Hightower will not be given the tag, now a free agent

[slash83]

Not tagging him could indicate a strong relationship, respect for the player and the player agreeing to giving the team the chance to match any offer.

It could also mean the team thinks he isn't worth the tag cost too though.

Hopefully there is enough trust between HT and the Pats to let him test his value in the open market and HT giving the Pats a chance to match, as you said.

If HT is looking at the tag costs of 14-15 million per year I think he is good as gone.

 

[Nehalem]

Honestly I don't think this is going to be a 3/4 Super Bowls for the Pats. We have to rebuild / replace a lot of spots. They need DE, OLB, ILB, S, possibly C.. and maybe TE.. like I said several months ago this is going to be a very active off season.

If we stick with Brady we don't have time to spend 2 or 3 years rebuilding our roster.

That is a bit of an exaggeration.

@DE they need to replace Chris Long, I am not losing sleep over this
@LB they need to replace/resign HT
@S: they need to replace/resign their 3rd Safety
@CB: We need to replace/resign Ryan, a capable #2/slot corner, possibly Jones could make a 2nd year leap?

@C: We have lost a grand total of 1 game in which Andrews was center for Brady(the Seattle game this year)
@TE: We need a capable backup for injury prone gronk. Or pray Gronk stays healthy.

So basically to have a team equivalent to what we had in the playoffs we need to replace an all pro LB, a decent corner, and a 3rd safety. Good thing we have $60m in cap space and the draft

 

[Nunchucks]

I have no confidence in the guys already on the team replacing Hightower's production or filling his role. Roberts is undersized and can't cover. They will have to draft a guy or somebody will have to step up...

I don't want to see another period with guys like Alexander and Guyten playing LB for the Patriots.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

Howe said talks aren't off but not trending in the right direction

 

[Ring 6]

I have no confidence in the guys already on the team replacing Hightower's production or filling his role. Roberts is undersized and can't cover. They will have to draft a guy or somebody will have to step up...

I don't want to see another period with guys like Alexander and Guyten playing LB for the Patriots.

If he leaves we probably won't replace his production or fill his role.
His role is unique.
The money will be spent on the best option to improve the team not scrambling to find a replacement. The team will be revamped as it is every year to get the most out of the maximum talent they can find regardless of position.

 

[Nunchucks]

If he leaves we probably won't replace his production or fill his role.
His role is unique.
The money will be spent on the best option to improve the team not scrambling to find a replacement. The team will be revamped as it is every year to get the most out of the maximum talent they can find regardless of position.

I will just point out that the Patriots are 60 million under the cap. Are you sure the money will be spent? We've said for years that they spend to the cap....but it hasn't been the case the last 2 years. Who is out there that could step in and contribute in a meaningful way?

Why not over spend for the guy? Two of the players the Patriots were saving money for are no longer on the team.

 

[luuked]

I will just point out that the Patriots are 60 million under the cap. Are you sure the money will be spent? We've said for years that they spend to the cap....but it hasn't been the case the last 2 years. Who is out there that could step in and contribute in a meaningful way?

Why not over spend for the guy? Two of the players the Patriots were saving money for are no longer on the team.

The money will be spend, but I don't think a lot of our offseason-warrior-fans will like where it will go. As has been tradition for many years around the start of the league year.

"I'm tellin ya.. this Belichick fella blew it this time !!!"

 

[Nunchucks]

The money will be spend, but I don't think a lot of our offseason-warrior-fans will like where it will go. As has been tradition for many years around the start of the league year.

"I'm tellin ya.. this Belichick fella blew it this time !!!"

Are you saying we haven't seen him blow it before? Because there are plenty of years we can point to where we had guys like Eric Alexander and Gary Guyten playing LB. We've seen some terrible defensive play. Lets try to live in the light of truth.

 

[Ring 6]

I will just point out that the Patriots are 60 million under the cap. Are you sure the money will be spent? We've said for years that they spend to the cap....but it hasn't been the case the last 2 years. Who is out there that could step in and contribute in a meaningful way?

Why not over spend for the guy? Two of the players the Patriots were saving money for are no longer on the team.

They spend to the cap every year but for leaving a cushion for in season issues which of course makes sense since you can carry it forward.

Who says they were saving money for jones or Collins?
The point is they will build the team by trying to get the most value they can from the money they have.
Every year the scheme on both sides of the ball adjusts to the players available.
The patriots aren't over spending to fit players into holes. They are spending judiciously on players that fit their system and molding a team from what they end up with.

That said, I see Hightower as a unique player who is even better than most people think he is because BB asks him to do so much he is never showing off any area, and if I overspend on anyone it's him.

BB overpaid mayo and I wonder if he feels it was the right thing but unlucky due to injuries or now considers it a mistake.

 

[Ring 6]

Are you saying we haven't seen him blow it before? Because there are plenty of years we can point to where we had guys like Eric Alexander and Gary Guyten playing LB. We've seen some terrible defensive play. Lets try to live in the light of truth.

The patriots defense has never been terrible under BB

 

[SHOWTIME15]

The patriots defense has never been terrible under BB

They've had some rough years though

 

[Ring 6]

They've had some rough years though

Compared to the expectations here, sure. But they have never been terrible.

This boards idea of terrible is being average.

 

[Observer]

If they pay players their market value, they should pay Hightower what the market offers.

 

[Crazy Patriot Guy]

I will just point out that the Patriots are 60 million under the cap. Are you sure the money will be spent? We've said for years that they spend to the cap....but it hasn't been the case the last 2 years. Who is out there that could step in and contribute in a meaningful way?

Why not over spend for the guy? Two of the players the Patriots were saving money for are no longer on the team.

The reason you don't overspend for the guy is you're then expected to overspend for everyone. Agents and players aren't stupid. You can't intentionally pay someone more than he's worth, then ask everyone else to take team friendly deals and expect many to accept.

 

[luuked]

Are you saying we haven't seen him blow it before? Because there are plenty of years we can point to where we had guys like Eric Alexander and Gary Guyten playing LB. We've seen some terrible defensive play. Lets try to live in the light of truth.

Do I want them to cut ties with Hightower ? No..

But the same exact sentences were written when we let Revis and Browner move on after 2014. About how this sets us back into 2011 territory blah, blah, blah..

I am sure they have been aware that Hightower is a FA for quite some time now, have thought the situation through and formulated contigencies and a fightplan in case he leaves.

I don't know how much a coach has to do to prove that he is not just deciding things via knee-jerk reactions. I trust whatever BB does will end up being better for the team. Whether that translates into wins and another championship is a different story and depends on so many more factors.

 

[luuked]

The reason you don't overspend for the guy is you're then expected to overspend for everyone. Agents and players aren't stupid. You can't intentionally pay someone more than he's worth, then ask everyone else to take team friendly deals and expect many to accept.

Ding, ding, ding.. we have a winner.

That's why Brady's willingness to be on team friendly deals is so huge. He is being used as a negotiating tool in most extension talks. Nobody on the team can make more than Tom. It's something multiple beat writers have said in podcasts.

 

[NG Pats Fan]

You just outlined why so many other teams suck. You assign value to players and stick to that. Once you start overpaying some others will also want that and all of it falls apart.



At no point was Cannon a top 3 OL salary player.

And none of the players you mentioned were overpaid when they got their extensions. You have record deals every season because that's how it works with an ever-increasing salary cap. Brown is the record WR signing since a few days ago, and in a bit more than a week Jeffrey will have the new record among WRs.

I am not sure you know what overpaying means..

I meant right tackle. Cannon takes top 3 right tackle money

 

[Ring 6]

If they pay players their market value, they should pay Hightower what the market offers.

If you pay players their market value you have an average team. If you pay players their market value you have to pick and choose which ones you keep or don't at the high end.
If you have the top organization , best coach and longest running dynasty you offer players something other than money and by having them accept less for the good of the rest of the roster you build a better team.

Not to mention "the market" is the highest biddder and by definition you should only be the highest bidder on 1 of every 32 players.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

Hopefully the Pats are just letting Hightower shop around to set the price. I think they are taking a risk by not franchising him. They keep trading away people and not re-signing guys. Sooner or later they are going to have to sign someone.

Remember last year at this time when we were guessing that they would re-sign at least 3 of the "big four" (Hightower, Collins, Jones, Butler). I can only assume that they are going to give Butler a first round tender. Imagine if Hightower leaves, and someone with a late first round pick signs Butler, Ryan is practically out the door.

I applauded the drafting of Cyrus Jones, but he really looked bad at CB last year (and even worse as a punt returner). I'm sure that BB has a plan, but as of today, I can't really see what it is.

 

[Brit patriot]

We have been here ever since Lawyer Milloy. People will be shocked, and then next year we will be at the business end of the season.

I have given up even questioning decisions. IBWT.