Rolando McClain About to Get His Walking Papers. Should We Claim Him?

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by BigHairedAristocrat

You must be confusing me with someone else. I just posted on this thread, and dont see any responses where you (or others) have gone over this with me and shown me the numbers. I havent had any recent conversations with you or anyone else debating Fletchers performance, so i dont know what youre talking about.

However, since you mentioned stats, i went to NFL.com to see where Fletcher ranked to see if i were just crazy. He definitely seems to have lost a step, but still seems to be playing at a very high level to me.

hes the 6th rated ILB in the league, according to NFL.com's "comb" stat, which combines total tackles and assists. Granted, thats only of teams that run the 3-4 defense, but if we rank him among all interior backers (ILB and MLBs), he's ranked 10th (out of all 32 teams). Granted, hes lost a step (we're used to him being #1), but i would say that number of tackles shows that he's playing at a high level. Not as high as he used to be, but still high. Interestingly, Perry Riley is ranked pretty high, too.

So what stats show that London is playing at a low level?

Granted, this was one game against the Steelers. But, from Pro Football Focus

Aging Fletcher?

In the NFL, good players can age seemingly overnight and unfortunately for LB London Fletcher, his best play may be well in the rearview mirror. He graded at -3.5 on Sunday, dropping to -11.7 for the season. Most alarming were his three missed tackles, which allowed him to not only match last year’s total of 14, but also to take the dubious distinction of the current leader in that category at his position. When he wasn’t missing tackles, Fletcher was getting wiped out at the second level in the running game, and even though he only allowed 4 yards into his coverage, Fletcher was responsible for fullback Will Johnson’s touchdown in the flat. His base numbers also benefited from a dropped pass from wide open tight end Miller. It may be too early to write off a player of Fletcher’s ability, but his play has taken a big hit so far this season.

Then there was another about his struggles covering LBs, which I can't find at the moment but is pretty evident

Then there's the fact that he's 37 years old, can hardly practice anymore and every week lately it's a "will he or won't he"

Planning to replace London Fletcher isn't "hate" it's just smart planning

[SFREDSKIN]

Who doesn't love Fletcher? He's still a very good player on the waining end of his career, he will need to be replaced when his contract is up or next year if a solid replacement is found (possibly McClain). If you don't replace old players, you will end up like Jack Pardee, fired. Pardee didn't what a youth movement, Beathard did, how did that turn out?

[SmootSmack]

Latest on McClain

Rolando McClain not welcome at Oakland Raiders practice - NFL.com

[CultBrennan59]

^to summarize it he hasn't been released and they may not even release him.

[sdskinsfan2001]

All you need to know about Rolando McClain can be found out by looking at that picture that was posted of him getting arrested and seeming to be having a good time doing so. The guy is what I call a LOSER! If you're getting cut by th Raidas you know there's a problem. Keep him away from our team. We are building something good here, don't need him.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

Then there's the fact that he's 37 years old, can hardly practice anymore and every week lately it's a "will he or won't he"

Planning to replace London Fletcher isn't "hate" it's just smart planning

That's all it boils down to.

[SFREDSKIN]

Just like I suspected, why would you release a malcontent #1 pick and fulfill his wish? They are going to pull a Haynesworth on him and try to get something for him in the off season.

[53Fan]

Originally Posted by SFREDSKIN

Just like I suspected, why would you release a malcontent #1 pick and fulfill his wish? They are going to pull a Haynesworth on him and try to get something for him in the off season.

Yep.
I think they're gonna make a stand against him. There's obviously some hard feeling going on here just like with Haynesworth. I doubt they'll get a whole lot for him considering his salary and recent performance. It sounds like it's gotten personal and they're not gonna just let him walk.

[Ruhskins]

Originally Posted by SFREDSKIN

Just like I suspected, why would you release a malcontent #1 pick and fulfill his wish? They are going to pull a Haynesworth on him and try to get something for him in the off season.

Which will not work because teams know they can just wait it out.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy SIII using Tapatalk 2.

[Dirtbag59]

Originally Posted by CultBrennan59

I was thinking the same thing. Its a seventh rounder. Hell had we of spent a seventh on Vontaze Burfict in this draft we would have had londons replacement there, guy is a beast right now for Cincy.

No one is a bigger Captain Insano fan then me. However this guy is just another Odell Thurman waiting to happen. And by the way a big part of the production we're seeing from Burfict right now is the fact that he's willingly accepted coaching from Marvin Lewis. Had he come to any other team he might have been no more then a blip on the radar screen.

[SFREDSKIN]

Originally Posted by Ruhskins

Which will not work because teams know they can just wait it out.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy SIII using Tapatalk 2.

Did the Redskins not get a 5th rounder from NE for fat ****? Same thing here, they'll get a draft pick instead of nothing.

[Ruhskins]

Originally Posted by SFREDSKIN

Did the Redskins not get a 5th rounder from NE for fat ****? Same thing here, they'll get a draft pick instead of nothing.

Well thats b/c NE likes to throw away their picks.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy SIII using Tapatalk 2.

[BigHairedAristocrat]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

Granted, this was one game against the Steelers. But, from Pro Football Focus



Then there was another about his struggles covering LBs, which I can't find at the moment but is pretty evident

Then there's the fact that he's 37 years old, can hardly practice anymore and every week lately it's a "will he or won't he"

Planning to replace London Fletcher isn't "hate" it's just smart planning

If there was one game this year I would completely discount for fletcher it's this one. This is the game after the "balance" issues where he probably had an undiagnosed concussion. That was, by far, the worst I've ever seen fletcher. Something was seriously wrong with him. I never said we shouldn't plan to replace fletcher. I said we should groom young talent to replace him... whenever we feel he's no longer the best player to start. I wholeheartedly oppose signing a pricey free agent ILBin 2013 when we have an 18MM cap hit if fletcher is still our starter. We'd be devoting too high of a percentage of our available cap to the position when there are other positions (like all 4 starting secondary players) which need upgrading more.

[punch it in]

Originally Posted by BigHairedAristocrat

I agree. I just dont see that his performance has fallen off as starkly as some other ones of you have observed. To me, he still appears to be among the best LBs in the league.

A few weeks ago I noticed that Fletch went from fan favorite - ageless wonder to over the hill liabilty almost overnite on this forum. I was shocked. Than as i watched him i started thinking - ok he is getting toasted in pass coverage. He is. Thing is though that our terrible safety play i think has left him exposed against opposing tight ends. I dont know? I think he still has game - im not so much saying he looks like crap or he has lost a step really. Im just looking at the clock and realizing that like i said , all good things come to an end and we need to start grooming another ilb real soon.

[BigHairedAristocrat]

Originally Posted by punch it in

A few weeks ago I noticed that Fletch went from fan favorite - ageless wonder to over the hill liabilty almost overnite on this forum. I was shocked. Than as i watched him i started thinking - ok he is getting toasted in pass coverage. He is. Thing is though that our terrible safety play i think has left him exposed against opposing tight ends. I dont know? I think he still has game - im not so much saying he looks like crap or he has lost a step really. Im just looking at the clock and realizing that like i said , all good things come to an end and we need to start grooming another ilb real soon.

Thats exactly my point. We shoudl be grooming a young ILB to place Fletcher at whatever point he/coaches decide he cant start anymore. Unless we dont plan on Fletcher being our starter next year, we shouldnt sign a pricey free agent ILB. It just doesnt make financial sense given our cap situation. Now, if Fletcher retires after this season or the coaches dont think he can start in 2013, then by all means, cut fletcher and spend the money on a free agent (if we have it). Just dont spend big bucks on Fletcher AND another ILB at the same time.