Will Chris Clemons be on 2013's final roster?

[kearly]

I don't begrudge the Seahawks for extending Chris Clemons last summer. It sounds like Clemons was likely holding out, and Seattle really didn't have a choice. They did the right thing signing him that extension.

But coming off a knee injury that Clemons won't be fully recovered from in either 2013 or 2014, is Clemons worth paying to keep around? His cap hit next year is $8.17 million. It's $9.67 million the year after that. His guaranteed money is only $2.16 million each year, meaning that if Seattle cut Clemons today they'd only have $4.33 million total dead money over the next two years.

I'm wondering this because if Clemons is not a realistic option to come back in 2013, Seattle would best served releasing Clemons before the season so as to increase Seattle's cap rollover number for the next season. It would be crazy to pay Clemons $8 million next season if he is likely to be a shell of his old self. He's 32 years old on a bad knee next season.

Kind of a tough situation to be in. This could impact Seattle's plans in free agency as well. Should be interesting to see what they do.

 

[Hawkspur]

It's a difficult one as we clearly don't gave anyone on the roster to take his place as any everydown lineman. A lot will depend on how his injury progresses, but that's quite some saving that would be made by cutting him. I'm sure that they'd love to keep him around, but they're probably not going to want to pay him for reduced returns.

When do they commit to paying his full salary? I guess it's a bit of a moot point as the decision will likely need to be made prior to the draft/FA.

Can't we just keep him and sue Dan Snyder for his salary?

 

[SharkHawk]

Yes. He doesn't have a lot of miles on him, and he is a guy that works his butt off in the weight room. I believe he'll be ready and have a year like Patrick K. did a couple of years ago when he was written off by the Falcons. Clem will be an important part of the team. If the Hawks let him go it will be over money, and I think that would be a mistake. The guy is going to be ready and motivated. He knows that he could have made the difference and we could have been a Superbowl team. He'll come back and play out his contract and then some.

 

[kearly]

Yes. He doesn't have a lot of miles on him, and he is a guy that works his butt off in the weight room. I believe he'll be ready and have a year like Patrick K. did a couple of years ago when he was written off by the Falcons.

As much as I'd like to share the optimism, the comparison doesn't really work. Kerney had a ton pectoral muscle, which recovers in less time than an ACL and doesn't have the lifelong consequences. And he was 29 years old when it happened. Clemons had a torn ACL, at age 32. And it's not his first ACL tear, either.

To be honest, I'll be a little surprised if Clemons ever plays another down for us again. At his age and with that injury, he'd probably be 70% of his usual self next season, which means he'd probably hurt our pass rush more than help it. That plus the salary situation makes it too hard not to release him for cap reasons since the freed up money will roll into 2014 where they badly need it.

Really sucks for a variety of reasons. The only way I see this not happening is if Clemons has an even more miraculous ACL recovery than AP had last year while simultaneously playing better than his age. It could happen, but I'd classify it just shy of a miracle if it did.

This situation reminds me a lot of when Walter Jones went down in the Dallas game. He was having a great season that year and a lot of us hoped he'd beat that injury and make it back, but he never did. We ended up putting off finding Walt's replacement for a couple extra years because of that. That didn't really matter back then- the Seahawks sucked badly and were going nowhere fast anyway. By contrast, this team is a SB favorite and their decision at LEO is absolutely critical to whether they could win a SB or not. Talk about a tough situation.

I'd really love to see Clemons bounce back and finish his contract, but the more I think about it, the more improbable that seems.

 

[JonRud]

I love Clem but I do not think he will be on the 53-man roster Week 1. Either he will be on PUP or they will cut him. That injury was brutal for the team and him...but that's life in the NFL.

Hope he makes a miraculous recovery but I doubt it.

 

[Happypuppy]

I have thought the same thing myself Kearly. Sacks drop off after 30 much of the time as proven by our own Free Agent signings in the past. I suspect yes , he will be cut or some sort of agreement made to remove him from the books.

 

[ImTheScientist]

I don't begrudge the Seahawks for extending Chris Clemons last summer. It sounds like Clemons was likely holding out, and Seattle really didn't have a choice. They did the right thing signing him that extension.

But coming off a knee injury that Clemons won't be fully recovered from in either 2013 or 2014, is Clemons worth paying to keep around? His cap hit next year is $8.17 million. It's $9.67 million the year after that. His guaranteed money is only $2.16 million each year, meaning that if Seattle cut Clemons today they'd only have $4.33 million total dead money over the next two years.

I'm wondering this because if Clemons is not a realistic option to come back in 2013, Seattle would best served releasing Clemons before the season so as to increase Seattle's cap rollover number for the next season. It would be crazy to pay Clemons $8 million next season if he is likely to be a shell of his old self. He's 32 years old on a bad knee next season.

Kind of a tough situation to be in. This could impact Seattle's plans in free agency as well. Should be interesting to see what they do.

I said he would not be, made a thread about it, then got flamed by everyone. Why would they keep him and pay him when you can get someone else younger to replace him.

 

[Hawkstorian]

According to Rotoworld, $1.5M of his 2013 is guaranteed, so cutting him in 2013 would save $4.5M in 2013 and $7.5M in 2014.

I think he re-works his deal or he's gone. It's a cruel business, but a business nonetheless.

 

[Evil_Shenanigans]

Blasphemy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlZ_BPzj8xc&feature=player_detailpage#t=53s

That's it, cut the guy who lead your team in sacks for the last 3 years, when you have no real alternative in house! Hoping that you stumble across someone in FA or the draft that is even close to his skill set? Clem will be back stronger than ever!

 

[Sturm]

He's gone.

He'll be 32 for Christ sake. There aren't that many effective 32 year old DEs in the league that are healthy, let alone ones coming off ACL tears.

 

[chrispy]

Isn't it more likely he reworks a deal or is released and resigned cheaper/less cap hit. He insisted on a new deal last year for this exact reason. It makes him (his agent) the smart one. Now he gets paid on his current contract. If he still has gas in the tank, which we all hope, he makes a great comeback over the next 2 seasons on a vet-minimum base - heavily incentivized contract. I think that makes the most sense because it minimizes the risk to both parties. Of course, if there is another team out there willing to sign him to a bigger contract, he should go there. I just don't think there will be a market.

 

[FlyingGreg]

Blasphemy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlZ_BPzj8xc&feature=player_detailpage#t=53s

That's it, cut the guy who lead your team in sacks for the last 3 years, when you have no real alternative in house! Hoping that you stumble across someone in FA or the draft that is even close to his skill set? Clem will be back stronger than ever!

It's shocking that someone with a Clemons avatar would respond this way!

:th2thumbs:

 

[Sgt. Largent]

It'll depend on two things:

1. Obviously his health. Can he recover enough and in time to be effective?

2. DE's in free agency and draft. Did we bring in a replacement(s) for Clem.

We all saw how ineffective our pressure was in the Atlanta game without Clemons. Pete and John sure as hell don't want to watch that for 16 weeks next year. If they're unable to bring in another top DE in free agency or the draft, then they'll have no choice but to keep Clemons and hope he recovers enough to be effective.

 

[DavidSeven]

Clem will be back. He had Andrews do his surgery and has a 6-8 month recovery timetable. Guys are coming back from torn ACLs faster and stronger than ever. Granted, he is older, but he also has far less mileage than the average 30+ DE and still appears to be in peak physical condition. Not saying he'll bounce back like Peterson, but remember that Peterson also tore his MCL last year.

 

[kf3339]

Yes. He doesn't have a lot of miles on him, and he is a guy that works his butt off in the weight room. I believe he'll be ready and have a year like Patrick K. did a couple of years ago when he was written off by the Falcons.

As much as I'd like to share the optimism, the comparison doesn't really work. Kerney had a ton pectoral muscle, which recovers in less time than an ACL and doesn't have the lifelong consequences. And he was 29 years old when it happened. Clemons had a torn ACL, at age 32. And it's not his first ACL tear, either.

To be honest, I'll be a little surprised if Clemons ever plays another down for us again. At his age and with that injury, he'd probably be 70% of his usual self next season, which means he'd probably hurt our pass rush more than help it. That plus the salary situation makes it too hard not to release him for cap reasons since the freed up money will roll into 2014 where they badly need it.

Really sucks for a variety of reasons. The only way I see this not happening is if Clemons has an even more miraculous ACL recovery than AP had last year while simultaneously playing better than his age. It could happen, but I'd classify it just shy of a miracle if it did.

This situation reminds me a lot of when Walter Jones went down in the Dallas game. He was having a great season that year and a lot of us hoped he'd beat that injury and make it back, but he never did. We ended up putting off finding Walt's replacement for a couple extra years because of that. That didn't really matter back then- the Seahawks sucked badly and were going nowhere fast anyway. By contrast, this team is a SB favorite and their decision at LEO is absolutely critical to whether they could win a SB or not. Talk about a tough situation.

I'd really love to see Clemons bounce back and finish his contract, but the more I think about it, the more improbable that seems.

It is a sad situation for Clemons and the Hawks. You don't want to just cut him after the results he gave us the last two years. But his contract is too expensive to keep if he can't make it for the regular season and play at a very high level.

I have a feeling there will be a middle ground where both he and the organization give enough to each other to keep him on the team. It makes sense for both sides. No one is going to give him a contract for much with that injury and his age. We would still have a shot at getting him near full speed for the latter half of 2013 and a hopeful Super Bowl run next season.

It is just the reality of the situation. I know it sucks, but that is life in the NFL.

 

[Missing_Clink]

It'll depend on two things:

1. Obviously his health. Can he recover enough and in time to be effective?

2. DE's in free agency and draft. Did we bring in a replacement(s) for Clem.

We all saw how ineffective our pressure was in the Atlanta game without Clemons. Pete and John sure as hell don't want to watch that for 16 weeks next year. If they're unable to bring in another top DE in free agency or the draft, then they'll have no choice but to keep Clemons and hope he recovers enough to be effective.

I think this pretty much sums it up. There are factors in play that will determine what happens, but there is no way to know yet. I really hope he can come back, I am a huge Clem fan.

 

[mikeak]

Lets get the cap hit right - someone correct me if I am wrong

Signing bonus is spread on the years of the contract when you sign the contract. When you cut a player the number remaining is added up under that year.

$6.5M signing bonus -- $2.2M / year then $1.5 guaranteed for next year in my calculation that makes the

2013 cap hit if you cut him almost $5.9million

 

[HawkFan72]

Is the deadline to decide this just by the final cutdown to 53?

If so, I hope the Hawks wait till the last possible moment to see if Clem can come back close to what he was.

 

[SmokinHawk]

I think he ends up on PUP then maybe IR if that doesn't pan out. I doubt he's cut from the team entirely, though. Despite his age, the guy doesn't have a bad injury history and prior to becoming our Leo, he was not used much by any of his previous teams.

 

[ImTheScientist]

They will sign this guy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nlKDo_m694

and cut Clem. Why waste that money? Same age, but one is healthy and one will not be.

They will then draft another DE. Bank on it.