Let's talk about the Hightower situation.

[JMC00]

BTW here is actual quote from Hightower yesterday

"I love what I have in New England"

 

[Minitron]

I think he stays. They are gonna slap the tag on him and reach a multi year deal by May.

 

[PP2]

Shea is unde contract not a free agent.

He was also a non-factor in the SB.

 

[BlueThunder]

Not having to find a replacement for Donta would be Awesome......One less hole to fill. Butler should be #2 priority.......

FA signings after that, in no particular order, Branch,Ryan, Harmon, Bennett........altho many think Bennett is a goner.....Just need a healthy Gronk plus a decent draft pick or FA pickup at TE to develope.....Lengel and Williams should be cheap to keep......

 

[zimmy]

I think they find a way to work it out. But the tag complicates things. No ILB is worth the $15m tag - it's been altered because OLBs like Von Miller are thrown in with it. If Hightower thinks that's what he should be getting then things might go sour. I could see a tag and trade, or tag and release scenario if things go that way.

If he wants Luke Kuechly money - $12m a year, with some injury guarantees for the Pats in there too, then I think something gets done. We can't really afford to lose him. Even if we resign him, I see another 3 down cover LB as a priority in the draft.

 

[randomk1]

We got rid of Collins and Jones. We have cap space. What's the issue here? I think BB sees him as a core player so i'd be very surprised if they don't get a deal done.

 

[varjao]

We are still in need of another linebacker so why complicate things? We need to sign this guy long term. I know the injuries etc but that's not going to be a factor in these negotiations, he played 2 SB banged up and made 2 key plays, so when it matters he plays through injury and swallow the pain. That what matters and he made a crucial stop in the SB49 with that busted shoulder and made a decisive turnover last sunday, that's what he is gonna bring to the table. He's got the leverage in these negotiations.

Well, a few points that have been mentioned already:

- Hightower got 2 rings, normally we crucify people who chase money over winning, that's not the case, he could give some different priority over the remaining of his career since he already had a lot of winning and that would be totally fine. In the end, money matters, I don't think you choose only the money if the question is between the Browns and the Patriots and the difference is not that large, but if you got some nice offer from a 7-9 team from a nice place, why not? I could see him up to that kind of challenge. We don't know if he loves the area but there are definitely better places for a young millionaire to live instead of Foxboro. Also working one less month, playing only 16 games and not having to go through the mental stress that should be studying film and all the other duties he would be assigned in NE with that kind of contract could be a difference maker, even if that sounds absurd, we don't know that goes in the mind of a football players, they are the guys taking the hits.

- I don't think Collins would convince him to go to Cleveland, they must be close to each other but I think this Collins connections is being a bit overplayed.

- He is right to see what's there in the market, business as usual, there is nothing wrong with that since he is in position to command a big contract. Nothing indicate to me he is good as gone.

- Sign the beast.

 

[JMC00]

I wouldn't be suprised if Collins isn't recruiting him now to be over paid.

Cleveland had advantages:

Back with best friend

Over paid

Work only 17 weeks.

Hightower last year was asked about being a pro bowl snub and his response was "i'm not in the pro bowl playing business, i'm in the ring winning business"

2x BCS National Champion with Alabama
2x SB Champion with New England

Cleveland is not a place Hightower would go to even if Collins is there.

 

[randomk1]

Hightower last year was asked about being a pro bowl snub and his response was "i'm not in the pro bowl playing business, i'm in the ring winning business"

2x BCS National Champion with Alabama
2x SB Champion with New England

Cleveland is not a place Hightower would go to even if Collins is there.

Dude is such a stud. I love that NFL Films shot of him exploding off the edge with all 270 pounds of fury to destroy Ryan.

Can't believe i thought that Chandler Jones and Collins were more important than this guy.

 

[Jack Handy]

my perspective is that the Pats win by not paying players the top of the market. You would think that this is not gonna work long-term because no other team takes this approach and there are other smart people in the league.

They set what they can pay and if it isn't enough its next man up. It has worked consistently so if HT walks then thanks for the memories and u can watch us in the SB next year.

 

[RIpats88]

im telling you guys right now, BB will keep hightower even if it means overpaying a little bit for him. much like he did for mccourty, mayo, wilfork etc. BB pays impact guys and hightower is one of them.

Collins was all about coaching and performance. Pats were ready to pay him until he basically checked himself out and wasnt responding to coaching. they saw him as a guy who will only give effort some of the time. proof is evidenced by the fact that van noy a castoff from detroit replaced him and the defense got better.

chandler jones was about talent. his talent didnt match the $$ he is going to get in free agency. the guy is not JPP or von miller. disapears the 2nd half of the season and never comes up in a big game. and BB traded him.

hightower on the other hand, comes up in big games, is the leader of the defense, is a captain. the pats will re-sign him. they have 67million in cap space for christs sakes.

 

[dafoe2016]

It wasn't that long ago that we were all hand wringing over how we were going to sign Collins, Jones and Hightower. Now two of those guys are gone and we still won the Superbowl. The Hightower situation will work itself out. Either way, I trust Bill.

Not saying he is perfect. His refusal to sign a single NFL caliber WR in 06 cost us a title. Before that, ignoring the pass rash cost us. But when has Bill ever been wrong about an in house player? We were all freaking out when he gave Mankins away. Won the Superbowl that year. Same thing with Revis. We damn near won the title after letting him walk. And Revis was not the reason we didn't. Not only that, he has been a disaster in NewYork. The only player I can think of that Bill made a mistake on was Adam. Whatever he decides with Hightower is probably the right decision. The goal isn't to collect stars, it's to win titles. Personally, I think Butler is a more crucial signing, Especially since Ryan is almost certainly a goner.

There will be free agent linebackers who are hungry for a ring. Like that guy we picked up from the Raiders a few years ago. Can't think of his name. Had double digit sacks for us. There are always guys like that (on the cheap) after roster cuts. Not worried about it.

 

[patman52]

I am ok giving him 5 mill a year and 250,000 a game. he missed 3/4 games every year the last 4 years, does anyone thing the next 4 he will be more likely to be healthy. To me he rings just like Mayo. He is what you want as a player, but Ii think he is likley to go down hilll due to health.

I rather they sign Jelani Jenkins, who can cover. Malcolm Smith is another guy I would like to see them pursue.

 

[SlowGettingUp]

It's notable that Hightower played every defensive snap in the Super Bowl.

There has been some discussion that as more and more teams become passing-oriented his value is dropping given he's definitely on the slow side. But that certainly wasn't born out on Sunday.

 

[farn]

He was also a non-factor in the SB.

I am wondering (truly wondering because I don't know) about the following players : Shea, Brown, Ninko. Who did they fare ? I don't remember hearing Shea's or Brown's name.

There is no questioning HT's ability to come up Big in tough spots.