Is Dont’a Hightower Done?

[BTTA]

I’d put him on the market. See if any offers come in.

I first thought this post was TIC.
Given his salary, his recent play, his injury history, and his age, there's not a team in the league that would take him for free. The salary cap risk is too high vs. the possibility that he'll become a star player again.
I hope you have someone managing your retirement assets, to help you avoid this "buy high, sell low" approach.

 

[upstater1]

I do, unfortunately, think Hightower may be done. D. McCourty, too. It's perfectly possible both of them round into form but they haven't given us any reason to be optimistic. If they are in fact done for, that's a mighty big blow to this defense to have two of their better players and leaders fall off a cliff in the same season.

I think a trade for a competent LB and/or S is borderline essential at this point. I'm more optimistic about the DL because I think Shelton and Brown are talented but under-performing, not to mention the possibility of promoting Valentine to the active roster; Flowers should be returning soon, too.

But, yeah, LB and S is worrisome. I want to see (a) trade(s) there. Tyrann Mathieu would've been a good signing this past offseason and he didn't command much money, iirc.

Stop trading, start drafting. And hitting on those picks!

 

[Uptown]

ITB&BBWT...

 

[Nunchucks]

Hightower looks done. I love Hightower and it makes me sad.

 

[reflexblue]

How old is HT 26,27? Its hard for me to believe that someone is done at that age at least physically. On top of that he didn't play most of last year and wsas hurt the year before, so he has less wear and tear on his body. If anything its him being overly caustious, hesitant that he could get hurt again. OR that he got his fat contract and has checked out and is just going through the motions.

 

[Clonamery]

I wish those cupcakes had meant more to him.

 

[Ras-IR Dowling]

How old is HT 26,27? Its hard for me to believe that someone is done at that age at least physically. On top of that he didn't play most of last year and wsas hurt the year before, so he has less wear and tear on his body. If anything its him being overly caustious, hesitant that he could get hurt again. OR that he got his fat contract and has checked out and is just going through the motions.

Dont'a Hightower injury history and analysis

In the last decade going back to bama look at all the injuries to his knees (sprains/tears).

 

[Biffins]

Dont'a wish our LB was hot like them
Dont'a wish our LB was a freak like them
Dont'a ........?
Dont'a ........?
Dont'a wish our LB was raw like them
Dont'a wish our LB was fun like them
Dont'a ........?
Dont'a ........?

 

[reflexblue]

Dont'a Hightower injury history and analysis

In the last decade going back to bama look at all the injuries to his knees (sprains/tears).

He has a history of injuries but he was playing fine last year before he tore his pec muscle, so why all of a sudden after almost a year of recovery can he no longer play? I doubt its physical,also he had a chest injury not a leg injury.

 

[mosi]

Put me in the camp that is shocked at his play. The one reason I thought this D would be better was the return of Hightower. Honestly, the LB play has been the Pats biggest issue this season. Hopefully it will get better as the season goes on.

 

[Soliel]

I don’t think he’s done yet but he is playing scared and tentative. That’s actually normal. He’s coming back from a season ended so it’s no wonder

 

[PatsFan2]

BB needs to start investing high draft picks on LBs and stop wasting them on DBs, which he always misses on. He has better luck with late picks on DBs anyways. We need athletes on LBs especially where the league is heading.

We know this flaw will be the reason why we will lose a playoff game. Smart OCs will always expose this flaw.

BB doesn't seem to realize that Teams have caught up to us and have now surpassed us. We are not fooling anybody anymore. BB is now stubbornly fooling himself thinking he's Football smarter than everybody else not anymore Billy.

 

[Ras-IR Dowling]

He has a history of injuries but he was playing fine last year before he tore his pec muscle, so why all of a sudden after almost a year of recovery can he no longer play? I doubt its physical,also he had a chest injury not a leg injury.

You can’t predict when the athleticism goes in a player, obviously if we could we would’ve never offered him an extension. He’s on the younger side for this to happen but he’s also sustained more injuries than most.

We can (and I imagine will) get out of this deal in the offseason with a 5 mil dead cap hit.

 

[reflexblue]

You can’t predict when the athleticism goes in a player, obviously if we could we would’ve never offered him an extension. He’s on the younger side for this to happen but he’s also sustained more injuries than most.

We can (and I imagine will) get out of this deal in the offseason with a 5 mil dead cap hit.

Iguess its possible, but i have serious doubts that a player that hasn't had physical contact and was playing well before an injury all of a sudden can noo longer play at the level they could before.

 

[Tuck]

How old is HT 26,27? Its hard for me to believe that someone is done at that age at least physically. On top of that he didn't play most of last year and wsas hurt the year before, so he has less wear and tear on his body. If anything its him being overly caustious, hesitant that he could get hurt again. OR that he got his fat contract and has checked out and is just going through the motions.

This is the question I have too. What exactly is his problem? A torn Pec doesnt explain poor foot speed and he's now two seasons removed from the knee problem he suffered at the beginning of 2016. IIRC it was a meniscus tear that he played on for most of that season. If we are seeing a decline in play because of the knee it's not good news.

 

[mcmurtry86]

BB doesn't seem to realize that Teams have caught up to us and have now surpassed us. We are not fooling anybody anymore. BB is now stubbornly fooling himself thinking he's Football smarter than everybody else not anymore Billy.

He clearly has realized that, drafting Collins, going to a 2 LB base, trying guys as LB/S hybrids

His inability to find the right guys doesn't mean he's missing the way the league is going

His offensive scheme has been predicated on exploiting bad LB in coverage for years and you think he doesn't understand the trend? Really?

Why he hasn't addressed LB more meaningfully is a mystery but I'd say it comes from a misplaced hope/trust in Hightower and his three safeties being really good than it does in falling behind the times

Belichick is a lot of things, stupid or behind the times is not one of them.

 

[sb1]

I read a report that he mentioned to Bedard a chronic knee injury that is very difficult to heal.

Explains a lot. But not good.

 

[archstanton543]

I read a report that he mentioned to Bedard a chronic knee injury that is very difficult to heal.

Explains a lot. But not good.

He's had most of 2017 and 2018 with the best sports injury doctors in the world at his disposal to heal that injury.

 

[Love The Drake]

Dont'a wish our LB was hot like them
Dont'a wish our LB was a freak like them
Dont'a ........?
Dont'a ........?
Dont'a wish our LB was raw like them
Dont'a wish our LB was fun like them
Dont'a ........?
Dont'a ........?

Touche

 

[libra957]

He certainly looks like a shell of his former self, he can't be tired because football just started. I don't know if he'll be his pro bowl self this season.