Hightower will not be given the tag, now a free agent

[Keyser Söze]

The patriots defense has never been terrible under BB

Well that's bull. We had ****ing Deltha O'Neal one year in the secondary.

 

[Ring 6]

Well that's bull. We had ****ing Deltha O'Neal one year in the secondary.

Yes we did and that defense was not terrible.
Perhaps people just don't understand the definition of terrible.

 

[Ring 6]

Well that's bull. We had ****ing Deltha O'Neal one year in the secondary.

The defense the year deltha O'Neal was a patriot ranked 8th in points, and 10th in yards.

 

[Keyser Söze]

Yes we did and that defense was not terrible.
Perhaps people just don't understand the definition of terrible.

That defense couldn't get off the field to save its life that season. I'd say that's pretty terrible.

 

[luuked]

I meant right tackle. Cannon takes top 3 right tackle money

Even then this doesn't mean much because that market gets topped by essentially every new contract for one of the better tackles as long as the cap is increasing every year.

 

[luuked]

I applauded the drafting of Cyrus Jones, but he really looked bad at CB last year (and even worse as a punt returner). I'm sure that BB has a plan, but as of today, I can't really see what it is.

Seems like your opinion goes a lot against what most beat writers are saying. Based on what they saw in TC and the limited practice access they are making it sound like he could be damn good if he can get his head straight.

 

[Ring 6]

That defense couldn't get off the field to save its life that season. I'd say that's pretty terrible.

They were 7th in first downs allowed.
You are wrong.

Regardless of your anecdotal misrememberances in no possible world is the defense that is 8th out of 32 in points allowed terrible.

 

[Brit patriot]

I have to say, when he didn't rock up for the parade, alarm bells started ringing for me.

 

[JMC00]

I have to say, when he didn't rock up for the parade, alarm bells started ringing for me.

He wasn't at the parade in 2015

 

[Brit patriot]

He wasn't at the parade in 2015

I never knew that! Thanks

 

[varjao]

On a related note the salary cap has been set at 167 Million, 10 Mi raise.

 

[PatriotReign]

Pay Hightower his worth.

 

[bormio]

Pay Hightower his worth.

That's the hangup - what some here see as his worth may not be what BB sees.

 

[28222]

Pay Hightower his worth.

Wild guess here, but I am thinking that the Pats are willing to pay Hightower top money as long as he is on the field. In other words, they would give him a nice base, but to get to top LB money, he'd have either per game bonuses or "x% of snaps" language that gets him there.

Of course, he owes it to himself to see if the market will give him that top LB money without the incentives/stipulations. If it does, he could be gone. If the market is as concerned with that shoulder as the Pats are, he is probably back. So making him available doesn't close any doors or even make it less likely he is back, if the above premise represents the difference in the 2 camps.

I just don't see the Pats giving him top money without protecting themselves for injury with a known medical issue that has been problematic more than once already.

 

[The Gr8est]

Wild guess here, but I am thinking that the Pats are willing to pay Hightower top money as long as he is on the field. In other words, they would give him a nice base, but to get to top LB money, he'd have either per game bonuses or "x% of snaps" language that gets him there.

Of course, he owes it to himself to see if the market will give him that top LB money without the incentives/stipulations. If it does, he could be gone. If the market is as concerned with that shoulder as the Pats are, he is probably back. So making him available doesn't close any doors or even make it less likely he is back, if the above premise represents the difference in the 2 camps.

I just don't see the Pats giving him top money without protecting themselves for injury with a known medical issue that has been problematic more than once already.

Yup, someone posted that Hightower has missed 11 games the past three seasons.

Since pro football players' health is not something that tends to improve over their careers I think it is reasonable to expect Hightowe to continue missing games going forward, likely at an increased level.

He can't help a team from the sidelines, and if he is not leaving for a ring, since he already has two, he is leaving for the money, and he will have accomplished that goal as soon as he signs a contract elsewhere.

 

[Ring 6]

Yup, someone posted that Hightower has missed 11 games the past three seasons.

Since pro football players' health is not something that tends to improve over their careers I think it is reasonable to expect Hightowe to continue missing games going forward, likely at an increased level.

He can't help a team from the sidelines, and if he is not leaving for a ring, since he already has two, he is leaving for the money, and he will have accomplished that goal as soon as he signs a contract elsewhere.

Willie McGinest says hi.

None of HTs injuries were chronic. Football players get injuries, I think it should actually be considered a plus for him that he recovered, kept playing at a high level through the injuries, and only missed a little time, including 0 post season snaps.

 

[tasmlab]

If he leaves then they need to replace him with FA or draft another inside LB. They need OLB damn it! This is the one thing that I hate about the NFL. You can only hold onto a couple players after their rookie deal.

Only if you pick good ones. Kind of a blessing/curse type of thing.

 

[deroc5050]

There we go. Less than 4 weeks after winning the SB the negativity begins.
And we haven't even lost a player yet.

Not negativity just my Max Kellerman Hot take. In all seriousness I just thought there would be a lot of roster turn over this season. Its not negative its just uncertainty.

I also think if we lose HT that will be a huge hit. Will they still make it to the AFC C without him? Probably.

 

[AtomicDawg]

R-E-L-A-X.

 

[Hammer of Thor]

R-E-L-A-X.

Cool. Ultimately I'd classify that at "not bad news." Meaning it would certainly be a bad sign if dialogue was shut off. It would be a better sign if they were actually finalizing a deal, but I'm inferring from it that Hightower may be willing to give the Pats a chance to match or come close to what's out there.