Why isn't anyone going after Hightower?

[evilleseniorfan]

Price???

[backshoulderfade]

I'd guess he ia trying to find the right deal with NE.

[Colts1324]

I'm really curious as to why we aren't in the mix to nab Hightower from the Patriots. Not only do we steal a key player from them, we get a star to lead our linebacking core. If not Hightower, very surprised we haven't brought Brown in for a visit! Both are great players. 

[21isSuperman]

New England still has interest.  I just think he's demanding a lot of money, which is making negotiations tricky

[FalseStart]

The Dark Wizard Belichick and his stank eye govern the realm of Mordor Massachusetts. While a deflated Gollum Brady holds tight and won't give up the precious.  

[backshoulderfade]

He's visiting with the Jets right now.

[21isSuperman]

14 minutes ago, Colts1324 said:

I'm really curious as to why we aren't in the mix to nab Hightower from the Patriots. Not only do we steal a key player from them, we get a star to lead our linebacking core. If not Hightower, very surprised we haven't brought Brown in for a visit! Both are great players. 

Merged

[SaturdayAllDay]

From the sounds of things he is only checking the market and reporting back to new england with numbers to match at this point. Sounds like he wants to be a patriot over anything else. 

[dw49]

34 minutes ago, 21isSuperman said:

New England still has interest.  I just think he's demanding a lot of money, which is making negotiations tricky

 

That's about the size of it.  Word is he wants to be the highest paid ILB in the NFL. Plus NE is said to be monitoring closely as they want to retain him. 

[bananabucket]

Not a player worth breaking the bank for.

[Colts1324]

2 minutes ago, bananabucket said:

Not a player worth breaking the bank for.

He is more valuable than Poe. I personally would be happy with either one of them. I think Zach Brown would almost just as good of a pickup as well. 

[weslo1812]

I don't even get why he'd wanna leave NE, when he's got a great chance to go back and get another ring. If I'm him it's no question where I wanna be. Latest I saw though is that it was between NE and the Jets for his services. I'd say it's about 80% chance he's headed back to NE. Just don't know why he'd wanna leave unless they like really low balled him or something, but I think they will eventually find something that works.

[jameszeigler834]

57 minutes ago, 21isSuperman said:

New England still has interest.  I just think he's demanding a lot of money, which is making negotiations tricky

Its been quiet since Friday nothing about him.

[Jason_]

5 minutes ago, weslo1812 said:

I don't even get why he'd wanna leave NE, 

 

According to most available reports, he doesn't

[weslo1812]

2 minutes ago, Colts1324 said:

He is more valuable than Poe. I personally would be happy with either one of them. I think Zach Brown would almost just as good of a pickup as well. 

We have extremely slim to no chance at getting him, and I'm not even sure we've ever really been interested. I'd also don't know I'd say he's more valuable than Poe at NT. Which guy really allows the other to be able to do his job? You have Poe and Hightower in the same team, Hightower is gonna have a hard time really being effective if Poe is first doing his job up front. Look who Hightower had at NT in front of him for a number of years, this guy named Wilfork.

[Tmoney]

I'd rather have Zach Brown. Donta is not consistent in pass coverage and is more of a pass rusher on 3rd down. A NT would be a need with Zach Brown, hopefully we don't give up on pursuing FAs to fill that need. 

[BlueCollarColts]

I'd also rather get Brown for a lot cheaper than get Hightower at the price he reportedly wants. Didn't even realize he wants to be paid like one of the best ILB's in the game until I read into it tonight.

[Colts1324]

1 hour ago, weslo1812 said:

We have extremely slim to no chance at getting him, and I'm not even sure we've ever really been interested. I'd also don't know I'd say he's more valuable than Poe at NT. Which guy really allows the other to be able to do his job? You have Poe and Hightower in the same team, Hightower is gonna have a hard time really being effective if Poe is first doing his job up front. Look who Hightower had at NT in front of him for a number of years, this guy named Wilfork.

Well Wilfork has been with the Texans the last two years. And Wilfork's last year with the Patriots was one of his worst. I think a good NT definitely makes an ILB look a lot better. But Hightower has shown he is a playmaker who can stop the run, cover, and blitz well. 

[Colts1324]

35 minutes ago, BlueCollarColts said:

I'd also rather get Brown for a lot cheaper than get Hightower at the price he reportedly wants. Didn't even realize he wants to be paid like one of the best ILB's in the game until I read into it tonight.

I think the drop off from Hightower to Brown isn't that significant when it comes to stopping the run or getting after the quarterback. But Hightower is a better defender. I would be very happy with Brown as well. Really unsure of as to why we aren't going after either one of them right now. 

[21isSuperman]

1 hour ago, jameszeigler834 said:

Its been quiet since Friday nothing about him.

There have been updates.  Just going off Roto, they posted on Saturday that the Pats are watching his situation closely, and his market has been slow (I'm guessing this is because he's demanding so much money).  Today, they posted that the Jets are showing interest in him

[ColtsBlueFL]

Some things I've read recently about this-

 

“When I reached out to a coach for one linebacker-needy NFL team about Hightower, the response surprised me,” ESPN’s Mike Reiss writes. “Hightower, I was told, wasn’t a fit for that team. One example was that one of Hightower’s best assets is his rush ability, and this particular team doesn’t use its linebackers that way.”

 

Hightower uodate: Talked to one front office guy on team 54 linked to. Said "we didn't bother." Belief was 54 returns to NE (1/2) HOWEVER... another front office exec said they believed Hightower was "ripe" to be plucked from NE but organization didn't interest 54.

— Michael Giardi (@MikeGiardi) March 11, 2017

 

Titans are interested in Hightower, “but at $10-$13 [million] he’s out of price range,” per ESPN’s Ed Werder. ESPN’s Paul Kuharsky also wants to tone down expectations of Hightower to Tennessee.

 

Hightower is not considered as universal of a linebacker as Jamie Collins, which further reduces his market opportunities.   Jamie Collins and Luke Kuechley are only two stand up LB's that have guaranteed contract over 20 million (26 and 25 million)

 

Hightower’s market opportunities are less robust because teams want to get lighter and faster at linebacker, while the 6’3, 265 pound Hightower does not match the profile, despite his obvious display of skill on the field.

and---

 

Hightower’s market opportunities are less robust because teams want to get lighter and faster at linebacker, while the 6’3, 265 pound Hightower does not match the profile, despite his obvious display of skill on the field.

 

Just some random thoughts I found out there...

 

 

 

[coltsfansince65]

7 hours ago, FalseStart said:

The Dark Wizard Belichick and his stank eye govern the realm of Mordor Massachusetts. While a deflated Gollum Brady holds tight and won't give up the precious.  

I see what you did there...........

[AZColt11]

Ehhhhhh......gimme chowda.....er.........gimme Zach Brown and Jonathan Hankins and it's ovaaahhhhh......I'm good.

[JimJaime]

7 hours ago, Colts1324 said:

Well Wilfork has been with the Texans the last two years. And Wilfork's last year with the Patriots was one of his worst. I think a good NT definitely makes an ILB look a lot better. But Hightower has shown he is a playmaker who can stop the run, cover, and blitz well. 

Wilfolk had a good last year with the Pats. His stats were down a bit but he was still good and Big V will always be a Patriot no matter what uniform he wears..

[jameszeigler834]

7 hours ago, 21isSuperman said:

There have been updates.  Just going off Roto, they posted on Saturday that the Pats are watching his situation closely, and his market has been slow (I'm guessing this is because he's demanding so much money).  Today, they posted that the Jets are showing interest in him

A lot of teams looking to get younger and faster at Linebacker OMG if we strike out on Poe call that dude seriously.

[Colts1324]

1 hour ago, JimJaime said:

Wilfolk had a good last year with the Pats. His stats were down a bit but he was still good and Big V will always be a Patriot no matter what uniform he wears..

Yeah he will always be a Patriot. I agree with that. I just think Hightower has shown he is a top 5-6 ILB in football with or without Wilfork. 

[UKColt13]

Give me Zach Brown for 4-5m per less.

[deedub75]

He's probably more valuable in NE's than he'd be with other teams. 

[CR91]

He's visiting the Steelers

[DaColts85]

3 hours ago, UKColt13 said:

Give me Zach Brown for 4-5m per less.

Give me Brown and Minter for what you would pay Hightower.  I would love to build with depth for now.  Get Hankins and Logan for w hat you spend on Poe.

[Gabriel Alexander Morillo]

15 hours ago, FalseStart said:

The Dark Wizard Belichick and his stank eye govern the realm of Mordor Massachusetts. While a deflated Gollum Brady holds tight and won't give up the precious.  

You joke but some years it seems like exactly that... 

[GoPats]

Mike Reiss (ESPN) had a blog post over the weekend saying that Hightower may not be a great fit for a lot of defenses out there. He's a very big linebacker and a lot of schemes require guys who are a bit smaller but faster in small spaces. 

 

I also have to wonder if injury history is a big deal. He's only played a full season once. 

 

Lastly, I think teams are aware that whatever they offer, he will go back to Belichick with it, and no one's interested in being used to "set the market" for a player.

 

 

[backshoulderfade]

47 minutes ago, CR91 said:

He's visiting the Steelers

Funny actually, apparently a storm has stopped him making the flight.

[CR91]

1 minute ago, backshoulderfade said:

Funny actually, apparently a storm has stopped him making the flight.

 

Well the northeast will be slammed with snow. Stay safe anyone in the northeast like me

[weslo1812]

10 hours ago, Colts1324 said:

Yeah he will always be a Patriot. I agree with that. I just think Hightower has shown he is a top 5-6 ILB in football with or without Wilfork. 

My point in bringing up Wilfork wasn't to try and discredit Hightower, yes he's a very solid player. My point was trying to get at the importance of having a solid NT and that really without it, it can be very hard for you ILBers to be able to do thier job. 

[Colts1324]

36 minutes ago, weslo1812 said:

My point in bringing up Wilfork wasn't to try and discredit Hightower, yes he's a very solid player. My point was trying to get at the importance of having a solid NT and that really without it, it can be very hard for you ILBers to be able to do thier job. 

Okay. Yeah I agree. I just believe Hightower would give our defense that playmaker we are lacking. Poe would give us that big NT we are missing as well. I'd be more than happy with Poe and if we can snatch brown or minter with him that'd be great.