argentina_redskins Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 If the team decides to switch LB Lemar Marshall back to the outside, London Fletcher-Baker might be a consideration in the middle. Redskins associate head coach/offense Al Saunders knows Fletcher from their time together in St. Louis. Fletcher is not young, but he is a high-energy player who makes tackles in the middle. Fletcher, though, probably is not going to be any more proficient in the cover two defense than Marshall. Asking any middle linebacker to cover a tight end or wide receiver deep down the middle has been a recipe for disaster for the team since it let Antonio Pierce get away. .http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=165594 I found this small excerpt really interesting. This might be a cause for our MLB struggles. The Skins haven't found anybody who has been extremely reliable since AP left. Since we don't have any mid draft picks (3rd or 4th), we should probably leave our LB core as it is now (maybe use a late round draft pick) and try different combinations to see who can do better at MLB. I think we could try with Washington at MLB, then Marshall at OLB and Rocky (who has showed he could be great) at WLB. Thoughts? Comments? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drunken Master III Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 .http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=165594 I found this small excerpt really interesting. This might be a cause for our MLB struggles. The Skins haven't found anybody who has been extremely reliable since AP left. Since we don't have any mid draft picks (3rd or 4th), we should probably leave our LB core as it is now (maybe use a late round draft pick) and try different combinations to see who can do better at MLB. I think we could try with Washington at MLB, then Marshall at OLB and Rocky (who has showed he could be great) at WLB. Thoughts? Comments? There is no way we can go into next season with the same LB's :doh: . Did you watch any of our games this season. Our linebackers except for Marcus Washington were non-existent. London Fletcher would work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-Prime Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 Work as in servicable. I still see us with coverage problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KDawg Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 Again, Fletcher would be a good plug in player for our defense. He's not a long-term fix by any stretch of the imagination, but he's a player we can play for a year or two and get good mileage out of while we groom a younger [drafted] player. It seems like he's in on every play in Buffalo and would without a doubt bring a hard nosed attitude to the team, which is a definite necessity. But, if the team plans on signing Fletcher without drafting/grooming a new young Mike backer, then it's not a good move. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PSUHeckler Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 (Maybe just a little biased, but) draft Paul Posluzney from Penn State. Linebacker problem: solved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinfan2k Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 redskins draft a LB and we should expect rocky mac to start along side with MW who i know was really banged up this year and not himself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RYokum Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 Two areas that need major work. Linebacking and pass rushing. How many times this year did we see 3rd down conversions by other teams by passing? Or teams flinging the ball down field for big gains. We need coverage underneath and a proliphic pass rush. Two areas where experience is necessary not something found in the draft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRMADD Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 But, if the team plans on signing Fletcher without drafting/grooming a new young Mike backer, then it's not a good move. Right. I'd rather have no solution than have a short-term solution. All these short-term bandaids make you forget you have a core problem, and they come back and bite you in the ass. Fletcher is the definition of a short-term fix. A good team who needs to fill a couple holes could use Fletcher. A struggling team that needs youth and energy -- like the Skins -- probably need to look elsewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KDawg Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 Right. I'd rather have no solution than have a short-term solution. All these short-term bandaids make you forget you have a core problem, and they come back and bite you in the ass. Fletcher is the definition of a short-term fix. A good team who needs to fill a couple holes could use Fletcher. A struggling team that needs youth and energy -- like the Skins -- probably need to look elsewhere. Which was essentially my point. If we sign Fletcher, it has to be with a young player that will need grooming. If we draft a young linebacker that can come in and play in the NFL right off the bat, Fletcher would be a complete and utter waste of resources. If we need to wait on a player to mature, Fletcher would be an outstanding short term solution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fdarugar Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 Fletcher seems like the perfect stopgap...I would rather have Rocky start over Lemar though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistertim Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 I think London Fletcher would be a very good addition. Obviously not a long term solution, as someone already pointed out, but he still has at least 2-3 years of very good play left in him. He is 31 but watching him play you'd think he was 25. The guy really has a motor on him and is great at reading plays and tackling. He hasn't had a single season in the past 6 years where he was under 90 solo tackles. He also isn't dropping off in production as he gets a little older. His last 2 seasons have been two of his best. This year he had 104 tackles, 42 assists, 2 sacks, and 4 interceptions. He also has never missed a single game in his entire career, so he isn't injury prone. He is familiar with GW's defensive schemes and from everything I've heard and read he is a great leader and team guy. So lets say we get him for a 3 year contract or so and then pick up a young, athletic, hungry MLB through the draft and groom him for a couple years to take over. I know we might not have the picks this year, but if Fletcher has a good 2-3 years of quality play left in him, we could pick someone up next year as well and do the same thing. :2cents: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GibbsFactor Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 If we can get some gappers up front, like Joe and CG had been in the past, I think Marshal can work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtyler42 Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 I think a LB corp of Fletcher-Baker in the MLB, McIntosh at WLB, and a healthy Washington at SLB would be a definate upgrade to what we have now...By adding Fletcher-Baker that automatically give us quality depth in Marshall, Posey, and Campbell... Quick question...Is Kevin Simon the MLB we drafted from Tennessee last yr still on the team/practice squad? He was making plays in OTA's and training camp...He would be a perfect understudy to Fletcher... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinsngibbs4life Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 I would love to see London Fletcher out here in D.C. It is obvouis that we need someone new at MLB to make this defense work. While Fletcher obviously wont be a long term fix for us, he will be great to be a quick fix. He already knows the defense, so the transition wouldnt be too hard. For all of you wishing that we draft a linebacker, and just have them start, just think about how much GW starts rookies. Drafting a linebacker wont help us for next year, but fletcher. While on the other hand, signing fletcher wont help us for the long-term, but drafting someone will. Many people are against signing veterans because of our lack of success with them over the years. However, when used correctly, it is a great choice. Fletcher would be a temporary option while we groom his younger replacement. I just really hope we find a way to bring him here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KDawg Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 For all of you wishing that we draft a linebacker, and just have them start, just think about how much GW starts rookies. Drafting a linebacker wont help us for next year, but fletcher. While on the other hand, signing fletcher wont help us for the long-term, but drafting someone will. Sean Taylor started after just a few games. As did Carlos Rogers. Kedric Golston started a few games this season. I'm all for Fletcher with a young back up plan, but the whole "Williams doesn't start rookies" thing is a complete fabrication. If it was said that he doesn't start rookies immediately, that would be definitely correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mwill008 Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 I'm tired of folks bashing Lemar Marshall. The man had a bad season like everybody else on the defense. Last season he had 79 tackles, 2 sacks, and 4 INT. This season he was laboring after off-season knee and shoulder surgery. Lets take into count that the Skins went pretty deep in playoff. Which limited, already banged up defense time to recover before OTA. Lemar is one of the few MLB that can cover when he is healthy. So stop hating on the man! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
argentina_redskins Posted January 9, 2007 Author Share Posted January 9, 2007 The problem is that the Skins would wanna give big money to Fletcher and they don't got any money. I guess a $5-6 mil deal for 3 years would be just perfect for us. But since there are so many other teams that are like 40 million under the cap, then it'll be hard to lowball anybody. Expect an offseason like the one that's currently going on in baseball ... teams are paying huge amounts of money for no-name players ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinfan2k Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 honestly the redskins are always looking for just for a stop gap.. this will never change.. is there ever gonna be a ray lewis or brian urlacher who can anchor our defense for 10 yrs.. honestly, we had a HOF in champ at cb and we didnt want to pay him? this team has shown an inability to keep guys who can be here for the long run and instead pay others to be core redskins.. what a joke Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KDawg Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 honestly the redskins are always looking for just for a stop gap.. this will never change.. is there ever gonna be a ray lewis or brian urlacher who can anchor our defense for 10 yrs.. honestly, we had a HOF in champ and we didnt want to pay him? Champ didn't want to be here. He's a completely different story. He was on his way out regardless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinfan2k Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 Champ didn't want to be here. He's a completely different story. He was on his way out regardless. well ok bad example.. but we are always looking for people in free agency when we have guys capable of doing the job Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistertim Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 well ok bad example.. but we are always looking for people in free agency when we have guys capable of doing the job Free agency isn't anathema to a football team. All teams sign free agents. The issue is a smart FA signing when you have a plan to deal with the situation down the road. That is why I am advocating Fletcher. I understand the thing about not getting a young guy to anchor our defense for 10 years...but what is Taylor? Either way, if we do the smart thing and draft Jamaal Anderson or Alan Branch for the D line we will potentially have a guy who can come in and anchor the line for years to come. The problem is that we still have major holes. Those can be fixed via free agency if done correctly. Fletcher is 31 but has never had a bad season and is not dropping off after getting a bit older. Bring him in for a few years and get a MLB project during that time. Two big FA signings is all I would want. Clements and Fletcher. Do D line in the draft and then go from there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luciusism Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 Asking any middle linebacker to cover a tight end or wide receiver deep down the middle has been a recipe for disaster for the team since it let Antonio Pierce get away. Since when has AP been good in coverage? I thought that was his biggest downside, coverage. I recall several times this year when he's been burned by a TE. And on a related note, how is Lemar Marshal so bad in coverage when he's a converted safety? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0mega Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 There is no way we can go into next season with the same LB's :doh: . Did you watch any of our games this season. Our linebackers except for Marcus Washington were non-existent. London Fletcher would work. I agree, but fixing the Dline would have a bigger impact than switching LBs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0mega Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 Free agency isn't anathema to a football team. All teams sign free agents. The issue is a smart FA signing when you have a plan to deal with the situation down the road. That is why I am advocating Fletcher. I understand the thing about not getting a young guy to anchor our defense for 10 years...but what is Taylor? Either way, if we do the smart thing and draft Jamaal Anderson or Alan Branch for the D line we will potentially have a guy who can come in and anchor the line for years to come. The problem is that we still have major holes. Those can be fixed via free agency if done correctly. Fletcher is 31 but has never had a bad season and is not dropping off after getting a bit older. Bring him in for a few years and get a MLB project during that time. Two big FA signings is all I would want. Clements and Fletcher. Do D line in the draft and then go from there. The key is SUPPLIMENTING through FA, not building through it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Temple Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 Agree that Fletcher would be a good addition/stop-gap, but... (and I'm probably gonna get flamed for this: ) ...why couldn't Coach Williams find some way to utilize Archuleta in more of a linebacker-type role? Maybe play him as an outside linebacker in nickel packages, just to blitz him? I mean, this team is stuck with Archuleta for at least one more year because of his cap number. There's a clear need at linebacker, and it's unlikely playing Archuleta in that position (undersized as he'd be) would produce worse results than Holdman. Sean Barber was a pretty decently productive, athletic yet undersized LB for several years...why couldn't Archuleta perform in a similar role? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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