The-Hogs.net - Washington Football Discussion, Redskins to Commanders Era

Redskins fans have come to embrace a defense that for the past few years has held it's own without much of a whimper from the offense. Possibly the biggest contributer is London Fletcher. Fletcher's year in, year out statistics are mind boggling and unbelievably consistent. His consistency is what makes me worry about what happens when such a great example of a team-first player begins his decent towards retirement. Not that this is the case yet, but no one is unbreakable. London Fletcher doesn't strike me as the type of player to hang around when his usefulness has run out such as Randy Thomas or Roy Williams. So what happens next?

Fletcher is unquestionably the best tackler on the team and arguing about who #2 is would be as pointless as arguing about who is #7 at tackling. This team certainly has needs but it's hard to imagine what this defense will be like without someone who leads by example as London does. Young, healthy, tackling machines generally go early in the draft and teams are reluctant to let them go when it's contract time. This team desperately needs to invest in such a player and soon.

Who comes to mind when you think of replacing Fletcher? Rocky is decent overall, but for such a tough guy we never see anyone get flattened or authoritatively downed before the 1st down marker. I can say the same for H.B. Blades and Henson and anyone else I can't think of in the Mix at Mike. It's time to look hard at giving up alot of cash, draft picks, or both to bring in someone to catch the dropoff that is inevitable when London decides it's time. He just seems to me like a guy who will leave his mark and go out on top. We need to avoid the revolving door and get someone in here who can bring a presence to the D, like London does when he crosses the field and takes down a ball carrier that against any other team would have made it to the CB's and Safeties. We've come to expect it and it's time to invest in a great linebacker to follow in his footsteps.

We may have a lot of needs in the next draft - then again, what do I know ...

BurgundyandGoldfaith wrote:Redskins fans have come to embrace a defense that for the past few years has held it's own without much of a whimper from the offense. Possibly the biggest contributer is London Fletcher. Fletcher's year in, year out statistics are mind boggling and unbelievably consistent. His consistency is what makes me worry about what happens when such a great example of a team-first player begins his decent towards retirement. Not that this is the case yet, but no one is unbreakable. London Fletcher doesn't strike me as the type of player to hang around when his usefulness has run out such as Randy Thomas or Roy Williams. So what happens next?

Fletcher is unquestionably the best tackler on the team and arguing about who #2 is would be as pointless as arguing about who is #7 at tackling. This team certainly has needs but it's hard to imagine what this defense will be like without someone who leads by example as London does. Young, healthy, tackling machines generally go early in the draft and teams are reluctant to let them go when it's contract time. This team desperately needs to invest in such a player and soon.

Who comes to mind when you think of replacing Fletcher? Rocky is decent overall, but for such a tough guy we never see anyone get flattened or authoritatively downed before the 1st down marker. I can say the same for H.B. Blades and Henson and anyone else I can't think of in the Mix at Mike. It's time to look hard at giving up alot of cash, draft picks, or both to bring in someone to catch the dropoff that is inevitable when London decides it's time. He just seems to me like a guy who will leave his mark and go out on top. We need to avoid the revolving door and get someone in here who can bring a presence to the D, like London does when he crosses the field and takes down a ball carrier that against any other team would have made it to the CB's and Safeties. We've come to expect it and it's time to invest in a great linebacker to follow in his footsteps.

They already have his replacement on the roster - H.B. Blades. I have seen him described as a fletcher clone. I think, barring him just completely falling apart this year, the Redskins will have much bigger priorities than replacing Fletcher. If that's the biggest issue next season, then fantastic.

McIntosh and Rogers will both be free agents. They probably need at least one more starting o-lineman, plus the Oline has essentially zero depth. Regardless of how well Portis plays, they will probably need a young RB. They will likely have more of a need at OLB to replace Carter than at ILB. Perhaps some of the WR's pan out, but it's unlikely. So basically, I'd worry about Oline, RB, Corner, Mcintosh's ILB, Carters OLB, and WR before I'd worry about replacing Fletcher.

Yeah, hopefully it's not something we'll have to worry about this off-season. He's such a stud that, with any luck, he'll still be better when he's in decline than most of the league.

SkinsJock wrote:then again, what do I know ...

I agree

Sometimes it's best to do what the Rams did in 1998, and pick up some undrafted linebacker as a free agent...

Let's see... name was... ummmm... London Fletcher...

lol, I'm the only one who picked 4 or more?

Deadskins wrote:

SkinsJock wrote:then again, what do I know ...

I agree

it doesn't seem to matter who or what - they just go ahead without much regard for what I think ...I just pick the winners each week ...
oh well, can't wait for the weekly picks to begin


Fletcher looks like he can play another year or 2

It seems to me they take about 3 lb's every draft anyway, so we may find a replacement in that fashion. Blades isn't bad. Riley is ok so far. Its about whether they are good enough to start I guess. They won't be London unless we're lucky.

If there's a great LB in next year's draft then could we use him? Sure. Would I zero in on that position now? Nope.

Perry Riley has looked pretty good in pre-season. Blades has already been said (in previous regime, though) the incumbent when Fletcher retires. And considering the season hasn't even started yet, I'd rather worry about who's playing this year as opposed to who MIGHT play next year.

Spanos has a history of collecting pro bowl linebackers in later rounds with the Steelers. Did he do it again with Riley? Time will tell. I like him so far. I have no worries about Fletchers replacement under this defensive coaching staff.

Anyone who thinks Blades is going to be a solid replacement for London is crazy. He isn't anywhere near being able to start in a great defense.

I think C. Wilson is looking nice on the outside. Our rushing Ends/OLBs look pretty good. Yeah but if we can get another Orakpo to start full time that would be nice. Maybe an eventual replacement for Fletcher who has been great.

In my opinion our needs are still another solid D lineman maybe two, wide receiver, linebacker and Oline depth.

I like Riley alot better than Blades, who looks to me like lifetime backup material. I'm just afraid the dynamic of the Defense will change if we go from having an aggressive field-rover to having a hole in the middle of the field

BurgundyandGoldfaith wrote:I like Riley alot better than Blades, who looks to me like lifetime backup material. I'm just afraid the dynamic of the Defense will change if we go from having an aggressive field-rover to having a hole in the middle of the field

Blades is a backup compared to Fletcher, but who isn't? He's not so bad, but now that we are playing a 3-4, there are two "middle" LBs, so losing one doesn't leave us with a hole in the middle of the field.

BurgundyandGoldfaith wrote:I like Riley alot better than Blades, who looks to me like lifetime backup material. I'm just afraid the dynamic of the Defense will change if we go from having an aggressive field-rover to having a hole in the middle of the field

He's stil here for the year at least...let's be happy with that.

VetSkinsFan wrote:.. He's still here for the year at least ... let's be happy with that.

exactly - we might have a lot of needs in next year's draft but thinking about a replacement for Fletcher is not even close to being a concern ESPECIALLY at this time

we have a lot of issues here and the LB corps is not in the top 5 - replacing Fletcher is not even on any sort of list

let's get towards the end of the season or after the season before we begin to speculate about the next draft or who might be playing here next year

we do not need to think about crossing this bridge for a long while yet

SkinsJock wrote:

VetSkinsFan wrote:.. He's still here for the year at least ... let's be happy with that.

exactly - we might have a lot of needs in next year's draft but thinking about a replacement for Fletcher is not even close to being a concern ESPECIALLY at this time

we have a lot of issues here and the LB corps is not in the top 5 - replacing Fletcher is not even on any sort of list

let's get towards the end of the season or after the season before we begin to speculate about the next draft or who might be playing here next year

we do not need to think about crossing this bridge for a long while yet

I agree. Fletcher's still a heck of a player. Is he talking about retirement? I don't get why that's a concern at the moment when we have real needs now.