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

[BobDigital]

What happens next is Bill will do his thing over the offseason and the Patriots will contend for, and very likely win, another SB.

Yep. Having Brady is pretty nice huh? Put him and even a representative D on the field and you will compete for the championship.

 

[patsinthesnow]

If BB pays Ryan/Harmon over Hightower it really shows how the game has changed the last decade.

Maybe he wants to keep an elite secondary together instead.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Don't like this one bit. I get that you can't pay everyone but don't think it should mean you don't pay anyone. They supposedly had a big three and now none of them will get a second deal.

 

[BobDigital]

People need to calm down. Two years ago everyone said McCourty was gone too when the Pats decided not to tag him. And the Pats ended up making McCourty one of the highest paid safeties in the League after free agency began with McCourty as an UFA. Hightower isn't gone yet.

McCourty wanted to be here though and he took less than what was offered him to stay by a bit or so the story goes. Hightower won't do that I think.

 

[everlong]

If he leaves hopefully it's to the NFCS. He's made comments about not liking the cold.....just not Miami.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Don't like this one bit. I get that you can't pay everyone but don't think it should mean you don't pay anyone. They supposedly had a big three and now none of them will get a second deal.

The "Big 3" was the "Big 1" in 2016 and they seemed to accomplish quite a bit with that strategy. I have this strange, gut feeling that Bill Belichick will likely make the right decision, and the 2017 version of the New England Patriots will be a great overall team, with or without Hightower.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Just things he has said. He is going to be over paid and the Pats don't want too match.

They matched McCourty.

There is a precident.

The NEP do not bid against themselves

 

[patsinthesnow]

@MikeGiardi
There were discussions between Hightower and the Pats. There's a decent gap though between the two sides.

 

[Ring 6]

He will be carpetbombed with $$$ if he reaches FA. Teams like the Browns & Colts could afford to pay him 14-15M a year.

Or more since von miller got 19 a year with 70 guaranteed in the first 3.

I predict 5 years 80 mill 40 guaranteed

 

[Love The Drake]

Dolphins boards all over him.
Time to move Geno Grissom to LB
Or give Mingo a chance

 

[sportnik]

He will be carpetbombed with $$$ if he reaches FA. Teams like the Browns & Colts could afford to pay him 14-15M a year.

And never contend for a Super Bowl. I'd love to keep Hightower, but if someone wants to grossly overpay for him, I'm perfectly comfortable moving on without him, and brining him back in a couple years when his GM gets fired and Hightower gets cut.

I'm fine paying Hightower at the top of the LB market, but anything over $12m a year and you have to let him walk. Maybe the Pats can put the savings towards Jimmy G and secure another 10 year run!

 

[TeamFirst]

Some team is going to pay him ridiculous money and he will take it as he should. I hope he decides to stay but I doubt it.

Not surprised at all that they didn't tender him, there was no way they were going to pay him 15m a year.

Patriots always had and always will as long as BB/RK is here have a set value on all positions and stick to it their not going to be sentimental and over pay like some of us fans want them to.

 

[Joey007]

I just changed my avi now, seems like every player I set as my avi ends up leaving..

Really learning that it's hard to get attached to a player here if it's not Tom. I suppose that it's all just part of what it all takes..

 

[SHOWTIME15]

McCourty wanted to be here though and he took less than what was offered him to stay but a bit or so the story goes. Hightower won't do that I think.

HT has repeatedly said he hates the cold.

 

[juny]

i still think they will re-sign High. Letting collins and jones go gave them room to keep other defensive stars.

 

[goheels22002]

This will be interesting to watch. If he goes, I wish him luck and hope he lands in the NFC so the Patriots don't have to face him. He's got two rings and if ever there were a time to cash in, this is it. There are no guarantees of a lengthy career.

On the other hand, Mayo was well compensated to stay past his rookie deal, so the Patriots could come in with a competing offer to keep him. As a poster above said, the Patriots don't bid against themselves in matters like this.

Hightower has some choices to make, especially if the big money comes from a non-competitive team.

 

[50-yard-line]

Yep. Having Brady is pretty nice huh? Put him and even a representative D on the field and you will compete for the championship.

If by representative, you mean the D that gave up the fewest points per game this year, then okay, I hear that.

 

[Love The Drake]

ID be shocked if Pats paid him market value.
Its a shame but he seemed like a teenage girl when we traded Collins away.
Now Elandon is the new leader of the linebacking corps.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

A $15M one-year deal is (a) too much, and (b) loses a compensatory pick, likely 3rd round if he walks away after this year.

Unfortunately, I think Hightower is a goner. The market is absolutely bonkers right now and teams will never learn the lessons of free agent "splashes" - it's like a record on repeat over and over again. Based on what the top tier players last year were paid - Oliver Vernon, Von Miller, Malik Jackson - I'll bet Hightower gets even more than he was asking from the Patriots. Just my best guess.

Well, whatever. We've lost how many all-pro "can't possibly afford to lose" players now over the years and proved that not to be true?

Still hoping it happens, but I think the secondary - and Malcolm Butler - is so much more difficult to retain and it's so hard to win when you don't have a good one. If they paid Hightower $15M, how much would Butler want? 18M? Let's remember McCourty makes about half of that. It's important to keep the order of the internal pay structure, or you are going to get a lot of disgruntled players. And let's face it...if you want to play for the best organization in sports, you need to want it and be willing to sacrifice. From Brady down, so many guys on this team are paid less than market but don't grumble about it or hold out (at least not publicly.) I hope Hightower will take a good look at a lot of players who left New England before he signs his contract and realize the professional satisfaction that comes from playing here, and how much money he needs to be happy.

 

[ScottishPatriots]

He has no need to take a discount he has 2 rings and New England isn't the only place in the NFL you can win games and a championship.

I don't blame him for wanting paid, he saw how Bill will ship anyone to Cleveland at the drop of a hat i wouldn't take a discount for him either when i've got rings.