Rapaport: Hightower "exploring, but open to returning to the Patriots"

[slash83]

Hopefully its Dmac all over again.

 

[resdubwhite]

Add me as another who hopes it's another dmac scenario

 

[Blackluck]

Hightower has two rings. He hates NE weather.
TN has the cap space. He's going home. :/

 

[RobertWeathers]

I think 13Mill a year is perfect for Hightower if he wants or gets more elsewhere see ya man thanks for all you have done. I only hope BB and Co is not stuck on $12 Mill.

Yep. A million bucks is loose change to these guys . Throw in a gift certificate to Red Lobster to really get High excited about staying.

 

[goheels22002]

Except there is no charade. Every report has said Pats are letting him go see his market. Pats don't bid against themselves. This is the same exact thing they did with McCourty.

Guess doom-and-gloomers gonna doom-and-gloom

Hightower and his agent should definitely test the market. To not do so is malpractice. This is a young, proven linebacker with two SB rings and the ability to call defensive signals. He's demonstrated that he can command his teammates' respect in the most competitive situations. He's worth a lot. McCourty had the same resume. The Patriots found a common ground. They can do so again.

Butler, McCourty, Hightower and Ninkovich are a tremendous defensive core. I hope they get something done with Hightower after his tour of other franchises.

 

[RIpats88]

the patriots generally have a good idea of what a player can get on the market. Much better than the player themselves. Remember 2013. Pats were prepared to pay welker 6million a year and he balked looking for 10million. he ended up getting 6million on the market. for whatever reason though they went out and got Amendola and let welker walk when he likely wouldve come back(it all worked out in the end)

Hightower will go out, see what he can get and then and only then Bill will make his best offer. and he likely stays. Howe stated pats would rather let the market decide rather than poison the waters by giving a lowball offer.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

sorry its not a fact. just your opinion. I think there is a legit chance a team does exactly what you say a team won't.

No, it is a fact. Paying Butler a market contract and giving up your first round pick is, by definition, overpaying. Giving up anything more than a market contract is overpaying. That's what overpaying means.

And of course a team could do it. But that doesn't mean it's not overpaying.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

EDIT: And Butler wouldnt accept a contract that is less than what he is worth.

Of course he would.

Example (these are made up numbers):

• Butler thinks he's worth $10mil a year.
• Team X offers $7 mil a year.
• NE offers $5 mil a year.

He's taking Team X's offer even though it is significantly less than he thinks he's worth.

 

[kennyb]

you obviously forgot that any offer to a RFA comes with the original team getting a chance to match the offer. So it would be a no brainer for the Pats to match if he accepted an 80% of market deal

I didn't forget that at all. It doesn't change anything. They still aren't necessarily overpaying unless you assume the patriots eoyld automatically match rvery deal thst's a nickel below "market".

And the patriots wouldn't necessarily match an 80% of market offer. They might value him less. I think that's a possibility as they haven't extended him yet, even though butler had a huge incentive to take a deal good for both sides (due to injury risk). They also might figure a 1st round pick and they'll take a chance on developing a player. You can't pay "market" for every free agent you have. Can't afford it. Maybe Butler is replaceable.

 

[BTTA]

Wonder what this is about.
The Hoodie spotted working out in Franklin Tennessee, near Hightower's hometown

Hmm, indeed.

 

[kennyb]

Paying "market" and giving up a first rounder....who says,theyvhave to pay market? And why assume butler wouldn't take a nickel less? He has a big incentive to do so.

 

[Love The Drake]

Belichick is going to be close enough to ****block any meeting with the Titans.

 

[jboston19]

Wonder what this is about.
The Hoodie spotted working out in Franklin Tennessee, near Hightower's hometown

Llyoko tweeted out that Bill's gf is from that area.

 

[AtomicDawg]

Bow-chicka-wow-wow.

 

[Ring 6]

Of course he would.

Example (these are made up numbers):

• Butler thinks he's worth $10mil a year.
• Team X offers $7 mil a year.
• NE offers $5 mil a year.

He's taking Team X's offer even though it is significantly less than he thinks he's worth.

No he would play under the tender and hit the market unrestricted next year

 

[Ring 6]

Paying "market" and giving up a first rounder....who says,theyvhave to pay market? And why assume butler wouldn't take a nickel less? He has a big incentive to do so.

why would he have a big incentive to take less than his market value?

 

[Ring 6]

Belichick is also originally from that area and has family there.

 

[Nunchucks]

No, it is a fact. Paying Butler a market contract and giving up your first round pick is, by definition, overpaying. Giving up anything more than a market contract is overpaying. That's what overpaying means.

And of course a team could do it. But that doesn't mean it's not overpaying.

Finding a lockdown corner for merely a first round pick and a market contract is a good deal.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Wonder what this is about.
The Hoodie spotted working out in Franklin Tennessee, near Hightower's hometown

It's about Pro days, Belichick attends a good number of them every year, it's also how guys like Andrews end up on the Patriots, as he will attend ostensibly looking at the star player's from that school but meanwhile he's really checking out other prospects who are flying under everyone's radar and will go late in the draft or UDFA.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Finding a lockdown corner for merely a first round pick and a market contract is a good deal.

Once again, that's why it happens all the time. Teams are always giving up their first round picks and top of the market money for RFA's. It must have happened five times just last year alone.