Is Clements playing like our #1 CB? (earning his $47 Mill Guarenteed)

I am just curious to see how everyone thinks this signing has worked out for us.

"The former Ohio State star, a first-round choice of the Bills in the 2001 draft, is a physical cornerback who combines size, speed and raw coverage skills. In his six years with the Bills, he never missed a game, appearing in 96 straight. He registered 432 tackles, 23 interceptions, 61 passes defensed, 1½ sacks, 13 forced fumbles and four recoveries."
Not shown is the 5 defensive TDs.


Since signing for the 49ers:
155 Total Tackles
1 Sack
7 Interceptions
4 Forced Fumbles
23 Passes defended
0 TDs


If I make VERY loose averages, he'd end 6 years for us with (I'm taking avgs from the two seasons with us)
450 total tackles
3 sacks
19 INTs
12 forced fumbles
67 passes defended

Again, these are loose averages and I doubt he'll be with our team for 4 more years putting up the same numbers as he has been, but hey this is just for fun. These stats are great looking on paper, but I have issues with them.

Now, considering when he was signed, it was as somewhat of an end-all for our secondary woes; and I feel that he has done a decent job. However, when he signed for 80 mil I was expecting game changing plays like that of Reed, Polamalu, or extreme shut-down in the likes of Nnamdi or Champ. I realize our team has been horrific in his years here, but their teams were nothing of brilliance either over the years they excelled. He did force a fumble that went into the back of the endzone during a game in St. Louis that helped us, but I really cannot think of a time that he has taken over a game or even really turned the tide. When he has made INTs i feel that most were terrible throws. I just don't know if he was worth the money in the long run.

Side Note: I absolutely love Nate Clements as a player -- he is a die hard competitor and has a lot of heart, but I feel he has not lived up to the great shutdown CB I thought he has.

Don't tear me apart I know the avgs are loose and there has been horrible offensive support -- but OVERALL, how do you all feel about Nasty Nate? And I'm not trying to bag him -- I like the guy -- but let's think about the factors of money to production.

Two words:

Pass Rush.

Did the Bills have a good pass rush when he was a game-changer there? I really don't think so. I just don't want to use excuses I'm looking at Nate Clements as a player and I just see him not preforming how I thought he would.

Edit: "The defensive unit ranked 28th in the league against the run, allowing more than 140 yards per game. And there really isn’t a lot of reason for optimism in that area."

Good Post. I agree, Nate has done a pretty good job in his time here. He's a reliable corner, the only thing I don't like about him is that he sometimes looks over aggresive. By that I mean hes good and physical, but he gets burned deep too much for an 80 million dollar corner. It also seems to me that he gets burned deep on a lot of 3rd and longs( not actually sure thats a correct stat). But hes certainly an upgrade over what we have had in recent years.

Also, didnt he return Manny's blocked FG for a TD against the Giants this year? Does that count as a defensive TD?

Without him, our defense would be atrocious.

Originally posted by The_Distort:

Also, didnt he return Manny's blocked FG for a TD against the Giants this year? Does that count as a defensive TD?

I actually did not catch that game and it didn't say he had a defensive TD on the stats I looked at around the web. But if it does, okay it counts but I guess at the same time that was Manny Lawson's play and NC was just in the right position, I don't count it. If he had blocked it too, then it's his defensive TD.

Am I crazy to think about him as a strong safety later on in his career with us? Once michael lewis is gone? I feel our FS will be solved before he is too slow and old to be a CB, but I see the hole at SS being there. We would have a hard-nosed tackler -- NC lights up players -- with ballskills. Sounds like a nice fit to me?

Excellent post...Ive made that same basic arguement in here a couple times and got shredded by the zone. I like the guy but just not worth the ridiculous money. Maybe my expectations of him were higher than they should have been when we signed him, but for that kind of coin, you better wow me! Clements is very solid and im glad we have him...but no wow.

Originally posted by chico49erfan:
I am just curious to see how everyone thinks this signing has worked out for us.

"The former Ohio State star, a first-round choice of the Bills in the 2001 draft, is a physical cornerback who combines size, speed and raw coverage skills. In his six years with the Bills, he never missed a game, appearing in 96 straight. He registered 432 tackles, 23 interceptions, 61 passes defensed, 1½ sacks, 13 forced fumbles and four recoveries."
Not shown is the 5 defensive TDs.


Since signing for the 49ers:
155 Total Tackles
1 Sack
7 Interceptions
4 Forced Fumbles
23 Passes defended
0 TDs


If I make VERY loose averages, he'd end 6 years for us with (I'm taking avgs from the two seasons with us)
450 total tackles
3 sacks
19 INTs
12 forced fumbles
67 passes defended

Again, these are loose averages and I doubt he'll be with our team for 4 more years putting up the same numbers as he has been, but hey this is just for fun. These stats are great looking on paper, but I have issues with them.

Now, considering when he was signed, it was as somewhat of an end-all for our secondary woes; and I feel that he has done a decent job. However, when he signed for 80 mil I was expecting game changing plays like that of Reed, Polamalu, or extreme shut-down in the likes of Nnamdi or Champ. I realize our team has been horrific in his years here, but their teams were nothing of brilliance either over the years they excelled. He did force a fumble that went into the back of the endzone during a game in St. Louis that helped us, but I really cannot think of a time that he has taken over a game or even really turned the tide. When he has made INTs i feel that most were terrible throws. I just don't know if he was worth the money in the long run.

Side Note: I absolutely love Nate Clements as a player -- he is a die hard competitor and has a lot of heart, but I feel he has not lived up to the great shutdown CB I thought he has.

Don't tear me apart I know the avgs are loose and there has been horrible offensive support -- but OVERALL, how do you all feel about Nasty Nate? And I'm not trying to bag him -- I like the guy -- but let's think about the factors of money to production.

He is exactly what the niners needed at the time we signed him and has played great. We have not had to worry about capabilities of the CB on that side. More pass rush and even better statistics, including more interceptions, TDs, etc

Originally posted by MiamiNiner:

He is exactly what the niners needed at the time we signed him and has played great. We have not had to worry about capabilities of the CB on that side. More pass rush and even better statistics, including more interceptions, TDs, etc

For $80 million, he was needed as a game-changer. As someone who could help the rest of the secondary get better. As someone who was feared and game-planned against by other teams. I see none of that. Walt Harris has been more productive and influential in the team. It's just not what I had in mind when signing him.

Corner is a hard one to look at statistically; trust me I've tried...

If you're a pretty good corner but have a weak corner on the other side, then the ball isn't going to come your way very often. You're usually going to be matched up against the best receiver the other team has and the rules in the NFL favor the receiver not the corner...

With that said Nate has made some good plays since he's been here and he's been beat on a couple of plays. Overall, I'd say he's our best corner without a doubt. I do think we overpaid for the guy; but, unfortunately that's what bad teams have to do to get good players sometimes.

I still like the signing.

Nate has been what I expected him to be. He's not a shut-down corner, but he IS a very good all around football player. He will play the best WR on the field, he will support the run, when he gets beat he won't give up on the play and he will force a fumble.

Is he overpayed? Of course he is. All free agents are.

I never expected him to resolve all of the secondary woes...all I expected was for him to be a very good CB...and he's done that.

0 touchdowns????????? what happen to that blocked field goal he had aginst the giants where he picked it up and scored??

how about the few picks he had where our offense ended up scoring.. i can name 2 off the top of my head.. once against the bucs and one against the rams..

how bout when he blocked a field goal against the browns????

or when against the Saints when brees threw that 70-80 yard bomb on clements, clements tackled the WR on the 1 yard line.. the saints when for it on 4 th down but never ended up scoring????

stats dont mean everything...

Originally posted by D_Niner:
Corner is a hard one to look at statistically; trust me I've tried...

If you're a pretty good corner but have a weak corner on the other side, then the ball isn't going to come your way very often. You're usually going to be matched up against the best receiver the other team has and the rules in the NFL favor the receiver not the corner...

With that said Nate has made some good plays since he's been here and he's been beat on a couple of plays. Overall, I'd say he's our best corner without a doubt. I do think we overpaid for the guy; but, unfortunately that's what bad teams have to do to get good players sometimes.

I still like the signing.

Okay, but Walt Harris isn't a weak corner in my opinion. Not great, not good, but definately not weak. And I agree with you that NC is our best corner without a doubt, and that the signing was good. I guess I am just frustrated with our team overall, and that signing gave me hope that faded quickly. I was expecting him to change games. He's just there as a solid corner. I do like, however, that people are throwing around the 9ers as a top-12 defensive unit this year.

Originally posted by niner4life21:
Two words:

Pass Rush.

Couldnt agree with you more

Originally posted by chico49erfan:

Originally posted by D_Niner:
Corner is a hard one to look at statistically; trust me I've tried...

If you're a pretty good corner but have a weak corner on the other side, then the ball isn't going to come your way very often. You're usually going to be matched up against the best receiver the other team has and the rules in the NFL favor the receiver not the corner...

With that said Nate has made some good plays since he's been here and he's been beat on a couple of plays. Overall, I'd say he's our best corner without a doubt. I do think we overpaid for the guy; but, unfortunately that's what bad teams have to do to get good players sometimes.

I still like the signing.

Okay, but Walt Harris isn't a weak corner in my opinion. Not great, not good, but definately not weak. And I agree with you that NC is our best corner without a doubt, and that the signing was good. I guess I am just frustrated with our team overall, and that signing gave me hope that faded quickly. I was expecting him to change games. He's just there as a solid corner. I do like, however, that people are throwing around the 9ers as a top-12 defensive unit this year.

I agree, pound for pound was solid. I should have said a weaker corner not a weak one.

I think the top 12 D depends on our pass rush this year. If we give the QB all day to pick us apart then our whole secondary is going to look like crap... Let's hope Manny can get after the QB.