[mlmpetert]

Originally Posted by diehardskin2982

I understand the fact that the NFL is a business and that Fletcher is a 37 year old undersized linebacker. But I do think that NC_Skins is undervalueing the importance of leadership in the clubhouse. Fletcher is the team's only leader.

Look at the Wizards and how they put John Wall immediately in as the clubhouse leader in his rookie year, didn't really work out. That can't happen with RGIII, you have to protect your investment. Now with Fletch on the team we can draft a MLB to learn from him. You can take a risk on a player like Vontaze Burfict because you have the leadership of London to help keep Burfict in line. For a losing team leadership comes at a premium. These aren't brainless droids like on Madden, you need someone to be a coach on the field and make plays on field, you need quality veterans.

Im late to this discussion, but excellent post.

Fletcher is clearly an anomaly in terms of his production and health when it comes to his age and size and other easily measureable physicality’s. He cant really be compared to other 37 year old linebackers in a physical sense. Its just a bad comparison.

In terms of his leadership and face of the franchise stuff, he is priceless. Especially for a team that has under gone major changes to coaching, personal, schemes, and management over the last 5 years. While it may be unreasonable to “pay him whatever it takes”, I think paying him whatever we can is more than fair. He means too much to our team on a multitude of levels. And with RGIII coming in I couldn’t agree more that having the quality of person that Fletcher is as part of the team, couldn’t be more important in developing and protecting our new investment.