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

[patfanken]

It's all discussed in the previous 3 or 4 pages, but in quick summation...

The Jets currently have about 34 million in space. That's including the 6mil of dead cap space to Revis. If Revis plays anywhere, whatever he is paid comes off our cap.

Plus Sheldon Richardson is due to make 8mil and it's doubtful we keep him. Bumps the free space up to 42 million.

Now most importantly factor in that if Hightower becomes a Jet, he'll be replacing Harris. The same Harris who's currently on the books for 6.5 million and can be cut with no cap hit whatsoever.

So if Hightower signs for 10mil, in all actuality, it'll cost the Jets 3.5mil.

It's really a no brainer for the Jets to do it so long as they don't overpay too much.

Hurt the Pats, and get like 6 or 7 years younger at ILB with a great veteran, while the other 3 projected young LBs have a leader of the squad to learn from.

Harris fills the role fine now. Love the guy, but he is 33. This could be the best opportunity to grab a solid replacement in the foreseeable future.

Good explanation of why the Jets might do the deal for 10MM/yr, but why the F*ck would Hightower?

1. He would be going to a team that is at least 3 years away from even contending for a wildcard in their own division, let alone the league

2. You just cut you best DT, who is one of the guys who protects Hightower so he can be more effective.

3. You run an entirely different scheme that the one he's been playing for 5 years.

4. Whatever he learns from his coaches and the new scheme will be worthless since there will be an entirely new GM and HC and staff next year or the year after. So there goes one or 2 years of his prime years

5. Plus you just offered to pay him what he turned down from the Pats this summer. If you want him the bidding is going to START at $12.5MM (that's what Collins got) You ready to pay that.

6. Why would anyone who has options want to come and play for the Jets and waste 2-3 years of their best years playing for a rebuilding team, a coaching staff on the edge, no decernable QB, and is the process of cutting all their marquee players.
No JF - This is the year you keep you cap space, finally do a good job drafting, and sign a lot of mid and low teir FA's and find out who among them really want to play. That's what the Pats did in 2000 and 2001. They cleared cap space brought in tough and professional cheap FA's and prepared to suck for 2 years but in the process build for consistent success. Luckily they only sucked for one year and managed to find their franchise QB (who said the Jets never did anything good for the Pats. )

BTW- you might find it ironic that with ALL the additions the Pats made so far. They STILL have as much cap space as the Jets do at over $34MM (plus another 6 if they cut Amendols)

GOD this must be tough for you to watch.

 

[luuked]

The fact that he's even entertaining the Jests is sure to leave a sour taste in my mouth.

Another time I wish we had a "wtf" or even just "idiot" emoticon to rate posts.

What is this **** ? Why shouldn't he visit any team that is interested in him ? Is he the founding member of some Patriots fan club or something ? Seriously, get a grip people..

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

Another time I wish we had a "wtf" or even just "idiot" emoticon to rate posts.

What is this **** ? Why shouldn't he visit any team that is interested in him ? Is he the founding member of some Patriots fan club or something ? Seriously, get a grip people..

Sometimes we fans want the players to be as invested in this team as we are...that we forget they are employees who put their safety on the line.

I'll be the first to admit, I'm disappointed that HT would visit with the Jets (especially if his motive is to lure the Pats into a bidding war)....but then again, how can I be angry at him wanting to maximize his earnings? He's done a lot for this team in big moments.

So I'll just have to take my anger out on the Rats...and not him

 

[PatsBoy12]

I don't get it. I know players have different motives and all, but why sign (potentially) with the Jets for 10MM per year when the word is that's the ballpark figure the Patriots offered? People keep saying he's open to returning, but is he really? I don't know if that's the sense I'm getting the past day or two.

Picture this, at one point the line of thinking was how do we squeeze Jones, Collins, High, Butler... and even Sheard at one point under the salary cap. A year or so later, and potentially all of those guys will have been playing with other teams. Wow.

 

[SuperStang83]

All the while ignoring the large number of players from hated rivals we've signed over the years. I guess that doesn't work both ways though.

Does it have to for me?

 

[ViperGTS]

Sometimes we fans want the players to be as invested in this team as we are...that we forget they are employees who put their safety on the line.

I'll be the first to admit, I'm disappointed that HT would visit with the Jets (especially if his motive is to lure the Pats into a bidding war)....but then again, how can I be angry at him wanting to maximize his earnings? He's done a lot for this team in big moments.

So I'll just have to take my anger out on the Rats...and not him

Because in football, is sacrificing a small amount not worth it for winning?

 

[AtomicDawg]

Going from the Pats to the Jets is like going from filet mignon and expensive wine every night to Taco Bell and Fresca.

 

[PatsBoy12]

Going from the Pats to the Jets is like going from filet mignon and expensive wine every night to Taco Bell and Fresca.

That's why I don't even understand why he's taking a visit. Does he think it'll make the Patriots come with a better offer? Would be seriously consider playing for them? Is this to drum up interest from other teams, especially since there are reports that teams feel strongly he'll re-sign with NE? I'm just trying to understand how the Jets became such a major player in this whole thing seemingly all of a sudden. Would Hightower really do it... and for around the same as NE is said to have offered?

 

[Luxusdk]

Going from the Pats to the Jets is like going from filet mignon and expensive wine every night to Taco Bell and Fresca.

Ohh thats the wife you appeal toward?

 

[long distance]

If we end up signing him for something like 4/40 that will be an absolute coup.

Id like much more if he gets a penny over Collins. In NE.

 

[AtomicDawg]

Ohh thats the wife you appeal toward?

All my posts are based on a true story.

 

[Dexter]

I have a good feeling it will get done today. After spending a day with the Jets and imagining what it would be like to play for that rotten, futureless franchise - especially after spending his whole career at winning with Alabama and NE - he will understand that his place is here.

 

[long distance]

It's all discussed in the previous 3 or 4 pages, but in quick summation...

The Jets currently have about 34 million in space. That's including the 6mil of dead cap space to Revis. If Revis plays anywhere, whatever he is paid comes off our cap.

Plus Sheldon Richardson is due to make 8mil and it's doubtful we keep him. Bumps the free space up to 42 million.

Now most importantly factor in that if Hightower becomes a Jet, he'll be replacing Harris. The same Harris who's currently on the books for 6.5 million and can be cut with no cap hit whatsoever.

So if Hightower signs for 10mil, in all actuality, it'll cost the Jets 3.5mil.

It's really a no brainer for the Jets to do it so long as they don't overpay too much.

Hurt the Pats, and get like 6 or 7 years younger at ILB with a great veteran, while the other 3 projected young LBs have a leader of the squad to learn from.

Harris fills the role fine now. Love the guy, but he is 33. This could be the best opportunity to grab a solid replacement in the foreseeable future.

While your cap space story is useful its probably slightly wrong and rather optimistic.
Over the cap has Jets at 24M currently. Pats at 34M. Both can/will still cut some fat.

Hightower will not be about cap space though.

 

[long distance]

I have a good feeling it will get done today. After spending a day with the Jets and imagining what it would be like to play for that rotten, futureless franchise - especially after spending his whole career at winning with Alabama and NE - he will understand that his place is here.

I had a nightmare about Hightower enjoying practice in green jersey with some strange faces around him. I hope High had it too.

ps
It was a very short nightmare..

 

[long distance]

It would be ironic though for the two players most vocal about bad NE weather to end up in the cold - on and off the field..

 

[PatsBoy12]

It would be ironic though for the two players most vocal about bad NE weather to end up in the cold - on and off the field..

Who was the other, LD?

 

[long distance]

Who was the other, LD?

Collins.

 

[long distance]

Good take by Reiss, of course, on the topic:
Would Dont'a Hightower really consider signing with the Jets?


quote:

Hightower has been part of two of the best programs in football over the last nine years. Both are similar, hard-driving cultures, and now this is Hightower’s chance to explore what it might be like in a different environment.

It wouldn’t be a surprise if that was part of the sales pitch from one of the Jets coaches who would work most closely with Hightower, Mike Caldwell. The Jets’ inside linebackers coach/assistant head coach is a former linebacker who broke into the NFL in 1993 on Belichick’s Cleveland Browns team, with Saban as his defensive coordinator, so he’s walked in the same football shoes Hightower has. Maybe that leads to a connection that Hightower is interested in investing in, as the Jets have been exploring an upgrade at his position.
_

Whatever the Patriots have on the negotiating table for Hightower hasn’t been enough for him to want to sign the deal at this point. That led him to the visit with the Jets, and maybe they wow him with an offer that’s too good to pass up.

If they don’t, sometimes simply getting a peek behind the curtain with another team can spark more appreciation for a player’s original team -- or get them to up their original offer and be a catalyst to re-sign. Other times, it can work in the opposite direction.

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

Good! Looking forward to this being resolved soon.

Too bad things have broken down with Butler... otherwise this offseason would be a total victory for Belichick

 

[long distance]

I think we can relax now . a bit . and go back to our lives . a bit