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It doesn't look like he learned from the Jacksonville game a while back..... Nate going for the house coughs it up again when he could have iced the game. I know it made me chuckle a vindictive laugh when it happened....

http://blogs.palmbeachpost.com/thedailydolphin/2010/08/29/tony-sparano-dolphins-have-big-decisions-coming-up-about-will-allen-nate-garner/ It looks as if Miami has a tough choice to make on this guy given that he won't be available until October. If they let him go we might want to grab him up. Can't ever have enough good offensive lineman and I don't think anyone is very impressed with the offensive tackles we have starting, let alone the backups. Face it, in the course of a season there are injuries and you have to have 7 to ten quality O-linemen to get through a season (and perhaps playoffs).

He's looking like a total stud right now against the Cardinals.

Nate Washington-WR- Titans Mar. 2 - 8:29 pm et Nate Washington's contract with the Titans is worth $27 million over six seasons, with $9 million guaranteed. He'll definitely start at this rate. Tennessee's incumbent No. 1 receiver, Justin Gage, has a contract paying $1M a year less. OC Mike Heimerdinger's vertical offense will suit Washington's deep speed, but Gage is still the better bet in PPR leagues. Washington should lead the Titans in receiving yards. Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Does this seem as dumb a contract to you as it does to me? Last year he had 40 rec. for 631 yards and 3 TD's. I wouldn't have gone over $4 million guaranteed.

Per Rotoworld. http://www.rotoworld.com/Content/playerpag...NFL&id=3446

Nate Clements asked not to be franchised after getting tagged the previous year when he was a Bill. We honored his wish and let him walk for nothing. I understand that people view the Bills organization as upstanding, but who cares what a player thinks. Peppers certainly didn't want one either. It just frustrates me looking back that we didn't tag him and at least try and trade him for something.

I just thought I'd bring these two guys to everyone's attention. As both have a history playing under Perry Fewell in St. Louis. Of the two, I think Fisher has the more likelyhood of joining the Bills as Groce was an UFA last offseason and we didn't pursue him. Also Fisher is the better player and had his finest season (2003) when Fewell was the DB coach of the Rams. Of course one has to be concerned with his inabilty to stay healthy the last three seasons. While I don't think he's in Nate's class he might feel he can be a starting CB. Groce on the other hand has been a career nickel/dime CB. He could fill the same role here but don't expect us really lose Thomas but if we do always good to look at alternatives. Just thought I'd post something while was researching UFAs available. Feel free to add your thoughts/feelings.

Unrestricted free agent cornerback Nate Clements joined the Howard Simon Show to speak about where he'll be playing next year, what's important to him, and the Bills. Clements said there haven't been any discussions between his agent and the Bills, nor anything during the season. He said he isn't surprised by the lack of contact, and that there's no rush since he's waited so long to be an unrestricted free agent. "Free agency hasn't really started, plus towards the end of the season (they said) they made sure they would keep in contact with me," Clements said. Clements said there's a chance he could be back in a Bills uniform, but that he has an agreement with the team that Buffalo will apply the franchise tag to him. "There's definitely a chance I'll be back," he said. "I took care of my part on the field. I'm just letting the chips fall in place now." "This is where I started my career. They gave me the opportunity and I've been used to the atmosphere, used to playing for just one team. The business part of it, financially, they're capable of keeping me if they want." The average salary of the top five paid cornerbacks in 2006 was $5.8 million. The top ten paid: 4.7 million. In 2004, Denver's Champ Bailey signed the largest contract for a corner in NFL history at seven years, $63 million. Of the 2006 free agents, the largest contract went to Charles Woodson of Green Bay, who signed for seven years, $52 million, including a $10.5 million signing bonus. Other corners who received notable signing bonuses are Antoine Winfield ($11 million), Anthony Henry ($11.6 million) and Gary Baxter ($10.5 million). Clements said it isn't all about the money, that winning and his family are a big part of the equation. "It's a consideration, as far as going to a team that's already been there, or one step away from the Super Bowl," he said. "I'm a competitor and I hate losing. I just love to win." Clements feels the Bills have the intensity to win, that season felt the same as 2004, when they missed the playoffs by one game. He also said Buffalo plays another role in his decision. "It's a lot different for me than it was five, six years ago," he said. "I have to factor in my family. This could be probably the last contract of my career." On the rumors of his joining Gregg Williams and Jerry Gray in Washington, he said there's definitely a possibility because of the history. He said there's no team, division or conference where he wouldn't play. In 96 career games, the sixth-year corner out of Ohio State has recorded 447 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 87 passes defended, 23 interceptions and 13 forced fumbles. He's returned 5 interceptions for touchdowns, and also returned a punt for six points. Clements has suited up for every game of his career in Buffalo. His season-high for tackles was 81, in 2005, while his high mark for interceptions is six, in 2002 and 2004. The only year he didn't return a pick for a touchdown is 2005. The former first round, 21st overall pick made his only Pro Bowl in 2004.

Dear Ralphy Boy, Remember when we had that Super Bowl run those 4 years. Remember how successful we were by KEEPING our top players in their prime and not letting other teams strengthen themselves with OUR drafted talent. Heck, it was actually longer then 4 years because we were good right before that 4 year run and right afterwards as well. Anyway, I know we haven't sold out a couple of games and all lately and thats really no excuse, but please start investing heavily in the OL and DL like you used to and for heavens sake, don't let our one and only true shutdown corner walk with plans of unproven Ashton Youboty taking over. You know what that means Ralphie, don't you?? It means OPEN UP THE DAMN POCKETBOOK! Yes, I know there was a time we had salary cap problems and all but that was spending stupidly on middle of the road players or guys past their prime. I much rather flirt with salary cap hell then be sitting home watching the playoffs year after year after year. We are finally on the right course now. Its not a time to take any steps BACKWARDS! Even though you majorly screwed up for letting Bill Polian go. Even though you made another blunder by picking Tom "Bonehead" Donahue to run the team so he could pick the likes of Mike (I want my mommy) Williams and Willis (what down is it) McGahee with a 24 year old Travis Henry on our team. I still "might" be able to forgive you if only you could field us, once again, a Super Bowl caliber team. We all know it starts up front and adding a Steinbach to our team for the OL sure would help. Trading up this year to get an extra first round pick might not be bad if you could "HIT" on a bad ass DT to help sew up our run defense. I will miss the awesome play of Fletcher but its time to go with youth at that position and Patrick Willis would be a nice fit. If you don't go with Patrick Willis, at least get us a top notch WR to complement Lee Evans and also give us some much needed red zone size like a Dwayne Jarrett. Adding that big red zone target could only help Losman's development. Daniel Graham would be a much needed TE upgrade after you blew it by overpaying a below average TE Robert Royal last year. Signing Daniel Graham should not be outrageous money and I can't remember the last time we had a solid TE. Oh yeah, Pete Metz during our Super Bowl run. Nate Clements, gotta resign him. It is so hard to find a lockdown corner in his prime capable of taking the other team's #1 receiver out of the game but essentially thats what he did this past year. Those kind of players are so hard to replace. I know, I know, your probably saying................how are we gonna afford all this? Well, if the SORRY ASS Redskins can be in salary cap hell EVERY YEAR and still go out and sign big free agents, we have to be able to find a way to do some serious "but smart" spending as well with all our cap room. The only difference being the Skins spend foolishly on their overrated free agents, we need to spend, but spend wisely on some "proven" talent without mortgaging our future because we all know how important it will be to keep the likes of Losman and Evans when they are free agents in a couple of years. Ok, so I will wait and see if you're going to step up to the plate and keep this team heading on the right track, or are you going to continue to be ultra conservative and let our top players walk away in their prime and then spend all our extra money on the Robert Royals of the world. If you go the wrong way on us Ralphie Boy, I can't guarantee the fans will show up and sell out the stadium each week like you and I both want. The fans need something to cheer for and you are in the strongest position to make that possible. Jauron and Levy were a good start with turing around the mess you created, NOW FINISH FIXING THE MESS BY BRINGING US HOME A SUPER BOWL WINNER!!!! SHOW ME THE MONEY RALPH!!!!!!!

He will become an unrestricted free agent, so he is absolutely free to go whereever he wants. I wonder if he will give the Bills the chance to match. Anybody remember Cornelius "Benedict Arnold" Bennett, who promised he'd give the Bills the right to match, so don't bother tagging me....and then just signed with Atlanta? What Nate and the Bills agreed to last year was a mutual risk. Nate was coming off a pretty bad year, and he wasn't going to get market value. The Bills were willing to pay him the Franchise Tag amount for a one year deal, and he went out and had himself a pretty good year. Did he make the Pro Bowl? No. Did he make All-Pro? No. Then why does he think he should be the highest paid corner in the league? I'd make him a really good offer, and hope to sign him. Maybe 5 years, 42 million or something. If that won't work, tell him good luck...if you don't mind, run the numbers past us before you sign, we want you on the team, but that's what we have right now. And see what happens. Will somebody pay him the huge dollars? He had a really good year. Not a great year.

If we can't afford Nate Clements with 35 million in cap room, who can? Just sign him. I guess we should let London go back to St. Louis. I'll miss his downfield tackling. Willis can go. He's a thug. I've never liked the guy. He's a friggin' thug. How can you possibly ask for a renegotiation when you couldn't come up with 33 yards to get 1000? He's not a character guy. We'll get a 3rd for him. He's only had one breakaway run in 3 years. Lose him. I don't think we're far away from the playoffs. Let Marv build us up.

This is what we`ll be reading in the near future.With Williams at D.C. and in need of a corner and Snyder`s MONEY. He will be gone. Later Nate$$$$

Asante Samuel played himself into a Washington Redskins uniform last night (and throughout the playoffs) and into Dan Snyder's wallet. Clements value had taken a drop as it's clear that Samuels will not only test the FA market but likely bolt from the Pats. http://www.silive.com/sports/advance/index....xml&coll=1 (see bottom 3rd of article) Samuel, who had 10 interceptions in the regular season, had two picks in the postseason. He has a total of 19 interceptions, regular season and postseason, in a four-year career. He wants big money. He said the Patriots have balked. "We've talked about a new contract," Samuel said last week. "What they offered isn't even worth discussing. It's disappointing. You want to believe they know what you've done, so you hope for the best, but you end up feeling underappreciated. You feel disrespected, especially how they come at you with so much negative stuff. "I took it personally, at first. You'd think I would have been around this team long enough to realize it's all about business."

Simple poll. I'm really just curious as to what TBD thinks of Clements chances of staying a Bill. Note: This is not a poll as to whether or not you WANT Nate back. It's about whether you think he WILL or WILL NOT be back with the team.

Chris Chambers is a non-factor today with Nate covering him. Great int too! Sign this dude, NOW.

In the spirit of keeping some focus this off season and avoiding duplicate threads and off-topic posts (as mentioned in another thread ), I'm opening this thread as a place for discussion of Nate Clements, his contract situation, his value, and our alternatives at corner. My opinion is that keeping Nate would be great all things being equal, but with the monster contract he is going to be after (and likely get), he probably does not represent value to the Bills, and we probably have to shed a tear and let him walk. If so, one option is staying with what we have, and hoping Youboty can step into those big shoes, with McGee staying at the other Corner and KT or someone new as the nickel. The worry there is that Youboty was unable to crack our lineup much this year after his slow start, and that might be more responsibility than he can handle this soon. The second option is signing another less expensive free agent corner from a list that includes: Asante Samuel UFA New England Patriots Ken Hamlin, UFA, Seattle Seahawks Roc Alexander, RFA, Denver Broncos Jordan Babineaux, RFA, Seattle Seahawks Jason David, RFA, Indianapolis Colts Randall Gay, RFA, New England Patriots Nick Harper, UFA, Indianapolis Colts David Macklin, UFA, Arizona Cardinals The third main option is drafting a corner high, which I hope we don't do unless there is really exceptional value. I would rather see the first day picks go to the lines, maybe linebacker, and other positions only if they blow us away as the best football talent available at our draft slot. Drafting a planned need can greatly reduce the value you get unless you are lucky. So the question arises what is a fair price for Nate? How high can we go before we have to forget about it? I think Marv should figure that out and make his highest offer pretty early, rather than try to get into a bidding war when Nate is closer to phone calls from Daniel Snyder, etc. I was rooting for Youboty all year, but was very disappointed that he wasn't able to get more playing time away from McGee and KT who are solid but not stellar DBs. Have at it guys, and hopefully this thread can grow long and stay on topic, and we can avoid duplicate threads about the Nate/CB situation.

Sorry if has been posted already but I didn't see any threads so I'll start this one. Anyways he starts of with saying he is the best CB in the NFL right now. Guess he is pre - negotiating with Ralp. Rest of the interview is predictable stuff except he said the guys in the locker room never once doubted themselves and things have started clicking since the by week.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2710691 Just food for thought when Danny, Grandpa NASCAR and Greggo come calling.....

Nothing earth shattering. Said that both sides will not discuss a new contract until the season is over. Clements agent indicated that after the season ends, the closer that Nate gets to FA, the more likely he would like to test the waters. The reporter (can't remember his name) felt that Nate will not be returning.

I don't see McGee improving and if we lost Nate next year, we won't get close enough to sniff 7 wins again.

I have ESPN Insider and this is what a writer wrote..... Bill of Goods? Mike from Lackawanna, N.Y., asked, "Do you think Nate Clements will land with his hometown team -- the Cleveland Browns?" I don't think Clements will land in Cleveland if only because the issues in the secondary last year had more to do with injuries. Leigh Bodden, Daven Holly, Brodney Pool and Sean Jones give Cleveland a very solid nucleus of young defensive backs, so there are more pressing personnel needs for Romeo Crennel and Phil Savage to address. Even if the Browns were to decide to pursue Clements, they should not break the bank for him. His performance the past four years has been quite inconsistent. Clements posted dominant yards per attempt (YPA) numbers in 2004 (5.7) and 2006 (6.1). Conversely, his numbers were decidedly mediocre in 2003 (7.3) and 2005 (8.8). His 2003 season was actually even worse than the numbers would indicate, as he benefited from a lot of dropped and inaccurate passes. He simply has not displayed the type of consistency that would be expected from one of the biggest names in the free-agent market this year.

I hoped that I'd never have to say it...atleast you'll always be a Buckeye! Thanks for the memories...

from Free Agency, that will be good enough for me. Then, we can concentrate on MLB, OL, and WR/RB. What say you?

Champ Bailey, Ronde Barber, Chris Gamble, Asante Samuels, DeAngelo Hall, Deltha O'Neal, Chris McAlister, Shawn Springs, Patrick Surtain, Ty Law, Lito Sheppard, and Terrence Newman. They are all better than NC. They all make more plays, INTs and are better leaders than NC. Feel free to disagree but we aren't losing a Top 5 CB we are losing a Top 15 CB which is NOT that big of a deal espcially with Youboty (who didnt play because of ST not because he wasnt good enough) waiting in the wings with Thomas (who I believe we will resign) and our stud safties.

Everyone knew the bills weren't going to keep nate after this season. Too much money! So you franchise him and then you trade him. Maybe for a 1st or 2nd round pick last year or this year? Keeping him meant nothing. No playoffs, no winning season, and he sucked the 1st half. So why didn't they get something of value? It seems that trades in the NFL are harder to come by, then mothers giving up their children for adoption at birth.