All quiet on Hightower front or Dont'a-do-it FA tour

[RobertWeathers]

Hightower is under-appreciated around the league simply because he doesn't have the numbers. However, as pats fans, we know he is far more valuable than a bunch of statistics.

They don't win two SBs without him

 

[BradyFTW!]

 

[Gumby]

Report was Pats offered him $10m per before the season and that was the offer still on the table pre-free agency.. Ed Werder said on Thursday that the Titans would likely be out at $10m per and then in the last day a few of the Titans beat guys were very bearish on Titans signing him.

The lolphins, report was they were trying to extend Alonso and just signed Timmons. Not sure they even have a spot for Hightower with Alonso, Timmons and Hewitt, . . .

Now you got Breer saying one team with with interest are convinced he is re-signing. Seems to me the team Breer talked to is the Titans.

Original stories (+7 days ago [that I read] ) said there were likely only 3 teams (DET, MIA, TEN. [someone pointed out that NO at least talked to him as well]) that would have interest in HT. DET fell off that map in legal tampering period, Mia seems to have their LB rotation full, and Ten is telling Breer (who says Ten are the ONLY remaining team with interest) essentially that they are convinced that Pats will match and they likely aren't interested in bidding something they have no intention of paying just to jerk the Pats around.

[Not sure what above was dis likable, but whatever. .. I was interrupted and posted without truly finishing the conclusion that I thought was somewhat obvious/not essential, so editing to clear that up at least.

So, if HT is left with only one truly interested party, the Pats, he doesn't have much negotiation room-will not get much more than last offer, but also maybe a little frustrated and so he may feel like is no rush to do a deal til he gets over disappointment over something else comes in. (Or Until BB starts saying, look put up or we start taking 100K off the offer each day.) so that may be what\why the no-news is. ]

 

[patfanken]

They don't win two SBs without him

Well they don't win 2 superbowls without Amendola either, and no one seems to have a problem jettisoning him.

But don't worry, RW, he'll be back. We have just too much money to spend not be close enough to get it done.

BTW- anyone know who the agents are and what their history with the Pats is?

 

[supafly]

But don't worry, RW, he'll be back. We have just too much money to spend not be close enough to get it done.

I tend to agree that he'll return, Ken, but I think the logic is a bit flawed. We can say the exact same thing about Butler. Heck, we all did. I still think there's some truth to what you're saying, but I'm just not as sure that it's quite as simple as you seemed to present it in your post.

There are obviously lots of variables in play. AAV, length of deal, guaranteed money, offset language, the potential to go "home" and be closer to family, how the team and front office treats him, etc. In the end, we should have a good chance of keeping him here, so--fingers crossed.

 

[patfanken]

I tend to agree that he'll return, Ken, but I think the logic is a bit flawed. We can say the exact same thing about Butler. Heck, we all did. I still think there's some truth to what you're saying, but I'm just not as sure that it's quite as simple as you seemed to present it in your post.

There are obviously lots of variables in play. AAV, length of deal, guaranteed money, offset language, the potential to go "home" and be closer to family, how the team and front office treats him, etc. In the end, we should have a good chance of keeping him here, so--fingers crossed.

You know after Tennesse signed Ryan and a few other's I thought they were done, at least as far as big money deals go, but after your post, I started looking into their FA signings, and it seems like they still have a TON of cap space. So yes, now I'm more worried. (Thanks for that BTW- You couldn't just leave me with my delusions)

In fact it looks like they are making a big, but reasonable push to get him. Robinson, a Pats alum, isn't going to overpay any more than Bill would, so if that's the case, its really going to come down to the pull of his home town vs the pull of he old team.

So it probably isn't going to be about the money as I imaging whatever reasonable deal Tenn offers, the Pats will match. This will likely be a life style decision. I guess he has a girlfriend he lives with, but no kids, so he can up and move anywhere in an instant

 

[supafly]

You know after Tennesse signed Ryan and a few other's I thought they were done, at least as far as big money deals go, but after your post, I started looking into their FA signings, and it seems like they still have a TON of cap space. So yes, now I'm more worried. (Thanks for that BTW- You couldn't just leave me with my delusions)

In fact it looks like they are making a big, but reasonable push to get him. Robinson, a Pats alum, isn't going to overpay any more than Bill would, so if that's the case, its really going to come down to the pull of his home town vs the pull of he old team.

So it probably isn't going to be about the money as I imaging whatever reasonable deal Tenn offers, the Pats will match. This will likely be a life style decision. I guess he has a girlfriend he lives with, but no kids, so he can up and move anywhere in an instant

I'm wondering if the GM of the team who's "convinced that he's staying in Foxborough" isn't from the same team that Hightower turned down due to feeling that they weren't a strong enough contender? We know there was one of those. It may have been MIA. They seemed to move to Timmons (plan B) relatively quickly.

I'm just hoping that it really is down to just TEN/NE. I'm hoping that there's not one more team out there who we haven't heard from yet. I'll certainly feel much better if there's a signature on a contract, put it that way.

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

That would certainly be a nice touch, wouldn't it?

 

[RobertWeathers]

Well they don't win 2 superbowls without Amendola either, and no one seems to have a problem jettisoning him.

But don't worry, RW, he'll be back. We have just too much money to spend not be close enough to get it done.

BTW- anyone know who the agents are and what their history with the Pats is?

Who has a problem cutting DA?

Pat Dye Jr for High. Well respected . been around a while. BB and he have a good relationship.

Don't know DA but assume also a good relationship.

 

[aluminum seats]

That would certainly be a nice touch, wouldn't it?

Well, McCourty's deal was confirmed on a Sunday...

 

[PatsBoy12]

Well they don't win 2 superbowls without Amendola either, and no one seems to have a problem jettisoning him.

But don't worry, RW, he'll be back. We have just too much money to spend not be close enough to get it done.

BTW- anyone know who the agents are and what their history with the Pats is?

Respect, Ken, especially since I'm a huge fan of Amendola. But your post is a bit interesting in the sense that Amendola and High are vastly different players at different stages of their respective careers who play positions of a varying degree of need. Yes, they've both been extremely important in the SB's. However, LB is a far greater area of need for the team and High is more important to the position than Amendola is to his, even if WR continued to be a need. Cooks seemingly solves that. If Dola doesn't take a pay cut, he may not even be on the team. Am I misunderstanding your post?

 

[JMC00]

Well they don't win 2 superbowls without Amendola either, and no one seems to have a problem jettisoning him.

Actually I think the majority want Amendola to stay but on a low cap hit deal and not the $7.7m he currently is. But you have to look at it at the standpoint of Hogan emerged as a threat in the offense last year, Mitchell seems to have grasped the offense and they just traded for Cooks. So there is an argument that can be made that even though he has been clutch in the playoffs is that really worth $6m in cap space? Especially if some of that space could be used to bring an edge rusher.

Hightower on the other hand has been the QB of the defense pretty much since Mayo got injured in '13.

 

[Huckleberry1]

I don't think anyone believes Amendola is getting 7.7 million, he'll take another steep pay cut, but I'm still hoping he's in their roster come September. Amendola does a lot of damage when surrounded by receivers drawing attention away from him. With Gronk , Edelman, and Cooks all drawing attention the other skill players are going to have big days.

 

[DaBruinz]

One team not mentioned that had interest in Hightower was the Saints:

Dont'a Hightower free agency: New England Patriots have more than enough cap space to re-sign LB

His former college teammate, Saints running back Mark Ingram, tweeted Friday night that he believes Hightower's meeting with New Orleans was cancelled.

If that is the case, we could see an announcement soon..

 

[ashley]

That would certainly be a nice touch, wouldn't it?

Especially if it's with us

 

[Huckleberry1]

I want Hightower signed now so I can stop checking for it every five minutes.

 

[zipster9]

I don't think anyone believes Amendola is getting 7.7 million, he'll take another steep pay cut, but I'm still hoping he's in their roster come September. Amendola does a lot of damage when surrounded by receivers drawing attention away from him. With Gronk , Edelman, and Cooks all drawing attention the other skill players are going to have big days.

Danny may just be a casualty now with Cooks.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Danny may just be a casualty now with Cooks.

Cooks is a starter, Amendola is depth, Cooks doesn't replace Amendola but he does mean even greater depth. If they suddenly decide to sign Floyd then Amendola would be fighting with him for the fifth receiver slot, however since Amendola provides depth at PR/KR/ and can play every receiver role he's most likely going to be on the 45 every week and would have a significant advantage over pretty much anyone competing with him for that spot. If Amendola takes their reduction he will almost certainly have a roster spot.

 

[zipster9]

Interesting article about Donta seeking 10m-13m.

As other teams don't see him as a cover LB. and that price range may be too high for titans.

Donta may have overvalued himself. He turned down Patriots offer of 10m last year.

IMO He will be back. 4/5 yrs. Probably 10.5/11m per yr.

 

[JMC00]

Lombardi seems to think he won't sign until someone gives him a deal that is $26-$34m in guaranteed money



So if you are someone that is continually looking to see if he has signed, might want to strap in because it might be awhile.