Collins: LB, 26 yrs old, 29 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 3 FF
Hightower: LB, 25 yrs old, 32 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 1 FR
Jones: DE, 25 yrs old, 17 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 1 FF
You have your choice of extending any one of them, but not all three of them. Rank them in order of which one you prefer, and say why. For me:
1. Collins
2. Hightower
3. Jones
Collins seems to me to be the most gifted of the three, and he can do everything there is to do defensively. The best cover guy, a dynamic pass rusher when called upon, and is probably the best athlete of the three.
Hightower is the thumper and gives the Pats a major physical presence.
Jones is a quality edge rusher, which is something the team definitely needs. But they have Ninkovich and Sheard, and I think with some of the new guys they've drafted, they can replace Jones' production at a far lower cost than what he will demand as a FA.
I think ILB is probably an undervalued position in the NFL, compared with edge rushers, so I think Jones will command the most on the FA market, which may price him out of NE. I think they might be able to sign/extend all three, but if I had to choose only one, I'd go with Collins, and if I had to choose only two, I'd go with Collins and Hightower.
Hightower: LB, 25 yrs old, 32 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 1 FR
Jones: DE, 25 yrs old, 17 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 1 FF
You have your choice of extending any one of them, but not all three of them. Rank them in order of which one you prefer, and say why. For me:
1. Collins
2. Hightower
3. Jones
Collins seems to me to be the most gifted of the three, and he can do everything there is to do defensively. The best cover guy, a dynamic pass rusher when called upon, and is probably the best athlete of the three.
Hightower is the thumper and gives the Pats a major physical presence.
Jones is a quality edge rusher, which is something the team definitely needs. But they have Ninkovich and Sheard, and I think with some of the new guys they've drafted, they can replace Jones' production at a far lower cost than what he will demand as a FA.
I think ILB is probably an undervalued position in the NFL, compared with edge rushers, so I think Jones will command the most on the FA market, which may price him out of NE. I think they might be able to sign/extend all three, but if I had to choose only one, I'd go with Collins, and if I had to choose only two, I'd go with Collins and Hightower.