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

TeamFirst said:

If Hightower doesn't sign who do the Pats go after in either FA or trade?

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From my yesterday's post if it can be useful..

@LB
seems like the whole LB market is waiting for Hightower - so its reasonable to believe that it gets settled soon

plan A)
1. Hightower re-signs (hopefully) - app. 10M cap hit (in 2017)
2. quicker, cheaper, hybrid LB/ST (in Worrilow capacity): 1-2M cap hit
Nick Bellore, SF, 27 (6’1, 250)
Sean Spence, TEN, 27 (5’11, 231)
Josh Martin, NYJ - BB praised him before 2nd Jets game or

plan B)
Quick lateral, coverage LB -- app 5M cap hit
UFA (count against comp.): Z.Brown, Hodges?
released/trade (not against comp): Kendricks, PHI; Levy, DET (inj?)
RFA: Kiko Alonso (unfortunately Pats have no picks to match the 1st rd tender)

LB market starting moving..

Much lower than projected.

Now Im really getting optimistic about High..

long distance said:

Much lower than projected.

Now Im really getting optimistic about High..

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Not exactly a good comparison because Alexander is more of a pass rushing specialist, is geriatric in NFL years, and had his first good season last year. But it does certainly appear that the market isn't what we expected.

Elijah said:

....But it does certainly appear that the market isn't what we expected.

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Yes,BUT.. none of those lbs do what HT does.

The only 2 other lbs in the NFL that are as versatile(or good) as HT are Kuechly and Wagner. And like kuechly and Wagner, HT is handsdown the best and most important player on his D.

BB knows this,HT knows it and his agent sure as hell does.

Good news is HT loves being a Patriot and would prefer to stay in NE.(even tho he hates the weather-but damn,who doesn't?) I just don't think any of those other signings have much bearing on High.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed like the rest of y'all.

At this point he can't make a decision?

Hightower is nothing like Keuckly/Wagner except for leadership.

patsinthesnow said:

At this point he can't make a decision?

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Yeah it's been over a day...

aluminum seats said:

Yeah it's been over a day...

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More like 4. Two days of tampering and two days of FA. It's almost unheard of for a player of his FA stature to go unsigned 4 days after tampering began.

aluminum seats said:

Yeah it's been over a day...

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Do we even want him at this point? How can we trust him to make snap decisions in the field of play?

Froob said:

Do we even want him at this point? How can we trust him to make snap decisions in the field of play?

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See my post above. There is some merit to what was said about him taking quite a while.

ViperGTS said:

See my post above. There is some merit to what was said about him taking quite a while.

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Longer it goes on, the better it is for us I think. We are probably going to get him on a great deal.

ViperGTS said:

More like 4. Two days of tampering and two days of FA. It's almost unheard of for a player of his FA stature to go unsigned 4 days after tampering began.

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Damn you should call Hightower and explain to him that he is doing free agency wrong

Froob said:

Longer it goes on, the better it is for us I think. We are probably going to get him on a great deal.

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Oh there may be no question. I was just rebutting the whole it's been a little over a day.

AndyJohnson said:

Damn you should call Hightower and explain to him that he is doing free agency wrong

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Not saying he's doing anything wrong. Sweet Jesus people. Is it not a fact that it's been 4 days since tampering began? Now we are in day 5.

Nothing I said was wrong or warranted your response.

ViperGTS said:

Not saying he's doing anything wrong. Sweet Jesus people. Is it not a fact that it's been 4 days since tampering began? Now we are in day 5.

Nothing I said was wrong or warranted your response.

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It is a fact. But your handwringing as if it's an issue is where the problem lies.

nowayback said:

So whats better? HT for 5 years and 1st for Butler, Butler 5 years and HT gone , or HT 5 years Butler for the 2 we can still have him ?
Assuming we cant sign both for 5

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@Miguel has already pointed out that we can sign both HT and Butler to the same contract given to Gilmore and would still have ~20m in cap space I believe. Also noted it's awfully generous to expect both contracts to be the same size.

If the team wants both they can get both. Players have to be willing.

Froob said:

Longer it goes on, the better it is for us I think. We are probably going to get him on a great deal.

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Maybe, but at some point it makes you think that he's not that interested in coming back. By now he should know what's out there.

he's holding out hoping some desperate team comes out of nowhere and offers more $$$$

Marqui said:

Hightower is nothing like Keuckly/Wagner except for leadership.

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Really? High is a better runstopper than both.

High is a better passrusher than Luke and would be as good or better than Wagner if he were given as many passrushing opportunities.

Kuechly and Wagner are both better in coverage. All in all, I'd call it a wash.

They all play slightly different roles- but all 3 do a number of things really well.

Neither Wagner nor kuechly would post #'s as good as they do now,if they played for the Pats.

Once again, you have no clue wtf you're talking about or about NFL defenses.