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

[ViperGTS]

Patriots could franchise Butler next year. Maybe trade him then. If they keep Butler this year, maybe they are trying for the best players for a 6th (and potentially final) SB run (and maybe a ring) for Brady?

No. People are reading waaaaaaaay to much into this "loading up" idea. They had around 60 million in cap space and are acting like it. The Cooks trade is a partial go for it move, but the ability of have had several extremely good drafts the last few years allowed them to "splurge" a bit.

Things are at pretty much standard operating procedure with a few small variations due to the immense cap space they have.

 

[ViperGTS]

This is terrible news but shakes up the first round a bit...and may impact Butler.



Red shirt year for the Pats?

Torn Achilles. Ouch. He's probably gone from 1st round to undrafted.

 

[The Scrizz]

That blows. This is why guys want to get their money while they can and why I'm amazed that more guys don't do extensions before FA. I would think of all sports that football players would be more risk averse.

 

[JMC00]

Torn Achilles. Ouch. He's probably gone from 1st round to undrafted.

Pats draft

#72- Sidney Jones

#96- Jake Butt

Both redshirt 1st years

 

[zipster9]

Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports the Patriots are still "keeping close tabs" on free agent Dont'a Hightower.

The Patriots were comfortable letting Hightower set his value on the open market, and that is looking like a good decision early in free agency. Although there have been reports about interest, Hightower has yet to be solidly linked to any team. With New England always in win-now mode, they should be looking to bring back Hightower if the price is right.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

LB Dont’a Hightower’s meeting with Saints canceled, Patriots "still very interested"

 

[RobertWeathers]

Alright.....ENOUGH.

BB & Hightower,

Go find a goddamn Ground Round and hammer out a deal.

This negotiating BS has gone on long enough.

 

[Gronkowski123]

what could hightower possibly be waiting for other than a bigger offer from a different team? he already knows BB's offer. just accept it already.

 

[RobertWeathers]

what could hightower possibly be waiting for other than a bigger offer from a different team? he already knows BB's offer. just accept it already.

That's why he is waiting.

 

[Froob]

LB Dont’a Hightower’s meeting with Saints canceled, Patriots "still very interested"

If the Saints don't want him, then we definitely want him.

 

[Tuck]

This is terrible news but shakes up the first round a bit...and may impact Butler.



Red shirt year for the Pats?

No thanks. I've had this injury and it's no joke. Your leg is never the same after the tendon is sewn back together. When he returns it'll be very difficult get back to where he was in terms of strength and flexibility and overall agility. Not good for a corner.

 

[resdubwhite]

Come on already.
WE love you goddamnit.

 

[long distance]

The waiting take by Reiss:
What's the holdup with Dont'a Hightower, ESPN's No. 2 free agent?


quote:

No team has obviously stepped up with the type of offer Hightower, 26, was hoping for. Perhaps that could still come, but offers generally don’t go up after the first wave of free agency.

When I reached out to a coach for one linebacker-needy NFL team about Hightower, the response surprised me. Hightower, I was told, wasn’t a fit for that team. One example was that one of Hightower’s best assets is his rush ability, and this particular team doesn’t use its linebackers that way.

That got me thinking about how Hightower, at 6-foot-3 and 265 pounds, is a unique player who doesn’t fit into the traditional linebacker box. Few have his combination of size, power, football IQ and big-game chops, but he’s not a quick-twitch athlete, his production doesn’t jump off the stat sheet, and there is an injury history for teams to consider.

 

[Tony2046]

The waiting take by Reiss:
What's the holdup with Dont'a Hightower, ESPN's No. 2 free agent?


quote:

No team has obviously stepped up with the type of offer Hightower, 26, was hoping for. Perhaps that could still come, but offers generally don’t go up after the first wave of free agency.

When I reached out to a coach for one linebacker-needy NFL team about Hightower, the response surprised me. Hightower, I was told, wasn’t a fit for that team. One example was that one of Hightower’s best assets is his rush ability, and this particular team doesn’t use its linebackers that way.

That got me thinking about how Hightower, at 6-foot-3 and 265 pounds, is a unique player who doesn’t fit into the traditional linebacker box. Few have his combination of size, power, football IQ and big-game chops, but he’s not a quick-twitch athlete, his production doesn’t jump off the stat sheet, and there is an injury history for teams to consider.

I guess "that team" missed both Super Bowls.

 

[Tony2046]

Don't worry I've given him a heads up.

 

[DaBronxPats14]

Leader, came up with 2 of Pat's biggest plays in SB Wins........

 

[TomPatriot]

The waiting take by Reiss:
What's the holdup with Dont'a Hightower, ESPN's No. 2 free agent?


quote:

No team has obviously stepped up with the type of offer Hightower, 26, was hoping for. Perhaps that could still come, but offers generally don’t go up after the first wave of free agency.

When I reached out to a coach for one linebacker-needy NFL team about Hightower, the response surprised me. Hightower, I was told, wasn’t a fit for that team. One example was that one of Hightower’s best assets is his rush ability, and this particular team doesn’t use its linebackers that way.

That got me thinking about how Hightower, at 6-foot-3 and 265 pounds, is a unique player who doesn’t fit into the traditional linebacker box. Few have his combination of size, power, football IQ and big-game chops, but he’s not a quick-twitch athlete, his production doesn’t jump off the stat sheet, and there is an injury history for teams to consider.

 

[TomPatriot]

The waiting take by Reiss:
What's the holdup with Dont'a Hightower, ESPN's No. 2 free agent?


quote:

No team has obviously stepped up with the type of offer Hightower, 26, was hoping for. Perhaps that could still come, but offers generally don’t go up after the first wave of free agency.

When I reached out to a coach for one linebacker-needy NFL team about Hightower, the response surprised me. Hightower, I was told, wasn’t a fit for that team. One example was that one of Hightower’s best assets is his rush ability, and this particular team doesn’t use its linebackers that way.

That got me thinking about how Hightower, at 6-foot-3 and 265 pounds, is a unique player who doesn’t fit into the traditional linebacker box. Few have his combination of size, power, football IQ and big-game chops, but he’s not a quick-twitch athlete, his production doesn’t jump off the stat sheet, and there is an injury history for teams to consider.

Most teams want fast LBs who can cover fairly well. He's gotten better at it but that's not his strong suit.

 

[Gator Mike]

 

[KDPPatsfan85]