CBS 106.7 The Fan - London Fletcher Having Ankle Surgery, Plans to Play in 2013

[c4man5282]

David Elfin ‏@davidelfin

London Fletcher Having Ankle Surgery, Plans to Play in 2013 « CBS DC http://cbsloc.al/ZpiVC1

Click on link in tweet for full article

London Fletcher is having surgery this morning to repair the left ankle that bothered him for much of the second half of the 2012 Redskins season. Later this month, the Pro Bowl inside linebacker will go under the knife again for some cleanup work on an elbow. What’s amazing is that after 15 NFL seasons and nearly 38 years on the planet, the operations will be the first of Fletcher’s life.

But they had to happen because as Fletcher told me the other day while making me promise to hold the news until this morning, “Surgery is the first step towards prepping for next season.”

So the captain has shelved the retirement talk that has been swirling and is planning to return in 2013 after helping lead Washington from a 3-6 start to a 10-6 finish, its first playoff berth in five years and its first NFC East title since 1999.

[Boston Skins]

Good and bad news here. We have our captain for one more season, but some difficult decisions are still ahead...

[S.T.real,lights,out]

Im glad London is coming back another year but he's gonna have to take a pay cut IMO. IDK, if we would bring him back at the price he's at.

[skinsmarydu]

Prayers for successful surgeries, London.

Hail!

[DC9]

Yeah... this is not good. 38 years old, having a surgery, and expecting to play? He clearly is forcing the team to cut him. There is no way we can count on him. I'm dissappointed right now.

[Skinsinparadise]

Yeah... this is not good. 38 years old, having a surgery, and expecting to play? He clearly is forcing the team to cut him. There is no way we can count on him. I'm dissappointed right now.

I think what the team does answers whether you are correct or not. If they let him go then they are on board with your point. If they want him back, they clearly disagree with your stance. Personally, I like the idea of having London back. But if I didn't like the idea, i wouldn't be fazed by this, clearly London can't coerce the Redskins into having him back. If they think he is a has been or too hurt or too expense or all of the above -- they won't bring him back.

[soccerdude8821]

Redskins are a better team with him on the field. He is still playing at a high level and Ill give him the benefit of knowing how well he can play even after a surgery, hes deserves that confidence from the fans after everything he has done.

[Koolblue13]

He was still playing like one of the better LBs last year, when he finally got past his nagging injuries. If this makes him 100%, I'm all for this move.

[SWFLSkins]

Yeah... this is not good. 38 years old, having a surgery, and expecting to play? He clearly is forcing the team to cut him. There is no way we can count on him. I'm dissappointed right now.

C'mon DC this could be the reason he was a little slower last year. London Fletcher playing again is never bad news.

[Cooleyfan1993]

he had 4 interceptions in a season where he had injuries. thats pretty good for a 37 year old linebacker

[Koolblue13]

Maybe we should sit him for a year. :paranoid:

[Lavarleap56]

Plans to play is not the same as will play. Team has a few days to make a decision.

[ArmchairRedskin]

I doubt the team lets him go. He was big time during the win streak. You look at Ray Lewis, how he was able to keep playing even at a diminished level so he could get a final shot at the SB, and the Redskins will do the same for Fletch. I would say that London played at a much higher level than Ray last year and if he's healthy he absolutely should be on the field. I can't see parting ways with him.

[authentic]

I would hate for the team to make the decision for him. But i think we really need to move on. All indications based on his play, recent surgery, and Shanny's comments point to it really not being beneficial for the TEAM for him to return.

[wrecker]

Why wait this long to have the surgery?

[SWFLSkins]

Maybe we should sit him for a year. :paranoid:

Thanks for that, great laughs to start the Wednesday.

[pjfootballer]

Maybe we should sit him for a year. :paranoid:

:ols: I see what you did there.

[DC9]

C'mon DC this could be the reason he was a little slower last year. London Fletcher playing again is never bad news.

Fletch has been my favorite player for years. I just don't want to see him get embarrassed and this has all of the makings of a Jesse Tuggle situation. And he's commanding a lot of money via the cap. I'm excited that he's coming back, I just don't want him to be a punchline because he deserves better than that.

I mean, he deserves to go out on his own terms I'll agree... but I just hope he doesn't meet that cliff this year. It's taken him about 6-8 weeks to get into a groove each of the last two seasons.

[elkabong82]

It will be good to have that leadership back. Players play for Fletcher. Giving it one more year IMO shows Fletch believes we are real close. Minor surgery to fix the ailment and I don't think it's unreasonable to think Fletch plays better than injury-riddled 2012 season.

[DC9]

I think what the team does answers whether you are correct or not. If they let him go then they are on board with your point. If they want him back, they clearly disagree with your stance. Personally, I like the idea of having London back. But if I didn't like the idea, i wouldn't be fazed by this, clearly London can't coerce the Redskins into having him back. If they think he is a has been or too hurt or too expense or all of the above -- they won't bring him back.

Fair enough on all. The little boy comes out in me when it involves my favorite player. I just don't want to see him washed up, slow, and embarrassed on that field. That's all I'm trying to say. That was a reactionary post. I'm excited to have his leadership and experience, I just hope he's really ready to go.

And as you said, the Redskins won't have him back if he isn't worth the money he's due this season.

[Warpath11]

I'd welcome London back but as others have echoed at a much more reduced rate. I think London still may get cut but brought back at a lower number later in the off-season much like last year.

[Skinsinparadise]

Fair enough on all. The little boy comes out in me when it involves my favorite player. I just don't want to see him washed up, slow, and embarrassed on that field. That's all I'm trying to say. That was a reactionary post. I'm excited to have his leadership and experience, I just hope he's really ready to go.

And as you said, the Redskins won't have him back if he isn't worth the money he's due this season.

When the Redskins went on the run during the 2nd half of the season, IMO he played very well and that was on a bum ankle where he couldn't practice much during the week -- Shanny said he never saw anything like that ever and he meant it as a complement. He didn't look to me as a guy who was anywhere near poised to embarrass himself. I'd agree that he was a liability at times in pass coverage especially earlier in the season but I'd presume they can play nickle or dime or simply sub in Keenan Williams on clear passing downs.

[moondog]

C'mon DC this could be the reason he was a little slower last year. London Fletcher playing again is never bad news.

Exactly. Even at 37 last year he played through the injuries and was one of several guys on defense who really elevated their play down the stretch on our 7 game winning streak. He struggled at the beginning of the year only to get stronger as the season wore on despite injuries. He's not forcing anyone to cut him. If the guy can still get his body right to play through injuries, surgery to correct those injuries is certainly not going to make him worse! He'll be full go in rehab and I expect another strong season from him.

DC9, the fact that you wrote a sentence saying "no way we can count on him" regarding London Fletcher is not only ridiculous, it's pretty unexpected from you. Come on man, a guy that was undrafted, came from a D3 school, won a Super Bowl, never missed a game in his career, is Hall of Fame worthy and you don't trust him because he's having surgery? If he has decided to return, he's going to get his body right and come back and play at a high level. Of that I am sure.

---------- Post added March-6th-2013 at 09:38 AM ----------

Fair enough on all. The little boy comes out in me when it involves my favorite player. I just don't want to see him washed up, slow, and embarrassed on that field. That's all I'm trying to say. That was a reactionary post. I'm excited to have his leadership and experience, I just hope he's really ready to go.

And as you said, the Redskins won't have him back if he isn't worth the money he's due this season.

That's more like it. I mean, it's not like we're talking about Shawn Springs here

[Commander PK]

Maybe we should sit him for a year. :paranoid:

At least. No sense risking injury in 2013, even if he is 100% and cleared to play.

[KCClybun]

I think people have to ask if they want London to stay for emotional reasons, or if they want London to stay for football reasons.

Did London have a better second half of the season than first? Yes. Was it a huge improvement? I don't know. I think you could say he went from pretty awful, to being average. I think Haz giving him more freedom to audible and react to the defense helped cover up some of the physical detriments.

But we have to ask ourselves if a 38 year old linebacker, with a cap hit of 6.2 million, who's going to be coming off surgery, and who also never fully recovered from the balance issues he had early in the season (which to my knowledge don't have much to do with his ankle), is worth it. Is it more likely that we get second half London Fletcher, or first half London Fletcher.

I love London to death. If I could clone him and make a team of him I would. But I don't know if I'd rather have London over bringing back some younger guys and improving the team overall. We need about $18 million in cap space to do what we need to do.