Linebacker Dont’a Hightower is slated to choose between three offers today, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. He’s deciding between the Steelers, Jets, and Patriots, though that’s not necessarily in order. Those close to the situation still believe he’ll remain in New England. 
The Jets, apparently, have offered “far and away” more money than anyone else. Still, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com, he doesn’t seem inclined to accept Gang Green’s offer. The Jets have offered more than $12MM per season, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report hears (on Twitter).
The Steelers reportedly told Hightower their offer to him would disappear if he left town without signing on the dotted line. Hightower, it seems, is either still in Pittsburgh, or the Steelers were making an empty threat to coax him into signing.
All along, the expectation has been that Hightower would circle back to the defending champs. Still, money talks and this will probably be the largest deal the 27-year-old ever signs. Soon, we’ll know the verdict.
Stay in New England!!!
Come to Cleveland!
I’m not a Steeler fan but you gotta respect the way they do business.
Yea they cut a player for taking his girlfriends cell phone and smashing it few yrs ago but kept the guy that was raping women …
I must have missed the story where someone on the team was charged with rape.
Like no team has its share of players with off the field issues. Must be a CFL fan.
please come to the burgh
How is “threatening” someone a good way to do business?
come to green bay
We’re gonna “threaten” you with a over million dollar offer for playing a game. And if you leave you go accept another one. Real threatening.
It’s not really a threat, it’s a common practice. They don’t want to be used in order to get more money out of the team he wants to go to.
Another day of nothing! Sign or go smoke some pot!
Or both
Man if the Pats lose Hightower, all of Bill’s “mad scientist” moves this offseason will be wasted. We are gonna lose Butler but Belicheck obviously knew going into free agency that Butler would not accept his tender at 3 million, thus he pounced on Gilmore and traded for Cooks. We can’t trade Butler until he signs his tender but obviously the parameters of a deal were worked out with his pal Payton in New Orleans and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Pats send him there in e change for getting their first round pick back (#32)… At first, I was ecstatic about signing Gilmore thinking he would be replacing Logan a Ryan (who I like but isn’t worth what he was paid on the open market) now it’s pretty clear Gilmore was signed to replace Butler…. without utter, the Pats still have a pretty decent secondary with Gilmore, McCourty,Chung, Harmon, Rowe and hopefully Cyrus Jones has a bounce back season after a fumbled rookie campaign. However, if the Pats lose Hightower, WE’RE IN BIG TROUBLE as the LB crew is already just so-so (and that’s being generous) with VanNoy, McLellan and Roberts then all we’ve got are 2 young guys who played mostly special teams. I guess we could move an aging Ninkovich to MLB if the acquisitions of Ealy and Guy buy Hightower, although only a two down LB was the Captain out there for the frontline while McCourty ran the dbacks. Losing Hightower and his Big Play ability and general knack forgot Belicheck plays defense will be a huuuuuuuuuge loss.
Do you really think that BB doesn’t have a plan? After all these years, you’re going to doubt the man now?
There is a good haul coming with the impending JimmyG trade, which will put them back into the first and second rounds of this years draft. Plus the pick if Butler goes elsewhere.
He doesn’t have any leverage, most teams won’t give up a first round pick for him, plus a contract. Patriots hold the cards in that one.
Also, if Butler does go to the Saints, the Patriots get their #11 pick, not the #32 pick.
The 11th pick would only be required if the Saints sign Butler to an offer sheet that isn’t matched. I think it’s more likely that a trade is worked out separately where Butler signs his tender and then is traded.
This is a good move.
Missing Bryant all last season and Green for most of it, the Steelers had no red zone target.
They could conceivably roll out all 3 in the red zone this year.
TFW when you post on the wrong thread but don’t care enough to fix it…just pretend this is the Justin Hunter thread.
The Pats have to bring him back. If we don’t Bill will get even more heat for trading Jones and Collins when he did. The Pats can get by without Butler this year but it would be hard to get by without Hightower and it would be very hard to get by without both of them. I can see the Pats taking a decent CB with their first pick assuming they don’t trade up in the draft and then possibly drafting a RB after but there aren’t many good LBs left on the market behind Hightower, there is Brown who is visiting with the Raiders today and will probably sign there and then Leavy who is unfortunately always injured(which is the reason why he was released) and this isn’t a great LB draft outside of the top few guys who are set to go in the first round or maybe early second round. And it isn’t like the Pats don’t have the money to sign him, they have enough to pay both Butler and Hightower the amount they are looking for and still have money left, they just don’t feel like they are worth that much I guess. I obviously want Hightower and Butler back and I ultimately think Hightower will be back but I also want to see them go elsewhere and watch the Pats realize their defense isn’t that great and they realize their mistake and not giving Hightower especially and Butler the money they wanted. I feel like it is going to be a case of you don’t truly realize how much you love something(Hightower and Butler) until it’s(they) are gone. I also think though that where ever they end up(if they leave the Pats) they won’t be as successful. No team has a better DC than the Pats and Butler had a great safety in McCorty and a good safety in Chung behind him to help where as most teams don’t have that and Hightower thrived in the Pats system, he was able to use their great front four to either blitz or drop back into coverage. Either way I hope both are back but if we can only have one I have to choose Hightower. I am also surprised That the Pats haven’t signed any plan B guys incase they do lose Hightower. Either way Pats just give Hightower the money he wants and you won’t regret it, if you don’t you will regret not giving him the money.