Hightower and Gronkowski

Which will play for us in Game One of the 2019 season?

Isn't this the elephant in the room?

We have been looking for the team to use every restructure possible, and to extend as many as possible.

This hasn't been Belichick's way for 20 years.

Instead, Belichick has sometimes cut or traded players who have one more year of value to the team.

As was said when some of us were children,
Why is this night/year different from all others?

mgteich said:

Which will play for us in Game One of the 2019 season?

Isn't this the elephant in the room?

We have been looking for the team to use every restructure possible, and to extend as many as possible.

This hasn't been Belichick's way for 20 years.

Instead, Belichick has sometimes cut or traded players who have one more year of value to the team.

As was said when some of us were children,
Why is this night/year different from all others?

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Why are you so intent on getting rid of our best players?
We don’t sniff the Sb last year without gronk and Hightower.
You want to dump them so you can sign an overpaid Wr?

Both. If there are not injuries.

HT is one of the pillars of the defense and the locker room.

Gronk won't retire but will want to cash that final big check and since trading is apparently not an option there is not much else to do.

We disagree with regard to how close we are against the cap.

I have ZERO interest in signing an overpaid WR. I do have interest in signing the draftees, a DL or two, a couple of low level WR's, a punter, a kicker, a backup OT, and the usual set of STers and JAG's as camp competition.

Also, we will need to fay for Player 52, Player 53, the Practice Squad, those put on IR before ether season starts and have a reserve for replacements and incentives during the season.
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I have seen you posted plan on how to secure the $15M-$20M of cap space needed to do these things. I have posted that I am fine with keeping Hightower, and I expect us to do so.
With regard to Gronk, I just don't know.

AndyJohnson said:

Why are you so intent on getting rid of our best players?
We don’t sniff the Sb last year without gronk and Hightower.
You want to dump them so you can sign an overpaid Wr?

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Both will play game one but Ray Lewis still killed a guy

mgteich said:

We disagree with regard to how close we are against the cap.

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No we don’t.

I have ZERO interest in signing an overpaid WR. I do have interest in signing the draftees, a DL or two, a couple of low level WR's, a punter, a kicker, a backup OT, and the usual set of STers and JAG's as camp competition.

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You don’t have to cut your best players to do that.

Also, we will need to fay for Player 52, Player 53, the Practice Squad, those put on IR before ether season starts and have a reserve for replacements and incentives during the season.

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52 and 53 typically pay for themselves because all of the top 51 don’t make the roster.

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I have seen you posted plan on how to secure the $15M-$20M of cap space needed to do these things. I have posted that I am fine with keeping Hightower, and I expect us to do so.
With regard to Gronk, I just don't know.

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What’s the point of A) mskkng up a number that they need and B) making up how they get there?
The team without question has a plan to get the cap where they need it. Gronk could still retire and that would change the plan.
There is no need to do the math today, particularly when we don’t know what the starting number is.

I don’t have to do specific cap calculations to profess the point that cutting 2 of our best players for cap reasons is a terrible idea.

Andy's right. I don't know if Gronk will play or not but there's no compelling need to release two of their best players, especially since any cap space made is not going to allow to even come close to replacing either one.

What exactly is wrong with Hightower's contract? It seems we got him for a bargain. Mosley just made out like a bandit.

I think Gronk retires and hT plays.

Both players are “more than what we see on the field”. On the field, both have been instrumental in NE’s success. But, off the field, by all accounts, they are leaders respected by teammates as stand up guys. I think BB sees the added value and, while ruthless at times, big production on the field at the most important times + culture/locker vets makes both of them very valuable pieces despite their salaries.

luuked said:

Both. If there are not injuries.

HT is one of the pillars of the defense and the locker room.

Gronk won't retire but will want to cash that final big check and since trading is apparently not an option there is not much else to do.

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Yep, I doubt they will ask either to take a paycut, they would have already done that if that was their intention. And absent the request for a cut in pay both will be ready to start the opener.

Wheelman said:

What exactly is wrong with Hightower's contract? It seems we got him for a bargain. Mosley just made out like a bandit.

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There is nothing wrong with any of their contracts, it’s just the yearly who can they cut to save money for free agents they won’t be signing anyways discussion. Like clockwork.

AndyJohnson said:

No we don’t.


You don’t have to cut your best players to do that.


52 and 53 typically pay for themselves because all of the top 51 don’t make the roster.

What’s the point of A) mskkng up a number that they need and B) making up how they get there?
The team without question has a plan to get the cap where they need it. Gronk could still retire and that would change the plan.
There is no need to do the math today, particularly when we don’t know what the starting number is.

I don’t have to do specific cap calculations to profess the point that cutting 2 of our best players for cap reasons is a terrible idea.

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I try not to even sweat this stuff. Been proven to me that the team will figure it out. It won’t be the huge names I hope for but who am I?

I’m a fan, ergo nothing I say matters much. I will be cheering the patriots on no matter who they have

As Games 1 - 4 appear to have become part of the Patriots extended pre-season training, I think the question would be better asked if applied to the 2019 roster that Game 1. I think it is highly probable that both will be on the roster, but that protecting Gronk from unnecessary injury during the early season will be heavily considered. Hightower as the mike, needs to be on the field even in the early stages.

If HT can play at 90% of what he did in the last 1/3 of the season, then he's not going anywhere, unless the team has cap stress that we aren't seeing.

Both. Book it.

PatsDeb said:

Both. Book it.

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Just a reminder that 90% of the time when someone says “book it” that thing ends up not happening.

Buchanty said:

As Games 1 - 4 appear to have become part of the Patriots extended pre-season training, I think the question would be better asked if applied to the 2019 roster that Game 1.

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We are slowly getting to the point where people take this extended pre-season stuff a bit too literal. It is said not because the team is taking things lighter or would sit players but because it takes usually this amount of time for the coaching staff to slowly figure out the identity of each unit and the schemes that emphasize each players strengths most.

That doesn't mean we'd sit or take it easy on Gronk if he is healthy. If there is no medical reason to adjust his snaps he will be a full go. Yes, they might be careful -- as they have been in the last few years -- with seam routes or other more dangerous calls but that is a different kinda discussion.

Point is they will still do everything they can to win those games. That "everything" is just not as developed and refined as it would be in November or December.

No OBJ option?

Matt Lacosse?