WP: Redskins Targeting London Fletcher, Nate Clements

wasn't there a guy from NY who had awesome numbers before he got here at MLB and didn't play a snap for us in a skins uniform... always hurt

Yeah and all I think about when I think of Fletcher is Barrow. But Barrow was not a typical situation. That went as bad as it could have gone by any standard. I mean the guy went from not missing a snap in 8 7 seaosns to out of the league due to injury in 2. No one saw that coming and I don't think that one instance of anecdotal evidence is enough to wash our hands of experienced MLBs. If fletcher comes in and gets hurt day one and never plays again then we are cursed.

Well first off Rocky is an OLB and despite what many seem to think MLB and OLB are not just interchangeable. Especially in GW's system. In this system the MLB is the QB of the defense. He has to know what everyone is supposed to do so he can adjust when he diagrams what the other team is doing. For some reason I highly doubt anyone at Redskins park is willing to go into the next season with a guy who showed he can play the position average(Marshall) and a second year player who couldn't even crack the lineup at his natural position until mop up time. Rocky is not the answer.

As for trading down I agree it would be great to trade down and pick up several quality players but there are some problems with that too. First and foremost people make the statement 'trade down and pick up some more picks' just like they make the 'hire a GM statement'. Like it is some magical formula where you can go to the GM store or the Tradedown store and magically everything is fine. Well I have news for those people, trading takes two teams and if no one is willing to offer anything of value it won't happen. It is NOT a sound strategy to PLAN ON TRADING. You plan and prepare on NOT TRADING DOWN and if an opportuniy arises then you re-evaluate. The same for a GM. Just because we have a GM doesn't mean everything is fine. He would need to be a GOOD GM. There are plenty of teams who have traded down and ended up with scrap pieces because they traded away a shot at a difference maker and ended up with decent roll players. And there are plenty teams that never win championships with GMs.

That being said, you go into free agency looking to fix as many holes as possible so you dont have to rely on drafting to field 22 decent starters. Then the draft is used for depth. If we can bring a guy who knows the systems and can play why would his age be a problem? No one is expecting the guy to come in be the MLB for the next 8 years. We are talking about getting a good player to play for us while we build depth at the same position and others also.

I totally fail to see why his age is even a consideration other than for health reasons.

Isn't Floyd Reece unemployed right now? I think he has a proven record. Why isn't he here? If Danny Boi were serious about winning then he would be here and he should not care who's feelings he hurts.

Isn't Floyd Reece unemployed right now? I think he has a proven record. Why isn't he here? If Danny Boi were serious about winning then he would be here and he should not care who's feelings he hurts.

Yeah because Snyder isn't serious about winning.

Hey guys I just want to add that I agree with the Clements hire, but I think we are getting ahead of ourselves. Can we really afford this guy? Also I would like to add that Adams from Clemson is not that good. I watched him through college and I am not very impressed. We need to draft Branch.

Also London would be a good guy in the middle till we get some draft picks next year. This team really needs to learn to draft and not trade everything away.

I know that this past off seaon was one of the worst we had for aquiring talent and giving away picks, but that is not the only reason I feel this way about our teams front office. We have had some great draft picks in here the last few years but we need to get more out our drafts. I'd really like to see us draft in every round one year or at least in all rounds on day one.
Successfull teams in this league build with the draft and our model for aquiring players is not working.

Anyway bring in some more guys this year and dont trade our draft away.

HTTR

Hey guys I just want to add that I agree with the Clements hire, but I think we are getting ahead of ourselves. Can we really afford this guy? Also I would like to add that Adams from Clemson is not that good. I watched him through college and I am not very impressed. We need to draft Branch.

Also London would be a good guy in the middle till we get some draft picks next year. This team really needs to learn to draft and not trade everything away.

I know that this past off seaon was one of the worst we had for aquiring talent and giving away picks, but that is not the only reason I feel this way about our teams front office. We have had some great draft picks in here the last few years but we need to get more out our drafts. I'd really like to see us draft in every round one year or at least in all rounds on day one.
Successfull teams in this league build with the draft and our model for aquiring players is not working.

Anyway bring in some more guys this year and dont trade our draft away.

HTTR

I watched him in a couple of games. I didn't see anything special. He looks undersized. Alan Branch seems like the safe pick.

Well first off Rocky is an OLB and despite what many seem to think MLB and OLB are not just interchangeable. Especially in GW's system. In this system the MLB is the QB of the defense. He has to know what everyone is supposed to do so he can adjust when he diagrams what the other team is doing. For some reason I highly doubt anyone at Redskins park is willing to go into the next season with a guy who showed he can play the position average(Marshall) and a second year player who couldn't even crack the lineup at his natural position until mop up time. Rocky is not the answer.

As for trading down I agree it would be great to trade down and pick up several quality players but there are some problems with that too. First and foremost people make the statement 'trade down and pick up some more picks' just like they make the 'hire a GM statement'. Like it is some magical formula where you can go to the GM store or the Tradedown store and magically everything is fine. Well I have news for those people, trading takes two teams and if no one is willing to offer anything of value it won't happen. It is NOT a sound strategy to PLAN ON TRADING. You plan and prepare on NOT TRADING DOWN and if an opportuniy arises then you re-evaluate. The same for a GM. Just because we have a GM doesn't mean everything is fine. He would need to be a GOOD GM. There are plenty of teams who have traded down and ended up with scrap pieces because they traded away a shot at a difference maker and ended up with decent roll players. And there are plenty teams that never win championships with GMs.

That being said, you go into free agency looking to fix as many holes as possible so you dont have to rely on drafting to field 22 decent starters. Then the draft is used for depth. If we can bring a guy who knows the systems and can play why would his age be a problem? No one is expecting the guy to come in be the MLB for the next 8 years. We are talking about getting a good player to play for us while we build depth at the same position and others also.

I totally fail to see why his age is even a consideration other than for health reasons.

we could go back and forth on this all day. we can agree to disagree. We all have our OPINIONS on how to run the team, and probably to the Redskins benefit, neither of us ever will. If Rocky is not the answer, then there we go again throwing draft picks away and letting people ride the pine until we send them off. Rocky HAS to be a contributor, this season and not just on special teams. A second round LB should be cracking the starting line up. Or our scouts are just crappy and our personel decisions come under fire again. Marshall is out of position at MLB. I agree that Fletcher is probably an upgrade in that area.

In regards to the draft, drafting a guy in the 1st or 2nd round is just as much a crap shoot as drafting a guy in the 6th or 7th. No one is a sure thing, which puts more pressure on the personel dept to have more picks to work with and make QUALITY picks and have good player evaluations. It is remained to be seen if our personel can pick quality players to provide the depth needed. Free Agency (again, in my opinion) should be used to fill A whole or add a player that puts our team over the top, not fill multiple holes.

the GM thing...come on. We do not have the right people making the football decisions that need to be made. Everyone in that building is win now at any cost. We all have had the GM discusion. A GM will make the decisions based on a long term build for multiple years of success, not just flashes in the pan. Has our way of building a team panned out for us over the last 10 years? NO! We go to playoffs, then stink the next year because players are shown the door, then its rebuild again, retool again, bring in player A,B & C. I would argue that most of us Redskin die hards feel we need a better front office structure with a GM.

Matty - you appreciate the paragraphs dont you!
Look, I am not trying to argue or say you are wrong or I am right. We are both right in a lot of the points brought up. we just differ in the way we feel regarding a certain player. I think youth is better served, using the draft and not signing old (trust me, 32 to me is not old!!) but in football terms for a MLB its not young. We shall see what happens. I am not going to hate the guy if he is brought in. I hope he kicks ass!! I would just do it differently.

I like Branch and Anderson. I am a little wary of Adams.
I think
Branch = safe stud pick
Anderson = potential dominate type guy but might require a little seasoning
Adams = a little over hyped and maybe just a decent player not worthy of a top 10

I'd look at upside and go either Anderson or Branch. I hope we don't have a shot at Adams because I don't want to get suckered.

Respectfully, you are clueless.

Year Team G Total Tkl Ast Sacks Int Yds Avg Lg TD Pass Def
1998 St. Louis Rams 16 28 25.0 3 0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0
1999 St. Louis Rams 16 90 66.0 24 3 0 0 0.0 0 0 2
2000 St. Louis Rams 16 132 105.0 27 5.5 4 33 8.2 12 0 4
2001 St. Louis Rams 16 116 89.0 27 4.5 2 18 9.0 18 0 3
2002 Buffalo Bills 16 147 97.0 50 3 0 0 0.0 0 0 2
2003 Buffalo Bills 16 133 96.0 37 2 0 0 0.0 0 0 4
2004 Buffalo Bills 16 142 92.0 50 3.5 0 0 0.0 0 0 3
2005 Buffalo Bills 16 157 104.0 53 4 1 20 20.0 20 0 2
2006 Buffalo Bills 16 146 104.0 42 2 4 30 7.5 17 1 7


Fletcher had arguably his best season of his career last year.

He was probably the best MLB in the league last year.

CLUELESS here!

I live in St Louis and I've seen a lot of London Fletcher. He is a solid linebacker but is near the end of his career. My statement about mediocre free agent signings has to do with the Redskins past signings, not Fletcher's worth. Fletcher is a quality guy but what is it going to cost, that's my point. If you read and comprehended my post, that's what I said. The Redskins need to stop this pattern of going after free agents year after year. I don't see the payoff.

I like Branch and Anderson. I am a little wary of Adams.
I think
Branch = safe stud pick
Anderson = potential dominate type guy but might require a little seasoning
Adams = a little over hyped and maybe just a decent player not worthy of a top 10

I'd look at upside and go either Anderson or Branch. I hope we don't have a shot at Adams because I don't want to get suckered.

Couldn't have said it better myself

I think we will go after Jamaal Anderson since Renaldo Wynn is almost a definte cut and Phillip Daniels could also get cut. We just took 2 dt's last year in the draft and i think if we get a dt, it should be a cheap veteran big fat run stuffer. I think I remember hearing somewhere that we would look to get a veteran dt and have golston as the 3rd dt interchanging. The pick of a dt in free agency is also a good idea cuz there are 2 de's in the draft atleast worthy of a #6 pick in Jamaal Anderson and Gaines Adams. Atleast if ones not there we can go with the other. If we get a de in free agency then we have to pick a dt in the draft, and if Alan Branch gets snagged by someone else then we are screwed. We might then look at Amobi Okoye but that is a definite reach and is not really the big fat run stuffer i think we need, he is more of a tommie harris or warren sapp type quick pass rusher from the inside. I also think he is a bit of a project and probably wouldn't help us much his rookie year or maybe 2nd year especially with G Will's unwillingness to play rookies. I think its a lot safer to say that we go run stuffing dt in free agency and then we look at a de in the draft.