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

[Love The Drake]

Bottom line is no one knows, these athletes are very sensitive and can take anything as disrespect or a slight against them.

 

[Minitron]

Yep. He got his rings. Didnt even want to do the parade. That was weird. After the greatest comeback? Very strange. We'll be fine if he leaves. Prefer him to stay but that buzzkill act was weird. Writing was on the wall he wanted out.

He wasn't at the 2014 parade either.

 

[JMC00]

That would explain the delay in HT signing. Some if us have wondered why HT would considea the Rats after experiencing excellence under Saban and BB, but it is possible that he is looking for a big contract without having to work so hard.

People should not be taking that guy's word as fact. He's some random Pats fan on twitter that is constantly wrong.

The reason for the delay is Hightower is looking for a deal from a team that is more than $10m per so he can take back to the Pats and ask them to match it.

 

[Kdo5]

Yep. He got his rings. Didnt even want to do the parade. That was weird. After the greatest comeback? Very strange. We'll be fine if he leaves. Prefer him to stay but that buzzkill act was weird. Writing was on the wall he wanted out.

I think we need him back, it will be a significant blow to lose HT when you consider our current depth at the position and severe lack of early round draft picks. I will be very relieved to hear that he has resigned with the Pats. We can cope with the Butler situation but this one is more concerning.

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

PatsSB49 has no inside info.

Never thought he did... just pointing out one possible reason on why he might go to another team.

 

[varjao]

So as it turns out Bennett overplayed his hand and so did Hightowah.

BB owns the market.

 

[Todd Bradley]

After all that hype about "Who's getting extended first: Jones, Collins, Hightower or Butler?!?", it would be a major buzz kill to lose all of them.

Jones I understood, couldn't set the edge, disappeared during big moments, the whole fake weed thing.

Even Collins made sense, freelancing, couldn't cover opposing TEs and got burned several times by washed up JAGs like Owen Daniels in Championship games, wanted Kuechly money.

But to let Hightower and Butler leave doesn't make sense. We've got the money, we've got the cap space, they deserve their pay, give it to them.

 

[Username]

I think we need him back, it will be a significant blow to lose HT when you consider our current depth at the position and severe lack of early round draft picks. I will be very relieved to hear that he has resigned with the Pats. We can cope with the Butler situation but this one is more concerning.

He needs to be a Patriot more than the team needs him, unless money is the single determining factor for him. We'll be a contender without him, not sure the same applies for him.

 

[JMC00]

But to let Hightower and Butler going doesn't make sense. We've got the money, we've got the cap space, they deserve their pay, give it to them.

Pats offered Hightower money and he scoffed at it and thought his market was higher, turns out Pats may have given him the best offer. Hightower is currently unsigned because he and his agent have been searching for teams to offer more than $10m per so he can take it back to the Pats and ask them to match it.

Butler is on a undrafted rookie deal, if he wants to get an extension bump now he needs to come off wanting a top of the market deal because people that get extensions while they are on their rookie deal give up some money to buyout the remaining years so it gives the team the incentive to pay him early. Or he needs to suck it up, make the $3.9m this year and hit the market next year.

 

[Kdo5]

He needs to be a Patriot more than the team needs him, unless money is the single determining factor for him. We'll be a contender without him, not sure the same applies for him.

We'll be a contender with LB depth of Roberts, McClellin and Van Noy and no first or second round picks. That's a trash LB core that will get abused without HT or trading for someone good (which might still happen, I would hope).

He is a top notch player with two SB rings seeking his big contract. I disagree and think it is the other way around. We need him more than he needs us. He could still choose a decent option like Tennessee which certainly doesn't hurt him.

 

[Love The Drake]

However he makes us a really good defense he fits our system very well.
Put me in the hope like heck we resign him category.
Butler as well

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

BB owns the market.

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

After all that hype about "Who's getting extended first: Jones, Collins, Hightower or Butler?!?", it would be a major buzz kill to lose all of them.

Jones I understood, couldn't set the edge, disappeared during big moments, the whole fake weed thing.

Even Collins made sense, freelancing, couldn't cover opposing TEs and got burned several times by washed up JAGs like Owen Daniels in Championship games, wanted Kuechly money.

But to let Hightower and Butler leave doesn't make sense. We've got the money, we've got the cap space, they deserve their pay, give it to them.

It always takes 2 to tango....

But I agree. And I find the Butler situation to be most disapointing. Not sure what the team could've done differently, other than insist he hire a different agent

 

[mosslost]

On NFL.COM they are hinting at a return for High! Nothing anything close to official though.

 

[Love The Drake]

Dont jinx it

 

[Froob]

As we wait, here's some good lolz for anybody who has seen this movie (really quite good btw)

 

[Hammer of Thor]

On NFL.COM they are hinting at a return for High! Nothing anything close to official though.

Unfortunately there's nothing new there -- it's an article based on Ian Rapoport's earlier tweet in this thread.

Teams convinced Dont'a Hightower will return to Pats

All quiet on Hightower front..

 

[letekro]

Why would winning cause someone to care less about winning?
He is getting his big pay day one way or another. It's just a matter of taking a little less because you understand a team that stays competitive and challenges for championships every year needs to spread money further to put better players around you.
And this whole injury thing in ht is so overblown.
He has had a few minor, not chronic injury and most of the games he has missed was big picture thinking to test him when he could have played if needed. Someone in this thread called him about to breakdown. Jesus.

Tennessee is an up and coming team in a weak division and is close to his home and where he grew up. I would not be surprised at all if he chose TEN even if the money is similar

 

[Joey007]

Not convinced that he's back for sure yet. Encouraged, but I know anything can still happen.

 

[mariomega]

Bill has to increase the offer today.

BB: " Dont'a, happy birthday."
DH: "Thanks, coach."
BB: "How about the Rats' visit, did you like their environment?"
DH: "Not so much coach."
BB: "Dont'a, let me tell ya... 4 years, 44m. You have 24 hours."