Hightower not willing to take a pay cut

[HailHydra]

Hightower is a shadow candidate for hall of fame. He's a GAMER like McGinest was. He has 3 Superbowl Rings and 2 Alabama Rings. No coincidence the D generated zero punts two Superbowls ago against Philly when Hightower was hurt and just put up a historic Superbowl defensive game this last one with Hightower playing.

Hightower, while he has certainly made plays, is nowhere close to being a HoF candidate. HoF candidates are the best at their positions - Hightower isn't even in the top 10. If you're solely basing it off playoff success, then Edelman would be a 10x more likely HoF candidate, but even he won't make it.

 

[Patriot Missile]

He’s had a huge impact in all 3 superbowls. I wouldn’t take a paycut either. Guy flips the switch like nobodies business. Not my money but I’d say keep him around another 1 or 2 seasons. Especially if he stays healthy next season.

 

[Ring 6]

I guess he will be traded then.

Report: Hightower not willing to take pay cut

There is no reason he should be expected to.

 

[Ring 6]

He is officially on a trade watch until the last cutdown day.

Same with DMC

No

 

[varjao]

He was slow at the beginning of the season because he was coming back from season ending surgery (muscle tear). Then he came along.

No doubt he’s coming back better next season 2 years removed from that injury.

 

[Ring 6]

Hightower is a prime example of what the patriots are all about.

 

[TheFlyingWedge]

He And VanNoy could have teamed up to be co-MVPs of the SB. Hate to lose HT but next man up - And that means Bentley.

 

[patfanken]

Here's the conundrum. Over the sixteen game regular season, no one who actually watched those games could honestly say that Dante Hightower was worth the money that they were paying him. That's not to say he was playing poorly, but just not to the elite money that he was getting.

That being said, I would opine that anyone who watched the 3 playoff games would have to say that Dante definitely at least approached being worth the money. And there lies the problem for the Pats. Essentially they are paying elite money for a guy who seems to only play like that elite player in the playoffs.

Given the high amount of dead money that cutting or trading him would involve, this year wouldn't be the one you'd want to cut bait with him. But like someone said, this really is a CONTRIVED issue, since the Pats haven't asked him to take a cut, nor has Hightower responded to that mythical request. It is merely just "connect the dots" speculation.

If the Pats need to create some needed cap space they can easily extend Hightower for a year and turn salary into a bonus. IIRC Miguel estimated that that strategy could net the Pats around $3MM in cap savings.

 

[ralmat55]

Hightower and Bentley are different players. High is at his best when he’s playing ar the LOS especially on the edge. Bentley is the classic MLB - think a better version of Elandon Roberts.

3-3-5 is the new base defense, so there is definitely room for both on what I think can be an even better defense in 2019.

 

[edkk323]

Every time I see Leighton Vander Esch I get a headache I feel like he should have been a Patriot. Guy had can't miss written all over him.

He was a unknown till the combine. Everyone is cann't miss till they are not.

 

[ralmat55]

How much cap room do the Patriots need anyway? Miguel already has them at $17.2 million under. Releasing Allen and Clayborn or Gronk retiring (please Gronk don’t) would provide roughly an additional $10 million of space. Brady’s new deal whenever it gets done will presumably lower his cap figure $5 million or so as well.

The Patriots already have 57 players under contract. They have two RFAs (J. Jones and J. Gordon) and one EFA (Cody Hollister) which will count $4 million or so against the cap. FA deals for Flowers, Brown, or Golden Tate would be most likely be backloaded cap wise as well.

$32.2 million of cap space ($17.2+10+5) should be sufficient to tender the restricted FAs, resign or sign a handful of UFAs, add a kicker and punter, and sign their draft and UDFA class with $4-5 million to spare. If more is needed, you push more of Gilmore’s cap hit into future years.

Reading posts on this board, you often get the feeling the Patriots are a talentless team in need of upgrades everywhere rather than the team that just won its 3rd Lombardi in 5 years.

 

[supafly]

How much cap room do the Patriots need anyway? Miguel already has them at $17.2 million under. Releasing Allen and Clayborn or Gronk retiring (please Gronk don’t) would provide roughly an additional $10 million of space. Brady’s new deal whenever it gets done will presumably lower his cap figure $5 million or so as well.

The Patriots already have 57 players under contract. They have two RFAs (J. Jones and J. Gordon) and one EFA (Cody Hollister) which will count $4 million or so against the cap. FA deals for Flowers, Brown, or Golden Tate would be most likely be backloaded cap wise as well.

$32.2 million of cap space ($17.2+10+5) should be sufficient to tender the restricted FAs, resign or sign a handful of UFAs, add a kicker and punter, and sign their draft and UDFA class with $4-5 million to spare. If more is needed, you push more of Gilmore’s cap hit into future years.

Reading posts on this board, you often get the feeling the Patriots are a talentless team in need of upgrades everywhere rather than the team that just won its 3rd Lombardi in 5 years.

They’re not necessarily cap strapped, as you point out, but they’re not exactly sitting pretty, either. At least not at the moment. Keep in mind that some of that 17m needs to be set aside for rookie deals and in-season moves, and they have some key players hitting free agency that they’ll be trying to retain.

Pointing out potential savings for guys that you feel may be cut (Allen, Clayborn) is fair, but those two examples were instrumental in helping us win the SB last month. I don’t think anything prevents them from going after a guy like Tate for around 10m a year, but I don’t think they’ll be able to do that + keep one of Flowers/Brown. There will be some tough decisions coming up, but we should be feeling pretty good about the team with 12 draft picks and only several positions that need to be upgraded.

 

[PatsBoy12]

He played a great SB but lets not forget how mediocre he was all season long. With Bentley coming back he is expendable.

He was not mediocre all (regular) season.

 

[Username]

He was not mediocre all (regular) season.

He was anonymous for most of the season. Van Noy and the much maligned Elandon Roberts contributed far more. That's not opinion, that's fact. He came to life in the playoffs, but was an empty jersey most of the year.

 

[Huckleberry1]

The Patriots haven’t asked him to take a pay cut.

 

[goheels22002]

Cut him and eat $5m or keep him and pay $11m, right?

So who are you going to get who is as good as Hightower for $6m?

That's exactly right. There indeed may be the next MLB signal caller out there for a bargain, but these posts that cavalierly say get rid of a leader like Hightower should have a handle on who they think could fill that role. It's much more complicated than a physical skill set. Belichick's defense is a shapeshifter from week to week and is no place for guys who can'rt adjust. Jamie Collins proved that.

Maybe Van Noy is ready to step into that role.

Every year the defense gets better as the season rolls along. That's a function of leadership and linebackers like Ted Johnson, Bruschi, Colvin, Vrabel, Mayo, Ninkovich, and Hightower who get people in the right position, and recognize the offense. All those guys were solid tacklers and versatile against the pass, but most of all smart football players.

The linebackers have almost always been backed up by a safety like McCourty or Harrison who was the signal caller in the secondary.

 

[SBLIII]

He was not mediocre all (regular) season.

Yes, he was. Seemed to have lost at least 1 step.

 

[RobertWeathers]

No

Yes

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

Hightower has earned his money, he played lights out in his last three Superbowls, and if he was on the field for SB52, the Pats would have won that too!

Big Time players, make bit time plays in bit time moments! The Pats can restructure his contract, which will still pay him the same amount, yet greatly reduce his cap number.

 

[Huckleberry1]

They should get rid of McCourty, Hightower, and Flowers, that should really improve their defense.