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Clements isn't elite in play, pay
By JERRY SULLIVAN
Yes, an elite NFL cornerback is hard to find. The league has gone pass-crazy, and the market for a top corner has risen accordingly. But if I were Bills President and General Manager Tom Donahoe, I'd think long and hard before opening the vault for Nate Clements.
Clements has some of the credentials of an elite cornerback. He has 18 interceptions in his four seasons in Buffalo. A few actually came against competent NFL passers. If you base a defensive back's value solely on pickoffs, he's in the same class as Champ Bailey, who commanded an $18 million signing bonus from the Broncos.
But Clements isn't in Bailey's class. He's a good player and a proven playmaker, but he's not an elite shut-down corner. Managing an NFL payroll is a delicate task. Donahoe hates overpaying for players; he should be careful about investing too much in Clements. No doubt, Donahoe will try to sign Clements early, as he did last year with Aaron Schobel.
Donahoe should offer Clements a signing bonus in the $11 million to $12 million range. That's similar to what Ken Lucas got from the Panthers and Anthony Henry from the Cowboys in recent free-agent signings. It's not elite money, but it might be enough to keep Clements off the market come March.
Clements says he's as good as any corner in the game. He seems determined to wait and sign with the highest bidder. Good for him. Most NFL players get one chance at the big bucks. Someone will pay him more than he's worth. Let it be someone other than Buffalo.
Yes, an elite NFL cornerback is hard to find. The league has gone pass-crazy, and the market for a top corner has risen accordingly. But if I were Bills President and General Manager Tom Donahoe, I'd think long and hard before opening the vault for Nate Clements.
Clements has some of the credentials of an elite cornerback. He has 18 interceptions in his four seasons in Buffalo. A few actually came against competent NFL passers. If you base a defensive back's value solely on pickoffs, he's in the same class as Champ Bailey, who commanded an $18 million signing bonus from the Broncos.
But Clements isn't in Bailey's class. He's a good player and a proven playmaker, but he's not an elite shut-down corner. Managing an NFL payroll is a delicate task. Donahoe hates overpaying for players; he should be careful about investing too much in Clements. No doubt, Donahoe will try to sign Clements early, as he did last year with Aaron Schobel.
Donahoe should offer Clements a signing bonus in the $11 million to $12 million range. That's similar to what Ken Lucas got from the Panthers and Anthony Henry from the Cowboys in recent free-agent signings. It's not elite money, but it might be enough to keep Clements off the market come March.
Clements says he's as good as any corner in the game. He seems determined to wait and sign with the highest bidder. Good for him. Most NFL players get one chance at the big bucks. Someone will pay him more than he's worth. Let it be someone other than Buffalo.
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