Jump to content

Clements wants to stay in Buffalo!


Recommended Posts

Jerry Gray's style of D demands more out of the CB's (more man-to-man coverage) than in your typical NFL D.

 

Plus, Pro Bowl CB's are about as equally difficult to find as Pro Bowl DL's, especially on the UFA market. So if we lose Clements, who's to say that we will be able to compensate for his loss with a Pro Bowl DE/DT of about equal impact?

 

I say stick with what we've got, even if that means we won't be major players in free agency for another couple more years.

395302[/snapback]

 

I appreciate your viewpoint, Kelso.

 

For me, man-to-man coverage these days can end up in the most ludicrous of penalties. My preference is hurrying the QB with line pressure and LB's that snuff out the short stuff and flattening of those outside of the hash marks within today's 5 yard rule...goal being either my opponent reverts to runs or freaks out and starts calling single-minded long passes...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"I feel that I am the best," he said after the Buffalo Bills completed Day Two of training camp Sunday at St. John Fisher. "The film doesn't lie. The numbers don't lie either. I put up numbers every year. I'm versatile, I return punts as well as play special teams and I'm durable. I would put myself up against anybody in the league."

This one paragraph says it all.  I don't believe that TD will sign NC to a contract that makes him the highest paid at his position.  It's just not his style to throw that much money at a player.  Hopefully I'm wrong or maybe NC's demands won't be as bad as I fear.

395159[/snapback]

 

He's confident which is good for a CB, but bad for a GM trying to resign the guy. I think 9 times out of 10 any player who is going to become a free agent will say he wants to stay with his current team so not to upset anybody. If he said, "yea I'm the best and I'm gonna try and make as much $$ as possible after this year" I dont think that would go over very well with the rest of his team. Most likely scenario is that he doesn't sign and he gets tagged at the end of the year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He has franchise tag written all over him.......

395354[/snapback]

 

The only problem I have with putting the Franchise tag (which is top 5 not top 10 salarys) on him is the huge cap hit. Hopefully it won't come to that though.

 

The Bills could designate Clements as their franchise player after the season and try to sign him to a one-year contract with the average salary of the top 10 highest-paid cornerbacks in the league. The 2005 figure is $8.82 million, but it may be higher next year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good Point on the CBA Ennjay. It will take some creativity, but I think we can get this done now.

 

We can actually GAIN a little cap space this year...Nate's cap hit is about $3.5 Million for this year.

 

Let's say we do something like 7 years, $49 Million--collecting $25 Million in the first three years--including this year which I believe gives us the 5 year amoritization.

 

Contract is:

 

$10 Million up front this year (5 year amoritization)

$6 Million additional gauranteed (Not Roster) bonus in '06 (4 year)

$4 Million additional gauranteed (Not Roster) bonus in '07 (3 year)

 

Salaries:

2005 Vet Min - $600K

2006 $1.4 Million

2007 $3 Million

2008 $3 Million

2009 $4 Million

2010 $8 Million

2011 $9 Million

 

Cap hits with amoritization:

2005 $2.6 Million (Save $900K this year)

2006 $4.9 Million

2007 $7.83 Million

2008 $7.83 Million

2009 $8.84 Million

2010 $8 Million (all bonuses amoritized)

2011 $9 Million

 

I think this is fair for everyone...Nate is rich in the first three years...Bills get some backend flexibility with no cap hit if Nate is released after 2009.

 

Someone will correct me I am sure if I have the CBA rules wrong..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I certainly hope this is true but his expectations are definitely going to be high.  When a guy says he is the best in the game he will expect to be the highest paid at his position.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he gets an extension during the season.

395164[/snapback]

 

I remember Reed saying something like that and then he got dinged during season and had to sign back with Bills at a reasonable rate. Clements IS NOT the best, at least in terms of making decisions costing us one game, and does not deserve to paid as the best.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I remember Reed saying something like that and then he got dinged during season and had to sign back with Bills at a reasonable rate.  Clements IS NOT the best, at least in terms of making decisions costing us one game, and does not deserve to paid as the best.

395748[/snapback]

Feel free to name the player in BILLS' history who played as a regular who didn't cost the team at least one game with bad decision making.

 

I recall Andre Reed throwing his helmet. I recall TT mailing it in after fumbling in the SB. I recall a litany of bad decisions by Jim Kelly over the years.

 

I'm sorry but explosive players occasionally make mistakes because they think they can make every play. That's what makes them explosive. Nate Clements is a GREAT CB and one of the best currently in the NFL. He doesn't make every play but he makes more than just about everyone else who plays the same position.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In addition to being one of the top CBs, he's none too shabby at PRs, either.

 

The CB position by nature is one of the hardest to fill with a top-notch player, it required such finesse and athletic ability. And it's especially important now, with the rules shift, to have one that is that good b/c so many others are playing at a Chris Watson level. DL players just need to rush the quaterback or play kill the man with the ball. I wouldn't make that trade-off, plus there's the little detail that we don't have that choice to make at the moment. You keep what you've got.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...