2017 All Along the Hightower: Princes Kept Their View

[jsinger121]

Adam Schefter‏Verified account @AdamSchefter 2m2 minutes ago
After visiting the NY Jets, Patriots free-agent LB Dont'a Hightower is scheduled to visit the Steelers, per source.

 

[Red Averages]

FWIW:
Ian Rapoport‏Verified account @RapSheet
#Patriots LB Dont’a Hightower visited #Jets this weekend and he’s spent time with #Titans, as well. Both left convinced he re-signs in NE

Almost like going to interview for a new job...
"Tell me what it was about this job that made you interested"
"Well, the thing is i'm not sure I want to leave my current job unless I am blown away by an offer"

 

[RedOctober3829]

He really is trying to gauge his value by bringing the Steelers in. They have a great history of having tough, physical LBs like him so they probably would value him more than other team he's visited. They are a much bigger threat to sign him than the Jets.

 

[boca]

Getting a bad feeling about this now.

 

[dcmissle]

Steelers money would be much better spent on Butler from their standpoint. Their beat writers know this.

 

[DJnVa]

Steelers are kinda low on cap space though, are they not?

 

[Ed Hillel]

He really is trying to gauge his value by bringing the Steelers in. They have a great history of having tough, physical LBs like him so they probably would value him more than other team he's visited. They are a much bigger threat to sign him than the Jets.

Steelers have 18 million in cap space. I can't see them being able to beat what the Pats can offer, given they'll need to sign draft picks and presumably actually add some depth to their team. If they really wanted to pay him top dollar, they'd have made it clear by now I think.

We're getting to a point where BB should consider bringing in Brown for a visit. Don't want him off the market when negotiating with Hightower.

 

[Van Everyman]

Reiss doesn't think it's LOL:

Mike Reiss‏Verified account @MikeReiss 10m10 minutes ago
Mike Reiss Retweeted Adam Schefter

Could be a good fit between player's skill set and scheme (3-4). Also indicates final decision from Hightower still might be days away.

 

[SeoulSoxFan]

Visiting the Steelers now lol:

Hell, why not visit Denver and Baltimore too, while at it?

 

[RedOctober3829]

Steelers have 18 million in cap space. I can't see them being able to beat what the Pats can offer, given they'll need to sign draft picks and presumably actually add some depth to their team. If they really wanted to pay him top dollar, they'd have made it clear by now I think.

We're getting to a point where BB should consider bringing in Brown for a visit. Don't want him off the market when negotiating with Hightower.

If they want Hightower, they can move some money around if they want him badly enough.

 

[shoosh77]

Tinfoil hat theory: HT is such a loyal Patriot, he's going around to all the teams to get inside intel for next year.

 

[finnVT]

edit: way late.

 

[wilked]

Reiss doesn't think it's LOL:

Mike Reiss‏Verified account @MikeReiss 10m10 minutes ago
Mike Reiss Retweeted Adam Schefter

Could be a good fit between player's skill set and scheme (3-4). Also indicates final decision from Hightower still might be days away.

Any analysis that doesn't start and end with assessment of $$ and cap space is flawed if you ask me. I get you only have so many characters per tweet but the point stands

 

[BigJimEd]

Visiting the Steelers now lol:

Can you elaborate on the lol? Lol at Steelers, Hightower, Patriots? Why?

 

[DJnVa]

Can you elaborate on the lol? Lol at Steelers, Hightower, Patriots? Why?

I'm guessing because Pats fans bristle at teams like the Jets and Steelers, the last 2 teams he visited.

 

[BigJimEd]

I'm guessing because Pats fans bristle at teams like the Jets and Steelers, the last 2 teams he visited.

Thanks. Makes sense.

 

[pdaj]

Almost like going to interview for a new job...
"Tell me what it was about this job that made you interested"
"Well, the thing is i'm not sure I want to leave my current job unless I am blown away by an offer"

If definitely seems to me as though Hightower's plan is to extract the best possible offer from another team to take back to New England and say, "Can you match?" or maybe even, "How close can you get?"

 

[Otis Foster]

If definitely seems to me as though Hightower's plan is to extract the best possible offer from another team to take back to New England and say, "Can you match?" or maybe even, "How close can you get?"

That's been the underlying assumption about this whole exercise, hasn't it?

Of course, if Pittsburgh (for instance) presents him with a very rich offer with a proviso that he either accept it on the spot or it vanishes, then the plan goes overboard, along with the NEP's assumed right of last refusal.

 

[tims4wins]

Paul Kuharsky‏Verified account @PaulKuharskyNFL





Robinson on @Midday180: Hightower has not visited here. Don't know where his market is. Keeping tabs on couple avenues. #Titans

 

[dcmissle]

That's been the underlying assumption about this whole exercise, hasn't it?

Of course, if Pittsburgh (for instance) presents him with a very rich offer with a proviso that he either accept it on the spot or it vanishes, then the plan goes overboard, along with the NEP's assumed right of last refusal.

Yup, that's one of the risks you assume. That's what Polian did with Vinatieri.

 

[JimD]

Yup, that's one of the risks you assume. That's what Polian did with Vinatieri.

By that point though, Vinatieri was pretty raw about his treatment by the Pats, wasn't he? The one promising sign so far is that Hightower is being completely professional about this and there is no evidence of hurt feelings or bad blood with the NE front office.

 

[dcmissle]

By that point though, Vinatieri was pretty raw about his treatment by the Pats, wasn't he? The one promising sign so far is that Hightower is being completely professional about this and there is no evidence of hurt feelings or bad blood with the NE front office.

Yes, he was. And agree.

 

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

Vinatieri got franchised and his salary was fully guaranteed by the team even in case of injury in his last year here. Not sure why he would have been so raw about things, but whatevs.

 

[E5 Yaz]

I've been googling and can't find any references to AV being "raw" about his departure. Is there a link out there someone could send me in a PM (so as not to hijack the thread further)?

 

[dcmissle]

Adam was franchised twice, in 2002 and 2005. He wasn't happy about it to the best of my recollection.

But it doesn't really matter. Polian's move was smart and should be anticipated. If you are Hightower in these circumstances, you should expect a take-it-or-leave-it offer that cannot be shopped. If you feel comfortable with the team and they hit your number ...

I like this way of doing business from the Pats' standpoint, but it does come with risk.

 

[Was (Not Wasdin)]

Globe article from around the time AV left

http://archive.boston.com/sports/articles/2006/08/10/vinatieri_shunned_patriots/

``Everybody knows I had a great run in New England," Vinatieri said. ``I enjoyed my experience there, but this is a business.
``The Patriots clearly expressed to me that it was a business by the decisions they made. So I had to examine my options."
Vinatieri said he became concerned about his long-term future in New England as far back as the end of 2004, a year in which he nailed 93.9 percent of his field goals (31 of 33) and 100 percent of his PATs (48 for 48) in the regular season, then was a perfect 5 for 5 in field goals and 10 for 10 in PATs in the playoffs.
``I saw it coming," Vinatieri said. ``I had a real nice season [in 2004], but the negotiations for a new contract were not going the way we thought they would. I don't know . . . I told my agent [Jonathan Hurst], `I don't need to know the day-to-day details. Call me if they offer me something decent.' They ended up franchising me.
``I understand the business. I'm not naive. But [2004] was a good time to get a long-term deal done. I wish they had."

``It was an extremely emotional day," he said. ``We were in Florida when the news hit I was leaving the Patriots, and we started hearing the reactions from the fans up in New England. My wife was following it on the Internet, and she was bawling. The fans were so great. They said such nice things. We loved it there."
Vinatieri said he has no regrets about not giving the Patriots a chance to counter the offer.

There was a tv interview that someone did with him around that time, and he was really serious about wanting to make the Hall of Fame. I'm sure I can't find it. When he signed, there, the first thing that a lot of folks thought was that he had indeed picked the best spot to give him an opportunity to get there.

Vinatieri, meanwhile, has positioned himself nicely for the remainder of his career, aligning himself with a prolific quarterback (Peyton Manning) who leads an explosive offense, affording a kicker who has a legitimate chance at the Hall of Fame an opportunity to enrich his statistics. Factor in his escape from the windy, frigid conditions that often come with kicking for the Patriots, and there is every reason to believe Vinatieri will be more productive than ever.

 

[tims4wins]

Apparently the Jets sang happy birthday, bought him cupcakes, and sent Jets gear to his mom... so it's probably in the bag

http://www.espn.com/blog/new-england-patriots/post/_/id/4801823/jets-showered-donta-hightower-with-birthday-cheer-during-visit?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

This is going to be pretty funny when he ends up back in NE.

And if he somehow does end up on the Jets, it's going to be LOL Jets all over again. But hey, congrats again on Revis

 

[RedOctober3829]

Apparently the Jets sang happy birthday, bought him cupcakes, and sent Jets gear to his mom... so it's probably in the bag

http://www.espn.com/blog/new-england-patriots/post/_/id/4801823/jets-showered-donta-hightower-with-birthday-cheer-during-visit?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

This is going to be pretty funny when he ends up back in NE.

And if he somehow does end up on the Jets, it's going to be LOL Jets all over again. But hey, congrats again on Revis

Hey man, if they brought in Georgetown Cupcakes for my birthday I'd totally sign there.

 

[bakahump]

People say that but its totally understandable why. To us its "hey you can play for this astronomical amount for 1 year no matter what!"

But you know as well as I do to them there is some coddling that needs to take place to make a person feel wanted. When that person doesn't get their anticipated amount of coddling then they are hurt. Would you be that way? Maybe...Maybe not. But its not rocket science why these guys are so raw about it.

Especially a player that has a performed and added alot to the success of their team.

 

[Stitch01]

Adam was franchised twice, in 2002 and 2005. He wasn't happy about it to the best of my recollection.

But it doesn't really matter. Polian's move was smart and should be anticipated. If you are Hightower in these circumstances, you should expect a take-it-or-leave-it offer that cannot be shopped. If you feel comfortable with the team and they hit your number ...

I like this way of doing business from the Pats' standpoint, but it does come with risk.

If everything we've heard is true,I sort of dont understand how anyone actually trying to sign Hightower takes any other approach.

 

[Papelbon's Poutine]

I've been googling and can't find any references to AV being "raw" about his departure. Is there a link out there someone could send me in a PM (so as not to hijack the thread further)?

From a recent ESPN article on AV:

He changed agents as he sought to nail down a deal. Over the years, the Patriots have made a cottage industry out of moving on from star players who either made or wanted to make a dollar or two more than the team thought they were worth, and as much as he loved being a Patriot and working with Belichick and Brady, Vinatieri said he was tired of working under the franchise's terms. He recalls thinking, 'You've rented me enough. ... I'm 32 years old. I've got plenty of years left. I've helped you win Super Bowls. Just give me what's fair."

Maybe the Patriots felt the Vinatieris' emotional attachment to the region would carry the day. But Adam did not give Belichick a chance to match the Colts' offer, and his wife, Valerie, shed a few tears over the move. To some, this seemed like a bigger gamble than the one taken by Vinatieri's third cousin, Evel Knievel, when he tried (and failed) to rocket himself across the Snake River Canyon. Vinatieri signed on to replace the league's most accurate leg, Mike Vanderjagt, whose miss at the end of the divisional playoff game against Pittsburgh had just cost Indianapolis its season. The Colts had been eliminated by New England in their 2003 and 2004 championship seasons, and they were paying Vinatieri for one specific reason...

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/18260104/indianapolis-colts-kicker-adam-vinatieri-journey-becoming-nfl-old-goat-2016

 

[bankshot1]

According to reliable sources, Dont'a Hightower has left the Jet's Florham Park NJ offices and is headed to Pittsburgh beating the blizzard that is about to blanket the northeast. Rumor has it that he left without signing a Jets contract, but he took enough cupcakes to share with Steeler GM Mike Colbert and head coach Mike Tomlin.

 

[PaulinMyrBch]

He knows Kraft only serves cake at Ring Ceremonies

 

[tims4wins]

Jason La Canfora‏Verified account @JasonLaCanfora 45m45 minutes ago

Dont'a Hightower made it from NYJ to Pittsburgh. Snow couldn't hold him back. LB is meeting with the Steelers today

 

[Mugsy's Walk-Off Bunt]

It's cold there, too, Dont'a.

 

[NDame616]

That's been the underlying assumption about this whole exercise, hasn't it?

Of course, if Pittsburgh (for instance) presents him with a very rich offer with a proviso that he either accept it on the spot or it vanishes, then the plan goes overboard, along with the NEP's assumed right of last refusal.

Agent texts BB from bathroom: Pitt is in for (offer) will you match or no?

Problem solved

 

[Mugsy's Walk-Off Bunt]

Send McNally? He has "bathroom experience."

 

[SeoulSoxFan]

Ruh oh.

@AKinkhabwala
Wow. Some positive vibes out of #Steelers HQ right now re LB Dont'a Hightower's visit. Of course... they also felt confident abt those CBs.

 

[BigSoxFan]

Ruh oh.

@AKinkhabwala
Wow. Some positive vibes out of #Steelers HQ right now re LB Dont'a Hightower's visit. Of course... they also felt confident abt those CBs.

They probably spent a couple hours asking him what it felt like to touch one of Brady's passes.

 

[Silverdude2167]

Hightower does not seem to make a lot of sense for Pitt. Going after Butler would seem like a much better target based on their team needs.

 

[Mugsy's Walk-Off Bunt]

Count me among those who see Hightower as more valuable to the Patriots than any other team. And I still won't totally panic I feel he signs elsewhere. (I will panic a little.)

Edit grammar

 

[Otis Foster]

"Agent texts BB from bathroom: Pitt is in for (offer) will you match or no?

Problem solved"

Gentlemen/ladies, park your smart phones and pdas before heading to the baño.

The same goes for semaphore flags, homing pigeons and messenger dogs.

 

[Harry Hooper]

Hightower does not seem to make a lot of sense for Pitt. Going after Butler would seem like a much better target based on their team needs.

FWIW, the Steelers guy at SB Nation wrote that edge rusher/OLB is the team's biggest need* while noting, "There’s also a benefit to having pass rushers with different styles of getting after the QB, to take advantage of offensive linemen who have different types of weakness."

LINK

* The big strip-sack play in SB LI aside, Hightower is probably more effective as an inside blitzer in terms of pass rushing.

 

[DJnVa]

Ruh oh.

@AKinkhabwala
Wow. Some positive vibes out of #Steelers HQ right now re LB Dont'a Hightower's visit. Of course... they also felt confident abt those CBs.

Does this balance out all the other teams that got the "vibe" that he's heading back to NE? It's just talk.

What's real is the Steelers salary cap situation.

 

[Mugsy's Jock]

Eh... I still prefer the old thread title. Barely any smoke, much less fire, here as of yet.

 

[Al Zarilla]

Eh... I still prefer the old thread title. Barely any smoke, much less fire, here as of yet.

I still like All Along The Watchtower. Neat and clean.

 

[RedOctober3829]

Aditi Kinkhabwala‏Verified account @AKinkhabwala 2m2 minutes ago
No deal (yet) between #Steelers and Dont'a Hightower. Sounds like LB is buying time to talk to #Patriots.

 

[bankshot1]

I still like All Along The Watchtower. Neat and clean.

There must be some kind of way outta here
Said the backer to the chief
The Jets gave me cupcakes
But what I need is beef
hey

 

[RedOctober3829]

Steelers reporter Ed Bouchette had a Steelers chat last hour. His feeling is that the Steelers are being used as a bargaining chip for Hightower/Pats. He thinks it would cost the Steelers $12 million/yr to sign him and doesn't feel that they would do it.

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2017/03/14/Ed-Bouchette-Steelers-chat-3-14-17/stories/201703140144

 

[Jed Zeppelin]

Regardless of the Butler situation, bringing Hightower back is the one thing to solidify this is an A offseason. No clear plan b if DH goes elsewhere. Nor any worthy compensation (much rather the player than a 3rd next year). Hope they can find a way.