Hightower not tagged, to test FA market

[sgriffeth78]

Thoughts? Worth the money to bring him in in an area of need?

[the0rangecrush]

Hightower will be seeking a Collins type deal. Similar to Campbell, we have other areas to address as well. Dropping a significant portion of our funds on one guy may not be realistic.

[SoundsOfSuccess]

I don't care where he ends up just not back in new england

[Bterres105]

I think Denver is looking for a more mobile ILB that can hang with TE's like Trevathan did.

[aditheman]

The thread title is a bit misleading. Yes they will not tag him because the franchise tag for a LB is astronomical. I still think he will sign a long term deal with the Pats and won't go anywhere.

[shawinkerpoppin]

After this year Brandon Marshall contract balloons to 7 mill and then to 9mill for the final years after. We need to address the other linebacker spot in the draft hopefully hit on a linebacker that can perform on a rookie deal alongside Marshall.

[TheAsianPA]

Here's a list of prospective ILB for the 2017 draft. Personally, I think there are enough OLB/ILB talent in this upcoming draft that we won't have to worry as much about overpaying for someone like Hightower, as already our defense is only 2 or 3 players away from it's full strength again.

http://walterfootball.com/draft2017ILB.php

[TheAsianPA]

The thread title is a bit misleading. Yes they will not tag him because the franchise tag for a LB is astronomical. I still think he will sign a long term deal with the Pats and won't go anywhere.

yes. If they use a franchise tag on him, the price then becomes 15million. If they use a transition tag, then it's 11 million. Hightower can ask for that contract, because it's likely that the 49ers, Browns, Jaguars, etc that do have d line needs have the cap space to give him that. At least I know for sure the 49ers do with their hilariously large $80million cap salary. Fortunately our team isn't in desperate need to shell out a third of our cap space to one defensive lineman.

[Joshua2585]

The Broncos would be immediately a top 5 run defense again, IMO if we had a chance to pick up Hightower and maybe nab a decent starting NT in the draft.

[Gbt31]

If we were going to make a big splash like this in FA, I would rather go for Campbell instead.

[-Rod-]

Elway did not want to pay Trevathan, who signed for $12 million guaranteed and $6 million/year. It makes no sense to pring Hightower at $10-12 million/year.

Trevathan has injury concerns, but had 2 seasons with 100+ tackles. Hightower has zero. In coverage, Trevathan has 23 pass breakups, 5 interceptions. 3-down LB. Hightower never broke more than 3 passes in a season, has 12 pass breakups since 2012 and no interceptions.

All that money for a run stopper? I really don't see the value. The big difference is that Hightower has 17.0 career sacks, but he probably would not be used as a pass rusher with the players we already have. We need a LB that can cover RBs and TEs.

[Sam_Z]

itd beca shame to ask a player to convert to another position but dang if we were able to get Jabril Peppers and place him at linebacker, we would not need a high priced free agent.

Peppers is the man and do it all but I agree with Coach VJ, it's ridiculous to ask a player convert and we're not doing any of that any more.

[Broncos-R-Great]

The thread title is a bit misleading. Yes they will not tag him because the franchise tag for a LB is astronomical. I still think he will sign a long term deal with the Pats and won't go anywhere.

They're just about out of time to sign a long term deal, unless they can somehow work out something last minute he will be a FA

[ERoyal248]

hightower wants around 12 mil a year.

If we're gonna splash on defense would most def go for Calais.

Dont see Elway paying a NT huge money.