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

[Snooky97]

I mean, they respect all the safeties too. They respect Alan Branch.

I'd like very much to sign Dont'a Hightower. But the Patriots can absolutely win a Super Bowl without him.

Our last two super bowls he has saved us. People forget that tackle on Lynch at the 2 yard line, because of the play afterwards. Agree with Branch and others but I personally just feel he is a huge huge part of the D. Just my opinion! But can understand your point of it, i doubt they would be as good as they are without each other think thats what makes this Defence special

 

[Love The Drake]

 

[Froob]

He can win in pittsburgh but he goes from bb and brady to tomlin and big ben. Come on now lol and not to mention a defense in new england that could be special.

Sounds like the money is the same too...plus he'd have to move and everything.

 

[Snooky97]

I'm quite sure he wants $2M more per year, not over the course of five seasons. By all accounts, he wants $12M annually and is seeing offers closer to $10M. It's important for teams to have a line they've drawn that they will not cross, because at that point it's a bad deal. Maybe the Patriots' number is somewhere over their initial offer, but they will not cross their line, even if it is by $5. All of the the player's potential risk:reward is built into that number, including the player's locker room presence, knack for big plays, fit in their system, etc. So, the Patriots have a number, below which is considered a positive value transaction and above which is considered a negative value transaction. They've let many players walk because they wouldn't go up just a little more, such as a million or two per year.

I can understand the pats values and thats what makes our team special and unlike the others within the league. Offensively i can understand letting players go when we have the goat. But i think D is a bit different especially when you see what HT does for us. Think the biggest stumbling block is the fact he tends to get injured. What was Mayo's contract like? or is it pointless to compare the two

 

[long distance]

I was wrong about yesterday, but I would think we hear about HT's future tonight. If PIT is serious about that ultimatum, and it's down to 2 teams, it should happen sooner rather than later.

I could be wrong today like I was yesterday though.

Should happen.
So many guys, agents, teams waiting - the whole LB market Donta's hostage.
(which also means Pats definitely have plan B in store at least)
Its important for him, he took his time, but something's gotta give..

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

I'm guessing the Steelers ultimatum is not going to sit well with Hightower. The entire point of this long adventure was to take his sweet time, consider all of his options, and make a decision. Steelers are acting like used car salesmen telling him the offer expires when he leaves the city.

 

[Ivan]

I don't agree the Patriots won't budge, I think it's built into it from the start and the reason they got McCourty done. They have a limit but they wouldn't ask him to bring his best offer back to them if they were in take it or leave it form.

Fortunately it appears the rubber has met the road because the Steelers apparently gave him a deadline.

 

[Snooky97]

Could we see Hightower and Brown? i haven't seen much of this brown lad, could we fit him here with hightower or are they kinda the same. I understand HT is better but was just wondering?

 

[PatriotsPimp136]

I can understand the pats values and thats what makes our team special and unlike the others within the league. Offensively i can understand letting players go when we have the goat. But i think D is a bit different especially when you see what HT does for us. Think the biggest stumbling block is the fact he tends to get injured. What was Mayo's contract like? or is it pointless to compare the two

I didn't think he had a great year last year compared to other years but he came up big in the superbowl. I think what the pats are offering him is fair. Idk about the guaranteed money

 

[Hammer of Thor]

I'm guessing the Steelers ultimatum is not going to sit well with Hightower. The entire point of this long adventure was to take his sweet time, consider all of his options, and make a decision. Steelers are acting like used car salesmen telling him the offer expires when he leaves the city.

Ultimately it all depends on how it was said. The tweet made it sound very one-sided, used car salesman tactics which of course sounds bad. On the other hand, they could have told him something like the truth (if it is the case) - we have a limited time and limited money, and we can't wait for you because it'll hurt our team building process, so we're going to have to move on if you walk out. The latter approach may not seem so bad.

 

[PatriotsPimp136]

Could we see Hightower and Brown? i haven't seen much of this brown lad, could we fit him here with hightower or are they kinda the same. I understand HT is better but was just wondering?

It could be expensive but levy could be cheap. Idk. When the guy hasn't been injured he has been a good player.

 

[Love The Drake]

My guess its def not going to be both maybe not either one.
I cant go back to Monry Beisel type linebacker play again.

 

[ausbacker]

They can have him for that number.

If that number is to be believed, as much as I love Hightower and believe his skills fit New England beautifully, he's not Luke Kuechly and offering him a commensurable contract, in my mind, does not work.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

I can understand the pats values and thats what makes our team special and unlike the others within the league. Offensively i can understand letting players go when we have the goat. But i think D is a bit different especially when you see what HT does for us. Think the biggest stumbling block is the fact he tends to get injured. What was Mayo's contract like? or is it pointless to compare the two

You can be sure, though, that "what HT does for us" and the fact that he is on the defense is already factored into that number for the Patriots. Maybe they only see his production on the field as worth $8M but are willing to offer him more than that because of his intangibles, ability to call plays, familiarity with the system, locker room leadership, etc. They come to a number that includes all factors...again, maybe they will go up and are just playing the negotiation game, but they won't surpass their number just to avoid losing him to someone else.

Same arguments were used for Revis...that the position is so important and his value is so great that his offer is an exception to the way the Patriots normally do business and they should just pay him because they'd be screwed without him. Admittedly, I found myself on that end of the argument. I was wrong, though; they made the right move there and will take the same approach with Hightower, I'm sure.

 

[Froob]

Hightower trying to get that 12 mill

@fnordcircle better enjoy this if nobody else does

 

[Dorito Dink]

This guy's really milking this process. I doubt this will be a bidding war with the squealers.

"Milking the process" aka doing what BB told him to do aka go set your market, come back to us and we'll see if we can match. Hightower is doing what he should do, and BB respects/endorses that.

You really just don't understand how these things work, dude.

 

[kennyb]

How many more cities to visit? Sf? Cleveland? This could take weeks. Pats need to move on from this diva with the weird hair. "Zach brown, pats on line 1!"

 

[PatriotsPimp136]

"Milking the process" aka doing what BB told him to do aka go set your market, come back to us and we'll see if we can match. Hightower is doing what he should do, and BB respects/endorses that.

You really just don't understand how these things work, dude.

It has hit the end of the road dude. It seem's to me like he thinks he's worth a couple of more millions. If that's the case than he can go to the jests and enjoy those cupcakes!

 

[Dorito Dink]

How many more cities to visit? Sf? Cleveland? This could take weeks. Pats need to move on from this diva with the weird hair. "Zach brown, pats on line 1!"

That's how you talk about a player who has given his all, behaved, and made big plays (one of which was with a torn shoulder labrum) to help win 2 super bowls? What a douche

 

[Clonamery]

How many more cities to visit? Sf? Cleveland? This could take weeks. Pats need to move on from this diva with the weird hair. "Zach brown, pats on line 1!"

Wow. I knew you weren't really a Pats fan but wtf?