London Fletcher leaning towards playing in 2013 (updated)

“One thing you have to do is, you’ve got to have a mindset that there’s no way you’re going to retire. Because if you’re thinking about retirement, you’re not really sure – at least when I look at my previous years, and you look back at guys – if you’re thinking about retiring, you’re probably already retired.

Mike Shanahan on London Fletcher’s future (http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc-sports-bog/wp/2013/03/01/mike-shanahan-on-london-fletchers-future/)

I don't think shanahans comments necessarily reflect what London fletcher is actually thinking. I think Shanahan is just making an observation based on his experience with other players. I think he could also be putting that out there to pressure fletcher to make a decision by march 12th. We're about 4MM over the cap now and cutting fletcher would save us about 4MM.

Fletcher is kind of getting the decision made for him here. The team can't restructure his salary only to watch him retire, and if the Redskins release him, no other team is going to bring in a 38 year old LB on even a flyer basis. He ends up retired either way.

Fletcher's only play here is to come out within the next week and say he intends to return next season...but that might not even be true.

I think he's played his last snap. At least if he retires in the next week or two, he gets the opportunity to have an actual retirement party. I don't think Shanahan is doing anyone any favors here, but he's intending to do whatever he can to keep this situation cordial.

And, I mean, Ed Reed has been talking retirement for about 6 years now.

If he does retire, do we really have any linebackers on the roster who could effectively replace him? Or will we have to pick one up in the draft?

Well if someone was here they probably say we are forgetting someone when it comes to Fletch's replacement

Well, either one of three things are going to happen.

1) He'll retire

2) We'll force him to retire when we cut him after refusing to reduce his salary

3) He'll take a huge pay cut, and he plays one more season.


No two ways about it, Fletcher drew no interest on the open market last off-season. None. We aren't going to keep him at his current salary so he'll either have to take a huge pay cut or retire. It really is that simple. Truthfully, I don't even know if they'll keep him even if he does take a pay cut.

Well if someone was here they probably say we are forgetting someone when it comes to Fletch's replacement

I'll pick up the slack on this one. Despite Keenan Robinson's season ending injury, I think if Fletch retires he will be the next man up. He looked good in limited action last year.

Fletcher is kind of getting the decision made for him here. The team can't restructure his salary only to watch him retire, and if the Redskins release him, no other team is going to bring in a 38 year old LB on even a flyer basis. He ends up retired either way.

Fletcher's only play here is to come out within the next week and say he intends to return next season...but that might not even be true.

I think he's played his last snap. At least if he retires in the next week or two, he gets the opportunity to have an actual retirement party. I don't think Shanahan is doing anyone any favors here, but he's intending to do whatever he can to keep this situation cordial.

I think you nailed the situation. At the end of the season, i felt for sure Fletch would be back, but given how well he seems to be doing on TV, i could understand him deciding to call it quits now. From our perspective, the cap penalty makes keeping him for one more year at 6MM just doesnt make much sense. If we were "close" to being a superbowl team, maybe... but we're not. It might be best for everyone involved if we part ways.

Given our cap situation, i think the team could have to make a choice between resigning Rob Jackson and Lorenzo Alexander for the next 3-4 years or keeping Fletcher for one more year. If thats the choice, its a no-brainer.

If London Fletcher Walks Away, He Has to Be Considered a Hall of Famer | Bleacher Report (http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1549500-if-london-fletcher-walks-away-he-has-to-be-considered-a-hall-of-famer)

I'll read things on Bleacher I don't agree with one bit, and I'll read some things on Bleacher I completely agree with. This is something I completely agree with.