LT Chad Clifton to Visit Redskins Park; This Mean No Okung?
by Kevin Ewoldt on Mar 5, 2010 7:58 AM EST
in Redskins Analysis
35 comments
Update: Clifton signs with Packers - all irrelevant
What is going on? No Julius Peppers? No Karlos Dansby? It appears the Bears are the new Redskins. With a unanimous Redskins fan base wanting Okung at #4, Shanahan might feel different.
Jason Reid is reporting that the Packers LT, Chad Clifton, will be visiting Redskins Park today seeking a $7 million deal (Packers have $5 mil on the table). Clifton started 12 games last year, but has had a relatively injury free career. I realize the picture I posted of Chad brings loads of negative connotations, but it's the only AP picture that came up for Chad Clifton. He is for a sure a 2nd tier Tackle and his chronic knee problems are known.
Moving to the stats, the former Tennessee Vol does not have good experience with pro-bowler defensive ends. I checked ProFootballFocus.com for his stats:
-> DeMarcus Ware TORE his ass up for 2 sacks and 5 QB pressures.
-> Julius Peppers manhandled him with 2 sacks, 1 Qb hit, and 5 Qb pressures.
It's clear he did get better as the season went on, but I still have major concerns. The Packers ranked dead last in offensive line protection...and how can a guy with bad knees handle the agility of a run blocking scheme? What I fear is what we all predicted last year at LT....given Clifton's injury likelihood, who will back him up if he goes down? BRING IN SOMEONE UNDER THE AGE OF 27!
Clifton made his only Pro-Bowl in 2008 when Walter Jones backed out.
Chad Clifton is also well known for that questionable cheap shot he took from Warren Sapp which resulted in a pelvic injury causing him to miss the rest of the season in 2002. He will be 34 in June.
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WTF!!!
I REALLY hope this is just an expensive insurance policy and we are still planning on drafting Okung. Stockpile Shanny PLEASE….
Maybe
He’s just for depth or to play RT and we’ll still pick up a LT with the #4 pick. At least that’s what I’m hoping.
You don't pay $7 mil for a backup
"I am excited about starting 2009. We are looking forward to an outstanding year. We're on our way. We have a lot of healthy players this year." - Vinny Cerrato
Stop freaking out
He could play at RT… I believe Shanny will trade the #4 pick for more picks and draft a LT later in the first round
by PGV on Mar 5, 2010 8:40 AM EST up reply actions
This is okay if
it allows time for a rookie tackle to develop. The guy has been in the league as long as C. Samuels, so they can’t really believe this a rebuilding step. Can they?
Yes, why does he have to play LT? Or we sign him for a year to play LT, draft Okung for RT this year, and then swap if Okung shows he’s capable.
Yea...this is definitely a plausible/best option
"I am excited about starting 2009. We are looking forward to an outstanding year. We're on our way. We have a lot of healthy players this year." - Vinny Cerrato
I'm liking every scenario I see here
and scared to death that Shanny will end up taking Clausen w/#4. Please make it not so.
Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
Maybe the Rams take Suh
and Bradford falls to #4. The only non-LT scenario that makes any sense…..aaahhh SHIT!
Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
OK
maybe Clifton is “the best available” option in FA for a lineman. Or one of the best. I’ve said bring as many bodies into camp as you can. So let’s see what he can do and hope it doesn’t affect our #4 pick negatively.
Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
Remember their is no guarantee Okung will be their at #4
In fact I believe he’ll be taken before #4. That’s why Shanny is doing this. The real question is if Suh, MCcoy and Okung are gone with the first 3 who do we take? Because at #4 you better get an impact player. We all know how QB’s fair in the first round, usually not that well.
Perhaps they go after Berry. We already have enough safeties IMO. Is their any other OT worth taking at #4?
No big name free agents?
Well damn, I guess that really was a hog flying outside my window this morning.
I thought I just had a good batch of NyQuil last night.
SpottieOttieDopaliscious
I won't breath easy until Dansby & Peppers are off the market
"By far the worst performers on the team are in the front office." – Sally Jenkins
As far as Clifton goes
for the sake of my sanity, I’m going to believe that this is just an insurance policy in case we don’t get Okung at #4
SpottieOttieDopaliscious
I am
a little more skeptical of this now. Don’t get me wrong, I am happy as hell that the 1st guy they bring in is an O-lineman. I just didn’t realize he was 34. I thought he was closer to 30. I wouldn’t give a 34 year old a multi-year deal as $7 mil per. I thought we were getting away from that way of doing things.
What happened to Pashos? Why did we let the Broncos get 1st dibs on him?
His contract was up, and it doesn’t look like they plan on keeping him since he hasn’t had any offers
Interesting
I guess the tape showed more than what a lot of us thought was OK play. Many figured he would be back….
Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
I don't think any of this
will make much sense until we see the whole package. What they do in FA plus draft plus walk-ons. Its just you have to start somewhere and adjust as you go through the process. If you pass up on Clifton and Pashos, you are at square 1 with your plan. So you make the best progress you can and hope the draft works well for at least the future while the young guys develop.
Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
Not a bad idea...
Clifton is a decent pass blocker, but more importantly, he’s well versed in the zone-blocking scheme Shanahan will employ. The Packers use a very similar blocking scheme and Clifton brings good experience. Further, even if they sign Clifton, an OT could still be drafted and one of them could possibly be moved to RT for an interim period.
ehhhh
I think we have to get a starter caliber LT in FA. You can’t pin all your hopes on getting Okung at #4 and him being able to step right in and hold down the LT spot. He might be gone or be like the first tackle taken last year and be hurt and struggle at RT. If they don’t use one of their top 2 picks on a LT prospect though I will be upset. Wish he was cheaper and better though but to head into the draft needing to find out starting LT this season could be a disaster.
I don't agree with your interpretation of Clifton's PFF stats.
His big plus was his pass protection blocking (8) and his big minus was penalties. His run blocking against the Ravens and the Cowboys did suck (-7.1) and more than accounted for his negative 6.1 run blocking rating. He did not allow that many of the sacks that Rogers took in the 09 season. OL sacks allowed: Colledge (10), Babre (6), Lang (6),
Sitton (4), Clifton (4), Wells (2) and other OL (4). OL sacks allowed = 36. http://profootballfocus.com/cstats.php?tab=by_team&season=2009&teamid=12&stype=a&stats=o. PFF attributed 14 of the Packers sacks to Rogers himself which implies that he took too much time to get rid of the ball. RB and TE accounted for the other Packers sacks allowed.
Pass Blocking Productivity, Part 1, http://profootballfocus.com/articles.php?tab=articles&arc=&id=122 and Part 2, http://profootballfocus.com/articles.php?tab=articles&arc=&id=124
Good observations...i still worry about his durability.
And the NFC East is a lot different than the NFC North.
Redskins LT will have to face this year: Van De Bosh, Jared Allen, Ware 2x, Cole 2x, Osi 2×...and that’s off the top of my head.
"I am excited about starting 2009. We are looking forward to an outstanding year. We're on our way. We have a lot of healthy players this year." - Vinny Cerrato
Notice that Clifton
did not have head to head battles with the Vikings, Jared Allen in 2009, but he would have faced Ware once.
by Jefferson1935 on Mar 5, 2010 2:54 PM EST up reply actions
Durability has to be a concern.
The number of snaps he played in 2009 was about 3/4ths of a season’s snaps. He played about half the snaps in the 2nd week and he was back to playing by the 9th week through the end of the season. T.J. Lang, a 4th rd. rookie was his main substitute and had he played the sacks, hits, and pressures on the QB would have been nearly doubled in each category.
by Jefferson1935 on Mar 5, 2010 2:48 PM EST up reply actions
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