HIGHTOWER'S BACK!!! (UPDATE: his contract is less than originally reported)

[denverpatsfan]

He deserves it. 2 critical plays that helped win Super Bowls!

 

[Huckleberry1]

Butler's Agent, from the firm of Feinstein and Forlizzi, proven a liar again.

If they're paying Middle Linebackers $10mil, I'm pretty sure Bill Belichick didn't say he wouldn't pay a CB that much.

They never said it to begin with. They paid Revis 17 million for one season, there's no way they told any agent they don't pay 10 million for an offensive or defensive position.

 

[Patriot Missile]

I'm surprised he didn't sign elsewhere. Thought for sure some needy team would overspend to get a pivotal inside LB who is in his prime.

Think the Pats got great value on him. Different player than Wagner who is pretty good in coverage while Hightower is more effective as a passrusher/run stopper. Especially on the A gap blitzes.

Good times. Best offseason I can remember. If they are able to hold on to Butler, "game over man" as the great Bill Paxton once said in one of his many great side roles.

 

[BradyFTW!]

I generally agree with the sentiment. Linebackers are usually done by 31/32.

One exception is Kevin Greene, I watched Kevin Greene - A Football Life, last night. He had some monster years in his 30s, including a couple where he led the league in sacks. As he got up there in age, Pittsburgh, Carolina and San Fran cut him because they all figured he was done.

I'm sure there are other outliers out there but in Hightower's case, I bet that he's done by 31.

I'll take that bet, just look at the league right there. There are plenty of LBs who are excelling past age 31. It's a physical position, has a shorter lifespan than average, but I'd rather be paying an LB at 32 than, say, a corner. And Hightower's game should age relatively well; he'll get worse in coverage, but he has enough size and versatility that he should be able to remain a factor on passing downs even when his coverage slips.

 

[Schmo]

Von Miller is 6yr/$114mil, signed last offseason. Not arguing that Hightower is better, but just a little perspective. I'd rather have 2 Hightowers (with better length of contract) than 1 Miller.....

Miller only won them 1 SB

 

[BradyFTW!]

I'm surprised he didn't sign elsewhere. Thought for sure some needy team would overspend to get a pivotal inside LB who is in his prime.

Think the Pats got great value on him. Different player than Wagner who is pretty good in coverage while Hightower is more effective as a passrusher/run stopper. Especially on the A gap blitzes.

Good times. Best offseason I can remember. If they are able to hold on to Butler, "game over man" as the great Bill Paxton once said in one of his many great side roles.

Apparently the Jets offered significantly more money. There were teams willing to spend more than the Pats did, he just chose to stay here anyway.

Hopefully, this will prove a lesson to the various people who took to acting like jilted ex-girlfriends because he had the audacity to spend a week weighing his options in free agency.

 

[patfanken]

As long as he satisfied so am I.

When you think you have offerred a market deal to a player like the Pats did last September and he doesn't accept it, you do exactly what the Pats ended up doing in letting him see for himself what the Market ACTUALLY is. BB doesn't fear FA, so he let Donta' get there and NOW that he's back there will no lingering "what ifs", or any resentment toward the team. He knows he got a fair offer to come back.

That being said, I am going to have to prepare myself to cringe every time I here a mediot state that "Hightower re-signed with the Pats for a discount".

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

Spin....spin..... spin.... spin

 

[DaBronxPats14]

Awesome News HT!
Now if Butler signs his Tender and some how it gets ironed out at least for this season, this would be # 1 Defense again with arguably Best CB Combo in NFL* along with DBs.

I know too much has happened with Pats/Butler saga, but it's a fun thought.

Why do I see MEvis (recentley cleared of all charges) in Pat's Uni again while Jets* pick up bulk of his contract.

 

[BritPat]

What a load of horseshit that is^

Can you imagine the collective orgasm if he'd signed there?

 

[Huckleberry1]

He deserves it. 2 critical plays that helped win Super Bowls!

This is the part that is too often overlooked. People like to minimize the two plays that were critical to those two Lombardi's but they overlook the fact that winning Super Bowl's takes the players who make the big plays at the big moments and Hightower has been that player.

 

[Fixit]

If the Hightower thing teaches us anything, it's that none of us has a clue how the Butler thing's gonna shake out.

 

[LightSkinSmurf]

Apparently the Jets offered significantly more money. There were teams willing to spend more than the Pats did, he just chose to stay here anyway.

Hopefully, this will prove a lesson to the various people who took to acting like jilted ex-girlfriends because he had the audacity to spend a week weighing his options in free agency.

Idk, so many conflicting reports. No idea if that is true or not. I'd be surprised if he turned down "significantly" more money.

 

[mariomega]

If the Hightower thing teaches us anything, it's that none of us has a clue how the Butler thing's gonna shake out.

Yeah, probably, but I think he is gone for good.

 

[luuked]

I'm surprised he didn't sign elsewhere. Thought for sure some needy team would overspend to get a pivotal inside LB who is in his prime.

Other teams don't know how to use HT to his full potential so they were not offering him big deals. He is perfect for our scheme were he wears many hats very well while at other places his job would have a smaller scope but would require elite production in that niche to justify big LB pay.

 

[BradyFTW!]

When you think you have offerred a market deal to a player like the Pats did last September and he doesn't accept it, you do exactly what the Pats ended up doing in letting him see for himself what the Market ACTUALLY is. BB doesn't fear FA, so he let Donta' get there and NOW that he's back there will no lingering "what ifs", or any resentment toward the team. He knows he got a fair offer to come back.

That being said, I am going to have to prepare myself to cringe every time I here a mediot state that "Hightower re-signed with the Pats for a discount".

Hightower did re-sign for a discount:

 

[Dexter]

Spin....spin..... spin.... spin

If that's what helps them sleep better... till next time we completely humiliate them and their clown of a coach.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Other teams don't know how to use HT to his full potential so they were not offering him big deals. He is perfect for our scheme were he wears many hats very well while at other places his job would have a smaller scope but would require elite production in that niche to justify big LB pay.

It's partly that (I think that's why Tennessee, among others, didn't blow him away with their offers), and partly that he was willing to leave money on the table to stay here (the Jets offered him 12M+, but he chose to stay here for <11M instead).

 

[luuked]

Von Miller is 6yr/$114mil, signed last offseason. Not arguing that Hightower is better, but just a little perspective. I'd rather have 2 Hightowers (with better length of contract) than 1 Miller.....

Miller only won them 1 SB

Given our defense as it is I rather have one HT at his contract than one VM at his respective contract.

Also in our scheme Hightower has an bigger impact than VM would have especially because I am not sure VM could handle all the additional responsibilities if he were a pass rusher here.

In a different team obviously VM would have the bigger impact. So spare me the "lol VM is better than HT" posts because they would miss the point.

 

[luuked]

It's partly that (I think that's why Tennessee, among others, didn't blow him away with their offers), and partly that he was willing to leave money on the table to stay here (the Jets offered him 12M+, but he chose to stay here for <11M instead).

Yes, but lets keep in mind that we have no idea what 12m APY at the Jets means. No info about guarantees/incentives/structure...