Is Dont’a Hightower Done?

[TheRazorsEdge]

If that’s the case, Edelman may show flashes of “slow white guy.”

With all due respect...totally different positions/body types/injury history. Still Edelman will surely show take a game or 2 to get to speed.

 

[Ivan]

It’s early, they are playing around with roles and situations, I’ll give it to November to gauge how they are really doing.

 

[PittPatriot]

With all due respect...totally different positions/body types/injury history. Still Edelman will surely show take a game or 2 to get to speed.

I know, I was just prodding you. I think anyone who comes back after significant missed time has to get timing/speed back to their normal level. I love Donte also but find him 1-2 steps too slow. He almost looks hampered.

 

[Bradyking12]

Hope not we need him to be Boomtower

 

[PatsFan2]

Stop giving BB a reason to move on from High.

 

[DW Toys]

It’s early, they are playing around with roles and situations, I’ll give it to November to gauge how they are really doing.

Ivan, They need help Cousin.

The talent just is not there. We need a shake up. I believe Shelton will eventually work out. Bentley needs seasoning but is a surprise, more reps for Clayborn please (injury?) but your players not pulling their weight are Brown, Hightower and McCourty. Chris Hogan has been a disaster, Allen is the same as last year. Sony Michele? Maybe .......but as a fifth round pick what do you expect.......?

It takes a telephone and five minutes to help:

In 2015-2016 David Amerson was Pro Bowl quality. He wound up with Oakland disease. He can't be much worse than our off CBs. At 6'3" play him like Browner. They worked him out yesterday. Only 27. Take a shot if he is used right.

The biggest add I make is 29 year old Earl Thomas ASAP who will bring life and play making. I am trading for Earl Thomas ASAP and see if they will take McCourty and a pick, or Snoop Dog Harmon. Th Hawks are looking DT, How about Brown with a change of scenery for him? A defensive leader! I promise you ther is no player in the 2019 Draft in the 2nd Round 2019 who is better than Thomas. This is a Rodney Harrison move.

I am taking a shot with ILB NaVarro Bowman. Was Oakland best D player last year and made them better when he arrived late. 89 tackles in only 10 games. He's only 30. He is another defense leader we are lacking. He is like a Seau pick up. Injury risk? So is Hightower. Smart player BB likes.

I am sitting Hogan and putting in Patterson. Why not? Worse case scenario, the same production as Hogan. Hogan can NOT get open. At least Patterson can blow by some defenders. With Cooks and Edleman last year, Hogan had room. He can't this year.

Now the controversy. Dez, get on a plane! . He is not Cooks, ok, but his ability to reach for contested passes is something we do NOT have right now. How many plays have you seen Dorsette and Hogan just be pushed out of their route or they have no interest in fighting for a Brady pass? Nor do we have a Red Zone threat at WR. Just Gronk. Dez has not been a bad blocking WR as well. Gordon, Dez Edleman and Gronk will create offense.

Back to a 3-4 Defense please. DE Hightower and Clayborn and Shelton at nose. Bowman and Bentley in the middle with Van Noy and Chung at OLB (not SS) . Flowers and Wise on passing downs. Use Amerson covering the seem for TE who have killed us, or the Browner role.
Yep better defense I promise you than what we have now.

I see Hightower in the Nink role at DE.

Gordon with a strait head, makes a difference sure but those changes above are possible with only Thomas costing us with wampum and CAP. Dez and Bowman would welcome the chance at reasonable dollars. Who on this site would not want him?

DW Toys

 

[catent]

Not opposed to the idea of trading for Earl Thomas but I'd be more inclined to sign Eric Reid and trade for a LB, given that resources are finite and there are multiple holes to fill.

 

[Coolade2]

The team already has problems with the run. Elenanor Grigsby doesn't help the cause

You don't know that. HT playing bad. Linebackers have to read properly , beat blocks either with quickness , leverage, size .. or combination thereof... Grigsby showed good instincts and speed. HT not. Other point is you don't know what opponent will call. So passing downs you're better off.

 

[RobertWeathers]

You don't know that. HT playing bad. Linebackers have to read properly , beat blocks either with quickness , leverage, size .. or combination thereof... Grigsby showed good instincts and speed. HT not. Other point is you don't know what opponent will call. So passing downs you're better off.

If your DL can't control gaps and blockers and your DEs can't set the edge, 230lb LB like Grigsby will get run over consistently.

 

[Coolade2]

If your DL can't control gaps and blockers and your DEs can't set the edge, 230lb LB like Grigsby will get run over consistently.

It's team game so scheme or execution of gaps can change too. Why not. ? Free up fast lbs to make plays. Works for me. Sub the guy in . My point is simply to add that speed to your sub package. Cannot be worse than what we saw.

 

[RobertWeathers]

It's team game so scheme or execution of gaps can change too. Why not. ? Free up fast lbs to make plays. Works for me. Sub the guy in . My point is simply to add that speed to your sub package. Cannot be worse than what we saw.

I agree with getting more speed on the field but only if there is gap control. Not the beat it to death I think the speed is neutralized when RBs are going north/south through gaps past the LoS.

 

[DW Toys]

Not opposed to the idea of trading for Earl Thomas but I'd be more inclined to sign Eric Reid and trade for a LB, given that resources are finite and there are multiple holes to fill.

Reid was sat down by the Niners. Not good.
DW Toys

 

[mgteich]

If your DL can't control gaps and blockers and your DEs can't set the edge, 230lb LB like Grigsby will get run over consistently.

IMO, if Grigsby is getting a significant number of reps, we are in trouble.

 

[Bourne Again Christian]

Reid was sat down by the Niners. Not good.
DW Toys

Only for the anthem stuff I believe.

 

[RobertWeathers]

IMO, if Grigsby is getting a significant number of reps, we are in trouble.

With Bentley out, he just might regardless.

 

[Joey007]

With Bentley now out. Hightower improving might be our only hope for this year’s LB’s. Let’s hope he somehow improves...

 

[Jimke]

Put Hightower back in the middle where he belongs.

 

[Ring 6]

You don't know that. HT playing bad. Linebackers have to read properly , beat blocks either with quickness , leverage, size .. or combination thereof... Grigsby showed good instincts and speed. HT not. Other point is you don't know what opponent will call. So passing downs you're better off.

Are you honestly telling me that you think nic grigsby is a better football player than dont’a Hightower?

 

[Ring 6]

Put Hightower back in the middle where he belongs.

Hightower will be fine. Within a few more weeks he will be back to normal and wreaking havoc inside and on the edge.

 

[catent]

Are you honestly telling me that you think nic grigsby is a better football player than dont’a Hightower?

Please indicate where the poster said Grigsby is a better linebacker than Hightower. I won't hold my breath.

To save yourself the trouble, I'll explain it for you: sometimes good players struggle for whatever reason(s), and trying another player in that role may produce better results, temporarily if nothing else. That does not mean the replaced player is, overall, worse than the player replacing them. It simply means they aren't playing particularly well at that point in time.