To cut Clayborn or not to cut Clayborn

[Froob]

On the 5.9 next season with 2 mill in dead cap. 3.5 base salary and 400k roster bonus.

If I’m reading this correctly, basically need to decide if he’s worth 3.9 mill or not since the 2 mill is a sunken cost.

Had an okay season but really showed up in the playoffs. I’d like to keep him around if he trims that number to maybe 2 mill. What say you patsfans?

 

[RobertWeathers]

All depends on what happens with Flowers and who they get in the draft and available in FA.

I'm inclined to move on though.

 

[luuked]

If the team sees a scenario where he can contribute then there is no reason to cut him until the moment that a) he asks for a release, b) doesn't accept the extension/pay cut to make sure he doesn't do all the OTAs + camp work for nothing or c) the short term cap space is really needed immediately.

c) would be a sign that things are slipping away from BBs usually pretty well set up roster building strategy.

There are so many more ways to create cap space if the team wants to continue working with him and he has zero leverage as apart from a relatively small roster bonus there is nothing guaranteed on his deal.

 

[Soliel]

Cut him

 

[micronin127]

He was a healthy scratch more than a few times. John Simon was a better player. This is a good draft to look for EDGE defenders. What we do with Trey Flowers impacts this decision too.

 

[SBLIII]

Move on.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Cut him. I wasn’t impressed at all with his play.

 

[patsinthesnow]

Clayborn is honestly solid at what he does.

However, what Clayborn does is so specific & the opposite of a Patriots front seven player:

• Play RDE 99.3% of the time
• Not great vs. run, mostly a situational pass rusher
• Not effective vs. mobile QBs

Seems too niché for his cap hit but he rushed LTs better than anyone we had last year.

 

[jah]

Clayborn is honestly solid at what he does.

However, what Clayborn does is so specific & the opposite of a Patriots front seven player:

• Play RDE 99.3% of the time
• Not great vs. run, mostly a situational pass rusher
• Not effective vs. mobile QBs

Seems too niché for his cap hit but he rushed past QBs better than anyone we had last year.

FTFY

 

[BobDigital]

They need to cut him to make cap room for Flowers. So I saw cut him.

 

[ashley]

I thought he was pretty average during the regular season, but had a good postseason for us. Tough call, like a few other posters said, I think it' s really going to depend on Flowers, free agency and the draft.

 

[italian pat patriot]

On his overall season ? Mmm...
I was not also impressed so much...

 

[mgteich]

I did not vote.

The question for now is whether to pay the $400K bonus. Clayborn should not be cut until we have another free agent to replace him. Even then, we can wait until camp to make the decision, or at least until after the draft.

For me, $400K is a small insurance policy to pay for someone who played reasonably well for a defense that was good enough to be of SB quality.

 

[PatsBoy12]

Whatever, so long as we find a way to keep Flowers.

 

[Family]

I'm leaning towards cut.

I suppose if he takes a pay cut and the need is there (flowers), maybe ok.

 

[oldrover]

https://imgflip.com/memegenerator

 

[DW Toys]

All depends on what happens with Flowers and who they get in the draft and available in FA.

I'm inclined to move on though.

I think you keep Clayborn and plug in Rivers for the Flowers slot. I think wise is the key. If he elevates his game he is the Flowers replacement Wise is bigger. Clayborn is $3.9mm in actual cost to stay. Flowers is at least $13.9mm or about $10mm more.
It's a gamble. You have Clayborn, Wise, Rivers and the under rated John Simon plus you know BB will select at least one edge guy.
Like to keep Flowers but his agent will force him ti take the money. He might be $8-9mm here.
His has won in the SB....Unfortunately for us, it's "family time" for him.
Clayborn played very well in the post season. Remember BB prefers pressures and push as much as sacks. Simon was a find, Rivers was well touted and Wise can be better.
This is a weak area for the Pats F.O. They should be extending these guys during the season. Flowers, Brown even to a lesser extent Ryan Allen, Dorsett and Paterson who won't cost much.
DW Toys

 

[patfanken]

He was a healthy scratch more than a few times. John Simon was a better player. This is a good draft to look for EDGE defenders. What we do with Trey Flowers impacts this decision too.

Simon has a completely different skill set than Claybourn.

A couple of thoughts -

Claybourne is a limited, one trick pony type of player. But what he is good at, he is really good at. His consistent hard rush from the right makes it possible to move the OTHER chess pieces around in a positive way. I liked the fact that he didn't whine or moan about being a healthy scratch for multiple weeks. A lot of vets would have...and then some.

$5.9MM is too much to play for what he brings to the table. $2-3MM is a more realistic number for what he brings to the table. I think its less about the cap savings than bring his cap number closer to his projected production,

I think the best way to do that is an extension with a minimum salary with SOME reasonably attainable incentives to get him to that "realistic number" i.e number of games played, snaps, etc. And then some additional not likely to be achieved incentives more tied to his beyond expected production numbers.

At that point, its really about how badly he wants to stay here. If there is push back, then we probably should let him go.

 

[Jimke]

Do whatever is needed to keep Flowers. Otherwise, hold on to Clayborn as a
last resort.

 

[Zuma]

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2018/defense.htm#defense::17

Quarterback hits (defensive line)...

- Flowers: 20
- Wise: 16
- Clayborn: 13
- Guy: 11
- Butler: 4