Can/Will Pats resign Jones, Collins, and Hightower?

[Brady6]

The only problem that I have with this analysis is Ninkovich. He is a solid player who performs his many jobs well. However, he is getting old, so I do not think Belicheck can reasonably assume or count on high performance from Nink in 2017 or beyond. Current value (production/money) might be in favor of Nink, long run, future value greatly favors Jones.

I do not see any of these players being extended.

Branch – 31 years old
Ninkovich – 31 years old
Vollmer – 31 years old
Amendola – 30 years old
Chandler - 30 years old
Slater - 30 years old

Outside of Brady I have not seen many players Belichick keeps around after say age 32, at least not in the past 5-6 years.

 

[Brady6]

2009 Seymour was not 2003 Seymour.

If I can add to that - I think many people forget that the Patriots did in fact extend Seymour at the end of his rookie contract, 3 years $30M for an interior DL was a big pay day back then. Seymour around 30 years old and Belichick robbed the Raiders for the #17 pick in the draft for him. Imagine getting drafting a player 6th overall having him play for you for 8 years and then getting back the 17th pick in the draft for him, I think it is hilarious that people think that was a bad trade, it was absolutely brilliant.

 

[chasa]

what i love, is that I'd rather have the players we have now then the players other teams have.

Most teams end up thinking "oh we should go get this guy, and this guy, and lets go sign suh for 100 million dollars" The team we have right now, and the team that is signed for next year(with tons of open cap room) is a team good enough to win the title the next two years without any major additions.

 

[FourierSeries]

Keeping Hightower and Collins is the priority

 

[NG Pats Fan]

People just don't realize chandler jones is one of the best leaders on this team. He is the heart and soul of that defensive line and an emotional leader of our team


Irreplaceable

 

[NG Pats Fan]

I think Bill values Jones much more than a lot of posters on here do.

You can just hear it in his WEEI interviews, Jones has bought into the Pats culture and is a clear disciple of Bill.

Definitely think they find a way to bring him back.

Yep some people just don't get it

Jones ain't going anywhere. I'll bet the farm on that

 

[SalemPats]

I hear a ton of talk on the board about keeping Jones, Collins, and Hightower being unlikely, I actually disagree, I think the contracts in our front 7 are structured in a way that allows us to sign them all to long term deals. In 2016 we have these players on the books for:

Jerod Mayo-$10,087,500
Chandler Jones-$7,799,000
Donta Hightower-$7,751,000
Jabeel Sheard-$6,812,500
Rob Ninkovich-$4,750,000
Jamie Collins-$1,196,683

I assume the hope would be that by 2017 Grissom and Flowers can replace Ninkovich and Sheard, Mayo as much as I love him has already been replaced.

In my opinion, Belichick has spent most of his tenure here looking for the types versatile of players Jones, Hightower, and Collins are and I would be shocked if he let them slip away.

Mayo will be cut and Ninko might be the odd man out (as much as i love him). It's tough to give away a pass rushing DE in Jones and Sheard and Hightower/Collins are two of the best LBs. Although with BB you never know

 

[NG Pats Fan]

Keeping Hightower and Collins is the priority

And Jones

Leads the NFL in sacks, one of the best leaders on our team, makes everyone around him better on the line. Generates the best pass rush we've seen in a decade, a rare athlete

 

[Love The Drake]

Mayo,Branch,Siliga gone.
Slater is a mainstay if he is performing at his usual level stays.
Chandler gone
Admendola restructured.
Volmer restructured
Cannon jurys out
Blount have a sneaking feeling he stays on a team friendly deal.
We should have enough cap if im the Patriots I meet with Jones, Hightower,Collins together and say you are the future of this defense we value all of you equally we love having you on the team we know you are all brothers.
We want to give each of you top 5 at your position and extend you for the next 5 seasons and believe we can continue to do great things together sign here.
Never will happen but i can wish right

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Chandler Jones has shown this year that he is a better player than he was when we won the SB. I am impressed with reports that he's well thought of as a leader. However, elite pass rushers are an overpaid commodity. We came within a hair's breadth of losing McCourty who was not willing to play measurably below market, so I would be shocked if Jones accepted a measurably below market offer to stay.
The money spent on Collins & Hightower will eat up much of the cap allocated to the D.
I'm just enjoying Chandler's "contract" year just like I enjoyed Revis' 2014.

 

[RobertWeathers]

If I can add to that - I think many people forget that the Patriots did in fact extend Seymour at the end of his rookie contract, 3 years $30M for an interior DL was a big pay day back then. Seymour around 30 years old and Belichick robbed the Raiders for the #17 pick in the draft for him. Imagine getting drafting a player 6th overall having him play for you for 8 years and then getting back the 17th pick in the draft for him, I think it is hilarious that people think that was a bad trade, it was absolutely brilliant.

It was a freaking steal.

The record books show Sey as having decent numbers in OAK, getting another extension here and going to two more Pro Bowls but there is was good to above average.

From mid 2001 to around 2006 he was elite.

 

[I.M. Fletcher]

It's been about 6 weeks since people thought sheard was the most dangerous pass rusher we have.

Jones is an incredible leader and player who does exactly what we need him to do. At the same time, this defense runs off Hightower and Collins, and if we are talking priorities, I have no problem focusing our resources on those two guys.

I am sure we could afford all three, but it isn't just those three who will need contracts, so be prepared to be disappointed.

 

[Kontradiction]

The team can simply give Hightower Mayo's money. Mayo, unfortunately, is playing like a man who shouldn't even be in the NFL at this point. Maybe he can rebound but, even then, he will have to take a substantial paycut.

 

[NG Pats Fan]

Jones is leading all defensive ends in pro bowl voting. Hightower is not among the league leaders at LB

 

[Tom_Montana12]

Luckily, we have a whole 'nother year and a half to make a decision on these 3.

 

[I.M. Fletcher]

Jones is leading all defensive ends in pro bowl voting. Hightower is not among the league leaders at LB

Is that a comment on who we should keep, or how little people know about football?

 

[NG Pats Fan]

Is that a comment on who we should keep, or how little people know about football?

Who do you see as more valuable to our team?

 

[Luxusdk]

Luckily, we have a whole 'nother year and a half to make a decision on these 3.

You couldn't be more wrong, have to lock up atleast 2 before that, can't have all 3 are FAs and potential loose 2 of them.

 

[manxman2601]

1. Next year is not an issue - all three are signed.

2. Assuming $160m cap in 2017, the Patriots have approx $65m in space and that's with Amendola and Mayo still being counted against the cap which is another potential 16m available.

3. Between them, Revis, Suh and Houston's 2017 cap number is about $51m in 2017 so if we could afford those numbers and still have $30m left over, I don't think our trio should present much of a problem if BB wants to sign up all three long-term.

4. Only caveat is that Brady, Solder, Garoppolo, Edelman and Easley are all out of contract at the end of that year so there's holes that will need to be filled one way or another.

 

[chasa]

I just want to be clear here, we all want them all to stay, its more of a merry **** kill situation where you have three of the best players in the league all coming up for FA at about the same time. ****ty, yet incredible problem to have.