think Clements will be gone- I don't think TD will give him millions to the detriment of the rest of the team.

Great post! This is where Donohoe gets credit. Managing the salary cap and staying competitive is huge. I think Clements will get a below market offer in the pre-season and test the market after this season. The franchise tag for Clements would be around 4 million for next year, which I think we can afford. Either way this is the way the NFL works. We can't keep every great player. Look at how many X-BILLS play for other teams.

[clumping platelets]

Re: PFW: Clements

Moulds, Vincent, and a few others will not likely be here when those players you mentioned come up for extensions. I do not see the cap being much of a problem

[clumping platelets]

Re: PFW: Clements

Franchise tag for Clements will be much higher than $4 million. This year it's $8.816 million for CBs. It will not be much different after the season

[ryven]

Re: PFW: Clements

but if Nate stays, what does that do to our future cap? JP, Willis, Evans- these guys are going to command huge salaries if they live up to the hype. My fear is that by signing Clements to market value, we're destroying our ability to work with the rest of the team. I don't like the Redskins/Titans model where you eventually hit a year with 0 cap space, and the way TD has managed this team, it doesn't seem like he likes it either. That's why I think Clements will be gone- I don't think TD will give him millions to the detriment of the rest of the team.

I agree to a point. Nate will have a high cap number but everyone talks like players like adams and vincent are going to be here forever but th fact is there getting older and will retire or move on so in the long run the cap should be fine.